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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility for membership and funding of benefits for |
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certain law enforcement, custodial, and other peace officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 803, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 803.2015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 803.2015. COMBINED SERVICE CREDIT FOR CERTAIN PEACE |
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OFFICERS. (a) This section applies to a person who, on December |
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31, 2023: |
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(1) is a member of the Teacher Retirement System of |
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Texas, who: |
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(A) is identified under Section 825.515 as being |
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employed in a position as a peace officer; and |
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(B) elects to begin membership as a peace officer |
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participating in the Employees Retirement System of Texas law |
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enforcement and custodial officer supplemental retirement fund |
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beginning January 1, 2024. |
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(b) For the purposes of this chapter, service credit earned |
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by a person described by Subsection (a) is considered service |
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credit earned in two retirement systems and is subject to Section |
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803.201. The membership on which combined service credit is based |
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is service credit accrued: |
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(1) before beginning participation in the Employees |
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Retirement System of Texas law enforcement and custodial officer |
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supplemental retirement fund; and |
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(2) after beginning participation in the Employees |
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Retirement System of Texas law enforcement and custodial officer |
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supplemental retirement fund. |
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SECTION 2. Section 811.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subdivision (9) and adding Subdivisions (8-b) and (12-b) |
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to read as follows: |
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(9) "Law enforcement officer" means a member of the |
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retirement system who: |
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(A) has been commissioned as a law enforcement |
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officer by the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic |
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Beverage Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, [or] the |
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office of inspector general at the Texas Juvenile Justice |
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Department, or is a person identified under Section 825.515 as |
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being employed in a position as a peace officer,; and |
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(B) is recognized as a commissioned law |
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enforcement officer by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. |
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SECTION 3. Section 812.003, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) An office or employment that is included in the coverage |
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of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, other than in a position |
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identified as a peace officer position under Section 825.515, the |
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Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One, or the Judicial |
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Retirement System of Texas Plan Two or, except as provided by |
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Section 9.01, Chapter 238 (S.B. 378), Acts of the 73rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 1993, is with a university system or institution |
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of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, |
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is not a position with a department, commission, board, agency, or |
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institution of the state for purposes of this subtitle. |
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(b-1) Membership in the employee class includes any person |
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who is certified as being employed in a position as a peace officer |
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under Section 815.505. |
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SECTION 4. Section 815.505, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 815.505. CERTIFICATION OF NAMES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND |
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CUSTODIAL OFFICERS. (a) Not later than the 12th day of the month |
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following the month in which a person begins or ceases employment as |
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a law enforcement officer or custodial officer, the Public Safety |
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Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Parks and |
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Wildlife Commission, the office of inspector general at the Texas |
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Juvenile Justice Department, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, or |
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the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, as applicable, shall certify |
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to the retirement system, in the manner prescribed by the system, |
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the name of the employee and such other information as the system |
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determines is necessary for the crediting of service and financing |
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of benefits under this subtitle. |
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(b) Not later than the 12th day of the month following the |
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month in which a person begins or ceases employment with an employer |
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required to provide information about a person identified as being |
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employed in a position as a peace officer under Section 825.515 |
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shall certify to the retirement system, in the manner prescribed by |
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the system, the name of the employee and such other information as |
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the system determines is necessary for the crediting of service and |
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financing of benefits under this subtitle. |
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SECTION 5. Section 822.002(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) An employee of the public school system is not permitted |
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to be a member of the retirement system if the employee: |
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(1) is eligible and elects to participate in the |
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optional retirement program under Chapter 830; |
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(2) is eligible and elects to participate in the |
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Employees Retirement System of Texas law enforcement and custodial |
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officer supplemental retirement fund under Section 803.2015; |
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(3) is required to participate in the Employees |
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Retirement System of Texas law enforcement and custodial officer |
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supplemental retirement fund as a member of the employee class |
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under Section 812.003(b-1); or |
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(4) [(2)] has retired under the retirement system and |
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has not been reinstated to membership pursuant to Section 824.005 |
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or 824.307. |
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SECTION 6. (a) Not later than December 31, 2023, a person |
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who is a member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and is |
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identified under Section 825.515, Government Code, as being |
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employed as a peace officer shall decide whether to: |
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(1) remain a member in the Teacher Retirement System |
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of Texas; or |
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(2) become a member of the employee class as a peace |
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officer participating in the Employees Retirement System of Texas |
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law enforcement and custodial officer supplemental retirement fund |
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effective January 1, 2024. |
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(b) The retirement benefits of a person who opts to begin |
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participation in the Employees Retirement System of Texas law |
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enforcement and custodial officer supplemental retirement fund |
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under Subsection (a) of this section shall be divided as if the |
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benefits were based on service credit earned in two separate |
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retirement systems as follows: |
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(1) service credit earned before January 1, 2024; and |
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(2) service credit earned on or after January 1, 2024. |
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(d) A person who earns service credit described by |
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Subsections (b)(1) and (2) of this section is eligible to have that |
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credit treated as combined service credit under Chapter 803, |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |