Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4163 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/12/2021

                    87R7543 JCG-D
 By: Longoria H.B. No. 4163


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to a funding soundness restoration plan for certain public
 retirement systems.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 28(h), Texas Local Fire Fighters
 Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
 amended to read as follows:
 (h)  A retirement system established under this Act is exempt
 from Subchapter C, Chapter 802, Government Code, except Sections
 802.2017, 802.202, 802.205, and 802.207.
 SECTION 2.  Section 802.2015(b), Government Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (b)  This section applies to a public retirement system and
 its associated governmental entity other than a public retirement
 system and its associated governmental entity subject to Section
 802.2016 or 802.2017.
 SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 802, Government Code, is
 amended by adding Section 802.2017 to read as follows:
 Sec. 802.2017.  FUNDING SOUNDNESS RESTORATION PLAN FOR
 CERTAIN PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEMS FOR FIRE FIGHTERS. (a) In this
 section:
 (1)  "Funded ratio" has the meaning assigned by Section
 802.2011.
 (2)  "Governmental entity" has the meaning assigned by
 Section 802.1012.
 (b)  This section applies only to a public retirement system
 governed by the Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act (Article
 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and its associated
 governmental entity.
 (c)  A public retirement system shall notify the associated
 governmental entity in writing if the system receives an actuarial
 valuation indicating that the system's actual contributions are not
 sufficient to amortize the unfunded actuarial accrued liability
 within 30 years. The governing body of the public retirement system
 and the governing body of the associated government entity shall
 jointly formulate a funding soundness restoration plan under
 Subsection (e) if:
 (1)  the system's actuarial valuation shows that the
 system's amortization period exceeds:
 (A)  40 years; or
 (B)  30 years and:
 (i)  the funded ratio of the system is less
 than 65 percent; or
 (ii)  the funded ratio of the system is 65
 percent or greater and the system receives:
 (a)  if the system receives an annual
 actuarial valuation, two more consecutive actuarial valuations
 that show the funded ratio of the system is 65 percent or greater;
 or
 (b)  if the system receives actuarial
 valuations every two or three years, one more consecutive actuarial
 valuation that shows the funded ratio of the system is 65 percent or
 greater;
 (2)  except as provided by Subsection (d), a funding
 soundness restoration plan formulated under Subsection (e) or
 Section 802.2015 is not already in effect; and
 (3)  the board has not exempted the system from the
 requirement to formulate a funding soundness restoration plan in
 accordance with the rules adopted under Subsection (h).
 (d)  The governing body of a public retirement system and the
 associated governmental entity that have formulated a funding
 soundness restoration plan under Subsection (e) shall formulate a
 revised funding soundness restoration plan under that subsection
 if, based on the most recent actuarial valuation, the board
 determines that the previously formulated funding soundness
 restoration plan has not been adhered to.
 (e)  A funding soundness restoration plan formulated under
 this section must:
 (1)  be developed by the public retirement system and
 the associated governmental entity in accordance with the system's
 governing statute; and
 (2)  be designed to achieve a contribution rate that
 will be sufficient to amortize the unfunded actuarial accrued
 liability within 30 years not later than the 10th anniversary of the
 date on which the final version of a funding soundness restoration
 plan is agreed to.
 (f)  A public retirement system and the associated
 governmental entity that formulate a funding soundness restoration
 plan shall report any updates of progress made by the entities
 toward improved actuarial soundness to the board every two years.
 (g)  Each public retirement system that formulates a funding
 soundness restoration plan as provided by this section shall submit
 a copy of that plan to the board and any change to the plan not later
 than the 31st day after the date on which the plan or the change is
 agreed to.
 (h)  The board shall adopt rules for the administration of
 this section, including a procedure for a public retirement system
 subject to the requirement to formulate a funding soundness
 restoration plan under this section to request from the board an
 exemption from the requirement based on:
 (1)  the system's adoption of actuarially determined
 contribution rates; and
 (2)  one or more actuarial valuations of the system
 showing the system's amortization period is projected to become
 within a reasonable period an amortization period not exceeding 30
 years.
 SECTION 4.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
 of this Act, the State Pension Review Board shall adopt the rules
 required by Section 802.2017(h), Government Code, as added by this
 Act.
 SECTION 5.  A public retirement system is not required to
 formulate a funding soundness restoration plan under Section
 802.2017, Government Code, as added by this Act, based on an
 actuarial valuation made before the effective date of this Act.
 SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.