Texas Senate Bill SB2009

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Caption

Relating to requiring a supplemental actuarial analysis by certain public retirement systems.

Impact

By requiring a detailed supplemental analysis, SB2009 aims to enhance financial accountability and transparency within public retirement systems. This could potentially lead to more prudent investment strategies and a greater understanding among stakeholders of the long-term financial health of these systems. The law could also encourage retirement systems to be more conservative in their return assumptions, thereby reducing the risk of underfunding pensions and securing benefits for public employees more effectively in the long run.

Summary

SB2009 is a legislative act focused on implementing enhanced financial scrutiny for certain public retirement systems in Texas. The bill mandates that each public retirement system must conduct and submit a supplemental actuarial analysis alongside its regular actuarial valuation. This analysis aims to forecast the system's assets and liabilities over a 30-year period and is designed to assess the potential impacts of varying rates of investment returns, including scenarios that are both significantly lower and higher than the standard expected return. This requirement is part of a broader strategy to ensure the fiscal health and sustainability of public retirement funds over time.

Contention

While the intent of SB2009 is to strengthen the financial oversight of public retirement systems, there may be contention regarding the feasibility and administrative burden of the new requirement. Some critics could argue that the additional analysis may impose excessive costs and staffing demands on retirement systems, particularly smaller ones that may lack the resources to comply efficiently. Furthermore, there may be disagreements on the selection of rates of return, which could influence the fiscal implications of these analyses and reflect broader philosophical divides about retirement funding and state responsibility.