HB 4609 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to participation in, administration of, contributions to, and benefits under the Texas Municipal Retirement System.

HB 4609 modifies Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) rules to clarify legal venue, participation timing, and funding requirements. It requires TMRS-related lawsuits to be filed in Travis County (Section 1), changes department participation start dates to the first month after notice (Section 2), and mandates actuarial verification that new benefit obligations can be funded within a municipality’s budget limits (Sections 3, 4, and 5). The bill also establishes procedures for employees to reestablish canceled retirement credits under specific conditions, including 24 consecutive months of service (Section 4). These changes directly affect Texas municipalities operating under TMRS, their employees, and the retirement system’s administrative processes.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Apr 3, 2025 Last action May 14, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 6 edits · May 12, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) Government Code to update venue rules, clarify participation timelines, and modify annuity increase calculations. The changes ensure legal actions against the retirement system are heard in Travis County, adjust when municipalities can begin participation in the system, and revise how annuity increases are computed and funded to better reflect financial obligations.

Scope change

The bill expands the applicability of venue requirements to all actions against the retirement system and modifies the conditions under which municipalities can adopt ordinances for annuity increases and participation.

ENFORCEMENT

Venue for legal actions against the retirement system is now explicitly required to be in Travis County, ensuring consistent jurisdiction for administrative hearings and state court cases.

TIMELINE

Municipalities can now begin participation in the retirement system on the first day of the first month after receiving notice of an election, rather than the first day of the second month.

FISCAL

Annuity increase calculations were updated to allow municipalities to specify percentage increases (30-70 percent) and clarify funding requirements based on amortization periods.

REQUIREMENT

Additional requirements were added for small estate affidavits in beneficiary elections, including a $50,000 asset threshold and specific filing procedures.

SCOPE

New venue provisions were added to Subchapter A of Chapter 851 to centralize legal proceedings related to the retirement system.

DEFINITION

Several sections were amended to clarify definitions related to contribution rates, amortization periods, and the conditions under which ordinances take effect.

Floor votes · House May 10, 2025

How they voted

99–24

Passed · 23 other

Total votes 146

May 10, 2025

D Democratic59

39 Yea 2 Nay 18

66% Yea

R Republican87

60 Yea 22 Nay 5

68% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 14, 2025

Committee

Referred to Finance

upper

May 14, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

May 12, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

May 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

May 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment

lower

May 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in committee

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors