82R13284 CBE-D
By: Truitt H.C.R. No. 99
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Employers include health and retirement benefits in
their compensation packages as a competitive business practice; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas is required by law to provide
health and retirement benefits through the Employees Retirement
System of Texas, and these benefits serve to attract and retain
employees; and
WHEREAS, Recent state and national events have illustrated
the economic and political challenges in providing benefit
programs, but the fact remains that benefits play an important role
in fostering, promoting, and encouraging state service; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
of representatives to create a joint interim committee to conduct a
comprehensive, data-driven study of the benefits, including health
insurance, retirement programs, and other benefits, of active and
retired employees of the State of Texas; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the study's purview cover the programs
administered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That the study specifically consider: (1) the
impact on the state of offering retirement and health benefits; (2)
the impact on employees of being offered retirement and health
benefits; and (3) the impact of retiree health benefits in
calculating Other Post-Employment Benefit (OPEB) liabilities; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That the study specifically address the
feasibility of the current defined benefit plan, as well as the
feasibility of creating a defined contribution or hybrid plan,
placing each option within the context of (1) providing a proper
system for managing risk; (2) encouraging employee behavior that
best meets the workforce needs of the State of Texas; (3) funding
benefits in a sound manner; and (4) providing adequate retirement
income at a reasonable retirement age after a reasonable period of
employment; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the committee submit not later than September
1, 2012, a full report, including findings and recommendations, to
the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and the governor.