H.B. No. 3731

	AN ACT
	relating to the administration of retirement systems for paid,
	partly paid, or volunteer firefighters.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 13, Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement
	Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 13.  (a)  A member of a retirement system who meets an
	applicable length-of-service requirement for service retirement
	benefits but does not meet the applicable age requirement for
	service retirement benefits may terminate employment with or
	otherwise discontinue service for the fire department and remain
	eligible to receive service retirement benefits from the retirement
	system on attaining the applicable age, as long as the member does
	not withdraw contributions in the retirement system.
	(b)  [On termination of employment or other discontinuance
	of service of a person described by Subsection (a) of this section,
	the board of trustees of the retirement system of which the person
	is a member shall issue to the member a certificate of service,
	stating the completion of the service requirement and certifying
	that the member is entitled to applicable service retirement
	benefits on attaining the applicable age, whether or not the member
	performs service after the date of the issuance of the certificate.
	The certificate also shall state that the entitlement is
	conditioned on the member's leaving contributions in the retirement
	system.
	[(c)]  A member who terminates employment or otherwise
	discontinues service after meeting an applicable length-of-service
	requirement for service retirement may not be required to pay to the
	retirement system contributions that become due after the date of
	termination or discontinuance.
	SECTION 2.  Section 19(b), Texas Local Fire Fighters
	Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
	amended to read as follows:
	(b)  During each period that begins on December 1 of one year
	and ends on January 31 of the following year, the participating
	members of a fire fighters' retirement system in a municipality or
	other political subdivision subject to this section shall elect by
	secret ballot and certify to the governing body of the municipality
	or other political subdivision a member to the board of trustees to
	serve a term of three years.  To be elected a member of a board of
	trustees under this subsection, a person must be a participating
	member of the retirement system and receive a majority of the votes
	cast in the election, and at least 50 percent of all participating
	members of the retirement system must vote in the election.
	SECTION 3.  Section 21A(h), Texas Local Fire Fighters
	Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as
	added by Chapter 327, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular
	Session, 2001, is redesignated as Subsection (h-1) to read as
	follows:
	(h-1) [(h)]  The fire fighters' pension commissioner shall
	prepare and maintain a written plan that describes how a person who
	does not speak English or who has a physical, mental, or
	developmental disability can be provided reasonable access to the
	programs administered by the commissioner.
	SECTION 4.  Section 29(b), Texas Local Fire Fighters
	Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
	amended to read as follows:
	(b)  A municipality or other political subdivision that has
	employees who are participating members of a retirement system
	shall make contributions to the system each payroll period. Except
	as provided by Subsection (d) of this section, contributions
	required under this subsection are computed on the total
	compensation paid to the employees who are participating members of
	the system. A municipality or other political subdivision is
	required to make contributions under this subsection at the same
	rate paid by employees or 12 [nine] percent, whichever is the
	smaller rate. The governing body of a municipality or other
	political subdivision by ordinance may adopt a rate of employer
	contributions that is greater than the rate required by this
	subsection.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 3731 was passed by the House on May 2,
	2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 3731 on May 25, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 0,
	2 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 3731 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 22, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 28, Nays
	1.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor