HBA-SEB H.B. 2173 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2173
By: Deshotel
Pensions and Investments
3/23/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law allows employees of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), Texas
Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation (MHMR) to apply for temporary service
retirement if their positions are eliminated as a result of privatization
or other workforce reductions.  In order to be eligible, however, the
employee's position must be eliminated before September 1, 1999.  MHMR may
consolidate its state centers in Beaumont, Amarillo, and Laredo in the year
2000, and eliminated employees would not be eligible for the retirement
option.  H.B. 2173 extends the temporary service retirement option to
employees of TWC, DHS, and MHMR whose positions are eliminated before
September 1, 2001.        

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 Section 814.1041(f), Government Code, to make this
section (Temporary Service Retirement Option for Members Affected by
Privatization or Other Reduction in Workforce) applicable to positions
eliminated before September 1, 2001, rather than September 1, 1999, by
privatization or other reductions in workforce within the Texas Workforce
Commission, Texas Department of Human Services, or Texas Department of
Mental Health and Mental Retardation.   

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.