81R2593 TJS-F
By: Swinford H.B. No. 786
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the boards of trustees of retirement systems for paid or
partly paid firefighters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 19(a), Texas Local Fire Fighters
Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
amended to read as follows:
(a) In each municipality and other political subdivision to
which this Act applies and that has a fire department that does not
consist exclusively of volunteers, the fire fighters' retirement
system is governed by a board of trustees consisting of:
(1) the mayor of the municipality or the mayor's
designated representative or the chief operating officer of the
political subdivision or the chief operating officer's designated
representative, as applicable;
(2) the chief financial officer of the municipality or
other political subdivision or, if there is no officer denominated
as chief financial officer, the person who performs the duties of
chief financial officer or a person designated by the chief
financial officer or by the person performing the duties of chief
financial officer;
(3) three members of the retirement system elected by
participating members as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section; and
(4) two persons, at least one of whom is a retiree,
who:
(A) reside in this state in the municipality or
other political subdivision or within the extraterritorial
jurisdiction of the municipality;
(B) [, who] are not officers or employees of the
municipality or other political subdivision;[,] and
(C) [who] are elected by a majority vote of the
members of the board of trustees determined as provided by
Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection.
SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act in the
qualifications of certain trustees of the boards of trustees of
retirement systems for paid or partly paid firefighters does not
affect the entitlement of a trustee serving on a board immediately
before the effective date of this Act to continue to carry out the
board's functions for the remainder of the trustee's term. The
change in law applies only to a trustee elected on or after the
effective date of this Act.
(b) On or after the effective date of this Act, as the terms
of trustees of the boards of trustees of retirement systems for paid
or partly paid firefighters expire or as vacancies occur, the
boards shall appoint trustees so that the boards are composed in
accordance with Section 19(a), Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement
Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by
this Act.
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, 2009.