Grassroots Priorities 2.0

HB2688

Signed by Governor
Authored by Sam Harless (R)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to the public retirement systems of certain municipalities.
Initially Referred to House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to Senate Finance Committee, chaired by a Republican

HB 2688 revises the public retirement systems for firefighters in municipalities with a population of at least 2,000,000, increasing the previous threshold from 1,600,000. It modifies pension eligibility by adjusting the definition of "normal retirement age" and clarifying that firefighters hired before 2017 can retire after 20 years of service, while those hired after 2017 must meet both a minimum age of 50 and at least 10 years of service. The bill also amends rules governing deferred retirement option plans (DROP), changing how benefits are calculated for participants based on their years of participation. Additionally, it updates provisions related to military service credit, pension fund contributions, and the municipal contribution rate. The bill removes certain previous restrictions on pension fund management and adjusts rules for risk-sharing agreements between municipalities and pension boards.

Joint authors: Metcalf (R); Oliverson (R); Perez, M. (D); Thompson (D)
Co-authors: Allen (D); Barry (R); Dutton (D); Gates (R); Geren (R); Hull (R); Johnson (D); Jones, J. (D); Lambert (R); Morales, C. (D); Morales Shaw (D); Paul (R); Rosenthal (D); Swanson (R); Vasut (R); Vo (D); Walle (D); Ward Johnson (D)
Sponsors: Huffman (R)
Co-sponsors: Alvarado (D); Cook (D)

Feb 11, 2025

(H) Harless signed onto the bill as Author
(H) Filed

Feb 27, 2025

(H) Perez, M. signed onto the bill as Joint Author

Mar 18, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services, chaired by a Republican

Mar 26, 2025

(H) Metcalf signed onto the bill as Joint Author

Apr 23, 2025

(H) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(H) Considered in public hearing
(H) Committee substitute considered in committee
(H) Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
(H) Left pending in committee

Apr 24, 2025

(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Committee substitute considered in committee
(H) Reported favorably as substituted

Apr 30, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed

May 1, 2025

(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

May 5, 2025

(H) Oliverson signed onto the bill as Joint Author
(H) Thompson signed onto the bill as Joint Author
(H) Considered in Calendars

May 7, 2025

(H) Placed on General State Calendar
(H) Read 2nd time
(H) A Republican amendment (No. 1) from Harless amended the bill.
(H) Passed to engrossment as amended
(H) Record vote

RV#1691: Yea 137 (R 82, D 55) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Canales; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; King; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener
Absent - Allen; Bucy; DeAyala; Gamez; Gervin-Hawkins; Johnson; Kerwin; Longoria
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Landgraf
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

May 8, 2025

(H) Read 3rd time
(H) Passed
(H)

RV#1801: Yea 146 (R 86, D 60) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Canales; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Johnson; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener
Absent - Gervin-Hawkins; Goodwin
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Geren
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(H) Reported engrossed

May 15, 2025

(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate Finance, chaired by a Republican

May 20, 2025

(S) Co-sponsor authorized

May 21, 2025

(H) Vo signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Allen signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Barry signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Dutton signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Gates signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Geren signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Hull signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Johnson signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Jones, J. signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Lambert signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Morales, C. signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Morales Shaw signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Paul signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Rosenthal signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Swanson signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Vasut signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Walle signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Ward Johnson signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Testimony taken in committee
(S) Vote taken in committee
(S) Reported favorably as substituted
(S) Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
(S) Committee report printed and distributed

May 23, 2025

(S) Co-sponsor authorized
(S) Placed on intent calendar
(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
(S) Vote recorded in Journal
(S) Three day rule suspended
(S) Record vote

20250523_HB2688_2R: Yea 31 (R 20, D 11) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Miles; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; West; Zaffirini
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Read 3rd time
(S) Passed

20250523_HB2688_3R: Yea 31 (R 20, D 11) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Miles; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; West; Zaffirini
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Record vote

May 24, 2025

(H) Senate passage as amended reported
(H) Senate Amendments distributed
(H) Senate Amendments Analysis distributed

May 28, 2025

(H) House concurs in Senate amendment(s)
(H) Record vote

RV#3959: Yea 132 (R 80, D 52) - Nay 1 (R 1, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Goodwin; Guillen; Harless; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Johnson; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leo Wilson; Little; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Money; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener
Nay - Lowe
Absent - Canales; Curry; Gates; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Leach; Meza; Schatzline
Present, Not Voting - Burrows
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
Pat Curry: "When Record No. 3959 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(H) Text of Senate Amendment(s)
(S) House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported

May 29, 2025

(H) Reported enrolled

May 30, 2025

(H) Signed in the House

May 31, 2025

(S) Signed in the Senate
(E) Sent to the Governor

(H) Huffman signed onto the bill as Sponsor
(H) Cook signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(H) Alvarado signed onto the bill as Cosponsor

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

For

(Wed 5/21/2025) Testifying before S Finance as Brett Besselman for Houston Firefighters Relief & Retirement Fund
(Wed 4/23/2025) Testifying before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Brett Besselman for self (with Houston Firefighters Relief & Retirement Fund)
(Wed 4/23/2025) Testifying before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Patrick Lancton for self (with Houston professional fire fighters association)
(Wed 5/21/2025) Testifying before S Finance as Patrick Lancton for self (with Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association)
(Wed 5/21/2025) Testifying before S Finance as Ray Hunt for Houston Police Officers Union (HPOU)
(Wed 5/21/2025) Testifying before S Finance as Trey Coleman for Houston Police Officers' Pension System
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Anthony Kivela for self (with Houston Police Retired Officers Association)
(Wed 5/21/2025) Registering before S Finance as Anthony Kivela for self (with Houston Police Retired Officers Association)
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Mitch Landry for Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)
(Wed 5/21/2025) Registering before S Finance as Patrick Franey for Houston Police Officers' Pension System
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Ray Hunt for self (with Houston Police Officers Union (HPOU))
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Steven Deline for self
(Wed 5/21/2025) Registering before S Finance as Steven Deline for self
(Wed 5/21/2025) Registering before S Finance as Terry Bratton for HPOPS

(Wed 4/23/2025) Testifying before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as Amy Cardona for Pension Review Board
(Wed 4/23/2025) Testifying before H Pensions, Investments & Financial Services as David Fee for Pension Review Board
(Wed 5/21/2025) Registering before S Finance as Amy Cardona for Pension Review Board
(Wed 5/21/2025) Registering before S Finance as Joseph Newton for GRS/HPOPS