HBA-ALS H.B. 1002 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1002
By: West, George
Appropriation
4/16/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current federal law, the federal government counts military service
time when calculating employee benefits, thereby increasing seniority in
promotions and longevity pay.  Unlike the federal system, the state system
does not include in the state employee's length of service time served in
the military for which the employee has purchased a service credit through
the Employees Retirement System of Texas when calculating employment
benefits and requires a veteran to pay for all contributions. 

H.B. 1002 requires a state agency, in calculating a benefit of state
employment based on length of service, including longevity pay, vacation
time, and compensatory time, to include in the length of service time
served in the military for which the state employee purchased a service
credit under the Employees Retirement System of Texas. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 651, Government Code, to add Section 651.005, as
follows: 

Sec.  651.005.  CREDIT FOR MILITARY SERVICE.  Requires a state agency, in
calculating a benefit of state employment based on length of service,
including longevity pay under Subchapter D, Chapter 659, Government Code
(Longevity Pay), vacation time, and compensatory time, to include in the
state employee's length of service any time served in the military for
which the state employee purchased a service credit under Subtitle B, Title
8 (Employees Retirement System of Texas). 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.
                       Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.