88R2038 BDP-F
 
  By: Bucy H.B. No. 160
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a cost-of-living adjustment applicable to certain
  benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and a
  biennial study on providing additional cost-of-living adjustments
  based on the effects of increased inflation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 824, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 824.703 to read as follows:
         Sec. 824.703.  ADDITIONAL COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
  (a)  Notwithstanding Section 824.702 and subject to Section
  821.006, the retirement system shall make a one-time cost-of-living
  adjustment payable to annuitants receiving a monthly death or
  retirement benefit annuity, as provided by this section.
         (b)  Subject to Subsections (c) and (d), to be eligible for
  the adjustment, a person must be, on the effective date of the
  adjustment and disregarding any forfeiture of benefits under
  Section 824.601, an annuitant eligible to receive:
               (1)  a standard service or disability retirement
  annuity payment;
               (2)  an optional service or disability retirement
  annuity payment as either a retiree or beneficiary;
               (3)  an annuity payment under Section 824.402(a)(3) or
  (4);
               (4)  an annuity payment under Section 824.502; or
               (5)  an alternate payee annuity payment under Section
  804.005.
         (c)  If the annuitant:
               (1)  is a retiree or is a beneficiary under an optional
  retirement payment plan, to be eligible for the adjustment under
  this section:
                     (A)  the annuitant must be living on the effective
  date of the adjustment; and
                     (B)  the effective date of the retirement of the
  member of the retirement system must have been on or before August
  31, 2021;
               (2)  is a beneficiary under Section 824.402(a)(3) or
  (4) or 824.502, to be eligible for the adjustment:
                     (A)  the annuitant must be living on the effective
  date of the adjustment; and
                     (B)  the date of death of the member of the
  retirement system must have been on or before August 31, 2021; or
               (3)  is an alternate payee under Section 804.005, the
  annuitant is eligible for the adjustment only if the effective date
  of the election to receive the annuity payment was on or before
  August 31, 2021.
         (d)  An adjustment made under this section does not apply to
  payments under:
               (1)  Section 824.203(d), relating to retirees who
  receive a standard service retirement annuity in an amount fixed by
  statute;
               (2)  Section 824.304(a), relating to disability
  retirees with less than 10 years of service credit;
               (3)  Section 824.304(b)(2), relating to disability
  retirees who receive a disability annuity in an amount fixed by
  statute;
               (4)  Section 824.404(a), relating to active member
  survivor beneficiaries who receive a survivor annuity in an amount
  fixed by statute;
               (5)  Section 824.501(a), relating to retiree survivor
  beneficiaries who receive a survivor annuity in an amount fixed by
  statute; or
               (6)  Section 824.804(b), relating to participants in
  the deferred retirement option plan with regard to payments from
  their deferred retirement option plan accounts.
         (e)  An adjustment under this section:
               (1)  must be made beginning with an annuity payable for
  the month of September 2023; and
               (2)  is limited to an amount equal to 10 percent of the
  monthly benefit subject to the increase.
         (f)  The board of trustees shall determine the eligibility
  for and the amount of any adjustment in monthly annuities in
  accordance with this section.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 825, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 825.1085 to read as follows:
         Sec. 825.1085.  BIENNIAL STUDY AND REPORT ON PROVIDING
  ADDITIONAL COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON EFFECTS OF
  INFLATION.  Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the
  retirement system shall:
               (1)  conduct a study to evaluate and identify the
  effects, if any, that increased inflation has had on annuitants of
  the system:
                     (A)  during the preceding state fiscal biennium;
  and
                     (B)  if applicable, since annuitants last
  received a cost-of-living adjustment; and
               (2)  submit a written report to the legislature
  containing:
                     (A)  findings of the study; and 
                     (B)  if appropriate, recommendations for
  potential legislation to address any adverse effects of inflation
  identified under Subdivision (1), including specific
  recommendations regarding whether and in what amount the
  legislature would need to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to
  the benefits of annuitants to remedy those effects.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.