By: Ashby H.B. No. 4945       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a study conducted by the Teacher Retirement System of   Texas on the feasibility of offering alternative service retirement   benefits to Texas A&M Forest Service wildland firefighters that are   members of the retirement system.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 825, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 825.1086 to read as follows:          Section 825.1086.  STUDY AND REPORT ON ALTERNATIVE SERVICE   RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS.  (a)  The   retirement system shall conduct a study on the feasibility of   offering members who are Texas A&M Forest Service wildland   firefighters alternative service retirement benefits under the   system.          (b)  In conducting the study, the retirement system shall   assess the costs to and impact on the retirement system associated   with offering members who are Texas A&M Forest Service wildland   firefighters the following alternative service retirement   benefits:                (1)  a service retirement benefit under the existing   benefit plan that that provides retirement eligibility within a new   tier described as Hazardous Duty for:                      (A)  a member who is at least 55 years old and who   has at least 10 years of service credit in the appropriate field;                      (B)  a member who is at any age and has 25 years of   service; or                      (C)  a member has 20 years of service that will be   actuarily reduced by 5% for every year that is under the normal   requirements within this tier; and                (2)  a service retirement benefit under the existing   plan that provides retirement eligibility within a new tier   described as Hazardous Duty-Administrative Support for:                      (A)  a member who has become vested and has spent   entire employment up to date of being vested in a wildland   firefighter role within the Texas A&M Forest Service; or                      (B)  a member who has transferred out of a primary   wildland firefighter role to a support role within Texas A&M Forest   Service after the date of being fully vested.          (c)  The standard service annuity for a member who qualifies   under Subsection (b) is an amount computed on the basis of the   member's average annual compensation for the five years of service,   whether or not consecutive, in which the member received the   highest annual compensation, times the sum of the percentage factor   used in the computation of a standard service retirement annuity   under Section 824.203 plus 0.5 percent.  Members that transfer into   Hazardous Duty-Administrative Support will be able to retain the   reduced service age requirements but will only earn service by the   normal age percentage factor, as described under Section 824.203.          (d)  No later than March 1, 2026, the retirement system shall   begin meeting with the Texas A&M Forest Service to determine:                (1)  positions that will qualify for benefits outlined   in Subsection (b) and the salaries of both existing and terminated   employees that qualified beginning on September 1, 2009;                (2)  the effectiveness of additional 0.5 percent to the   percentage factor under Section 824.203 or an accrual rate that is   feasible for a member to retire at reduced service age   requirements, while maintaining the actuarial soundness of the   pension fund;                (3)  the additional percentage of salary contribution   needed by both the employer and employee to sustain the additional   tiers described by subsection (b) while maintaining actuarial   soundness within the pension fund;                (4)  the cost to cover the additional employer and   employee contributions needed between September 1, 2009 to present   day; and                (5)  the cost and implications of benefits being   extended to reduced retirement ages in subsection (b).          (e)  No later than December 31, 2026, the retirement system   shall prepare and submit a report that contains the findings of the   study and the information submitted to the retirement system under   Subsection (d).          (f)  The Legislative Budget Board and the State Pension   Review Board shall, as necessary:                (1)  assist the retirement system in conducting the   study; and                (2)  provide the retirement system with any information   needed to complete the report required under subsection (e).          (g)  This section expires on September 1, 2027.          SECTION 2.  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, 2025.