| 1 | 1 | | 89R4368 CS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Eckhardt, Zaffirini S.B. No. 574 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to an annual adjustment for inflation to the monthly |
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| 10 | 10 | | amount of longevity pay for state employees. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 659.044, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to |
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| 14 | 14 | | read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a) Except as provided by Subsections (e) and (f) and |
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| 16 | 16 | | Section 659.0445, the monthly amount of longevity pay is the amount |
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| 17 | 17 | | set by the comptroller under Subsection (a-1) [$20] for every two |
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| 18 | 18 | | years of lifetime service credit. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (a-1) Not later than July 1 of each year, the comptroller |
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| 20 | 20 | | shall set the amount of longevity pay for purposes of Subsection (a) |
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| 21 | 21 | | in the manner provided by this subsection. The comptroller shall |
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| 22 | 22 | | increase the amount of longevity pay in effect on the date the |
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| 23 | 23 | | increase is made by an amount equal to the product of the amount of |
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| 24 | 24 | | longevity pay in effect on that date and the percentage increase, if |
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| 25 | 25 | | any, in an index considered by the comptroller to most accurately |
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| 26 | 26 | | report annual changes in the purchasing power of the dollar for |
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| 27 | 27 | | consumers in this state. The increased amount of longevity pay is |
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| 28 | 28 | | effective for the 12-month period beginning on September 1 of the |
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| 29 | 29 | | year in which the increase is made. Not later than August 1 of each |
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| 30 | 30 | | year, the comptroller shall publish notice of the increased amount |
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| 31 | 31 | | of longevity pay determined under this subsection and the period |
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| 32 | 32 | | for which that amount will be effective in the Texas Register and |
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| 33 | 33 | | post that information in a prominent location on the comptroller's |
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| 34 | 34 | | Internet website. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (a-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a-1), for the state |
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| 36 | 36 | | fiscal year beginning September 1, 2025, and ending August 31, |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2026, the comptroller shall set the amount of longevity pay for |
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| 38 | 38 | | purposes of Subsection (a) in an amount equal to the sum of $20 and |
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| 39 | 39 | | the product of $20 and the percentage increase, if any, in an index |
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| 40 | 40 | | considered by the comptroller to most accurately report annual |
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| 41 | 41 | | changes in the purchasing power of the dollar for consumers in this |
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| 42 | 42 | | state. This subsection expires September 1, 2026. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. The comptroller of public accounts shall |
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| 44 | 44 | | calculate the amount of longevity pay in effect for the state fiscal |
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| 45 | 45 | | year beginning September 1, 2025, in the manner required by Section |
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| 46 | 46 | | 659.044(a-2), Government Code, as added by this Act. In the state |
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| 47 | 47 | | fiscal year beginning September 1, 2026, and in subsequent state |
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| 48 | 48 | | fiscal years, the comptroller of public accounts shall calculate |
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| 49 | 49 | | the amount of longevity pay in effect for the applicable state |
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| 50 | 50 | | fiscal year in the manner required by Section 659.044(a-1), |
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| 51 | 51 | | Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 53 | 53 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 54 | 54 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 55 | 55 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 56 | 56 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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