Legislative Activity Related to ERS
ERS will monitor for legislation related to our benefits and operations during the 88th Texas Legislature. Check this page regularly for updates on bills that could affect ERS’ benefits programs and operations.
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Filed Legislation Affecting the Employees Retirement System of Texas, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session
Bill | Author | Summary | May 8, 2023 |
---|---|---|---|
General Appropriations Bills | |||
SB 1 | Huffman | Retirement:
Group Health Plan:
| |
HB 1 | Bonnen | ||
Retirement | |||
HB 548 | Vasut | Authorizes a supplemental annuity (13th check) in the lesser of an annuitant’s monthly payment or $2000. | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 2/23 |
HB 830 | Allen | Authorizes a one-time 10% COLA, an annual 4% COLA, and a supplemental annuity (13th check) in the lesser of an annuitant’s monthly payment or $2000. | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/1 |
HB 1393 | Frank | Creates new optional retirement annuity that begins at an actuarially reduced amount, but increases over time. | Mtg set Senate Finance 5/8 |
SB 531 | West | Increase the multiplier for retirement groups 1, 2, and 3 from 2.3% to 2.7% | Referred to Finance 2/17 |
HB 1473 | Rose | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs hearing 3/3 | |
HB 1651 | Cook | Allows the ERS board of trustees to adopt an alternative definition of correctional officers employed by the Juvenile Justice Department permitting their participation in the enhanced LECO benefit. | Referred to Senate Finance 5/5 |
SB 729 | Huffman | Technical corrections to the cash balance benefit for individuals employed by the state on or after 9/2/2022. | Set on Senate Items Eligible Calendar 5/8 |
HB 3056 | Bonnen | Laid on the table - subject to call 5/1 | |
SB 2072 | Bettencourt | Permits peace officers employed by the Attorney General to participate in LECO supplements retirement benefit. | Referred to Finance 3/21 |
HB 2406 | Geren | Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs Cte action pending 4/19 | |
SB 1270 | Gutierrez | Adds peace officers employed by independent school districts to the ERS LECOS enhanced benefit. | Referred to Finance 3/9 |
HB 4141 | Guillen | Referred to Senate Finance 5/4 | |
HB 2471 | Geren | Permits peace officers employed by the Comptroller of Public Accounts to participate in LECO supplemental retirement benefit. | Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs Cte action pending 4/19 |
SB 1062 | Schwertner | Requires ERS to report certain proposals to achieve actuarial soundness in an experience study. | Referred to Finance 3/3 |
HB 2779 | Leach | Raises salaries of judges by 11% in 2023 and 11% in 2024 | Set on the House Calendar 5/8 |
HB 2887 | Johnson, A | Permits custodial officers at the Texas Justice Department to participate in the LECOS enhanced benefit. | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/14 |
HB 3254 | Burns | Permits certain individuals to purchase ERS waiting period service. | Voted favorably from Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 5/1 |
SB 1245 | Huffman | Creates a new cash balance benefit for judges who take office on or after 9/1/24. | Reported favorably from Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 4/25 |
HB 3367 | Bonnen | Cte action pending -Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 4/12 | |
SB 1509 | Huffman | Repeals the provision that allows certain ERS members to retire in place. | Senate concurred on House amendmts 5/4 |
HB 3493 | Bonnen | Laid on the table - subject to call 4/28 | |
HB 3793 | Bucy | Grants current retirees a 10% COLA and requires ERS to study future possible COLAs. | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/20 |
HB 2776 | Bucy | Raises salaries of judges by 11% in 2023 and 11% in 2024 | Referred to Elections 3/13 |
HB 3813 | DeAyala | Allows certain annuitants with ERS and TRS service to receive health insurance from ERS. | Referred to Senate Finance 5/5 |
HB 4324 | Bell | Permits certain members of Texas Military Forces to purchase ERS service. | Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs Cte action pending 5/3 |
SB 1301 | Hughes | Requires ERS to recalculate judicial annuities if a judicial pay raise is enacted. | Referred to Finance 3/9 |
HB 4540 | Longoria | Set on the House Calendar 5/9 | |
SB 2104 | Miles | Provides a 10% immediate COLA, a 4% annual COLA, and a $2,000 13th Check. | Referred to Finance 3/21 |
HB 4608 | Allen | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/22 | |
SB 1510 | West | Provides a 13th check in the lesser of $2,500 or the monthly annuity to an ERS annuitant. | Referred to Finance 3/16 |
Chapter 615 (Survivor benefits for officers killed in the line of duty) | |||
SB 115 | Huffman | Would provide Chapter 615 benefits to survivors of Texas Military killed on duty in active duty. | Referred to Finance 2/15 |
HB 90 | Patterson | Referred to Finance 4/13 | |
HB 434 | Leo-Wilson | Would provide Chapter 615 benefits to survivors of Texas Military killed on duty in active duty. | Referred to Defense & Veterans' Affairs 2/23 |
HB 835 | Raymond | Referred to Defense & Veterans' Affairs 3/1 | |
Insurance | |||
Insurance - Coverages | |||
SB 155 | Huffman | Requires health plans, including the GBP, to permit participants to choose hearing aids. | Referred to Finance 2/15 |
HB 90 | Patterson | Referred to Finance 4/13 | |
SB 51 | Zaffirini | Requires health plans, including the GBP, to permit participants to choose hearing aids. | Rec'd for Local/Uncontested 4/18 |
HB 109 | Johnson J. | Sent to the Governor 5/2 | |
HB 118 | Cortez | Requires health plans, including the GBP, to offer prostate cancer screening at no cost. | Set on the House Calendar 5/9 |
HB 134 | Bernal | Requires health plans, including the GBP, to provide full coverage for cranial remolding orthosis. | Referred to Senate HHS 5/1 |
HB 340 | Thompson | Requires health plans, including the GBP, to cover treatment of serious emotional disturbance of a child. | Passed on local calendar 5/6 |
HB 526 | Wu | Would permit a health care provider to submit a blood sample for additional screening for HIV. | Referred to Insurance 2/23 |
SB 807 | Paxton | Requires a health plan, including the GBP, to cover a 12-month supply of a contraceptive drug when refilled. | Referred to HHS 3/1 |
HB 916 | Ordaz | Mtg set for Senate HHS 5/10 | |
SB 842 | Hinojosa | Permits retirees to participate in the bariatric surgery benefit offered by ERS. | Voted favorably from HHS 5/4 |
HB 2640 | Herrero | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/13 | |
HB 3886 | Vo | Requires ERS to help individuals under 65 who are Medicare eligible to enroll. | Passed on House Local Calendar 5/6 |
Insurance - Plan Design/Funding | |||
HB 839 | Gonazalez, J. | Prohibits a health plan, including the GBP, from requiring prior authorization for a drug prescribed to treat an infectious disease. | Referred to Insurance 3/1 |
HB 840 | Gates | Requires the ERS board of trustees to develop a bundled pricing program for health care provided by the GBP. | Voted favorably from Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 5/1 |
SB 358 | Kolkhorst | Requires certain health plans, including the GBP, to establish a shared savings program. | Referred to HHS 2/15 |
HB 1364 | Munoz | Allows individuals to pay a health care provider directly rather than file a claim. | Referred to Select on Health Reform 3/3 |
SB 583 | Hughes | Referred to HHS 2/17 | |
HB 3034 | Talarico | Requires health plans like the GBP to provide notice if they do not cover nonemergency services provided by an EMT. | Removed from 4/25 hearing in House Insurance 4/21 |
SB 2442 | Perry | Requires certain health plans like the GBP to accept any provider if the provider is willing to accept 90% of the highest contracted rate. | Referred to HHS 3/23 |
HB 4773 | Bonnen | Referred to Insurance 3/22 | |
HB 4893 | Bonnen | Requires certain health plans like the GBP to accept any hospital if the hospital is willing to accept 90% of the highest contracted rate. | Referred to Insurance 3/23 |
SB 2502 | Kolkhorst | Sets a maximum reimbursement rate for the GBP. | Referred to HHS 3/23 |
HB 5186 | Bonnen | Reported as substituted from Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 4/25 | |
Insurance - Eligibility | |||
HB 1455 | Anchia | Permits wrongfully imprisoned individuals to enroll their dependents in the GBP. | Reported as substituted in Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/30 |
Investments | |||
HB 2068 | Paul | Requires ERS to invest based solely on pecuniary interests. | Set for hearing in Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 5/10 |
SB 1189 | Parker | Prevents state agencies like ERS from contracting with or investing in companies doing business with Russia. | Referred to State Affairs 3/9 |
HB 2823 | Anchia | Referred to House State Affairs 3/14 | |
HB 2068 | Paul | Requires ERS to invest based solely on pecuniary interests. | Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Svs 3/8 |
Contracting | |||
HB 982 | Toth | Prevents state agencies from contracting with entities that adhere to environmental, social, and guidance criteria. | Referred to State Affairs 3/2 |
HB 1089 | Rosenthal | Repeals chapters of the Texas Government Code that prohibit state agencies from contracting with companies that boycott Israel, boycott firearms, and boycott fossil fuels. | Referred to State Affairs 3/2 |
HB 1090 | Rosenthal | Repeals chapter of the Texas Government Code that prohibit state agencies from contracting companies that boycott Israel. | Referred to State Affairs 3/2 |
SB 1831 | Hinojosa | Allows ERS to use a management company in connection with its home office. | Passed on House Local Calendar 5/6 |
HB 3865 | Lambert | Recommended for Local & Consent 4/14 |
Legislative Presentations & Resources
- Interim Hearing State Pension Reforms presentation to Senate Finance Cmte., May 4, 2022 - pdf
- Interim Hearing Inflation presentation to Senate Finance Cmte., May 4, 2022 - pdf
- House Appropriations Cmte. presentation, Feb. 23, 2021 - pdf
- Retirement Fund presentation to Senate Finance Cmte., Feb. 9, 2021 - pdf
- Joint Budget Hearing presentation, Nov. 6, 2020 - pdf
- Letter to House Select Cmte. on Statewide Health Care Costs, Oct. 1, 2020 - pdf
- Letter to House Pension, Investments and Financial Services Cmte., Aug. 29, 2020
- Investment presentation to Senate Finance Cmte., Feb. 25, 2020 - pdf