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.