2023 Texas Statutes › Vernon's Civil Statutes › Title 109 - Pensions › Article 6243h. Municipal Pension System in Cities of 1,500,000 or More › Section 3. Additional Powers of Pension Board

Sec. 3.  ADDITIONAL POWERS OF PENSION BOARD.  (a)  If the pension board determines that there is a surplus of funds in an amount exceeding the current obligations of the pension fund, the pension board may invest the surplus in the manner provided by Chapter 802, Government Code.
(b) The pension board may contract with a person to perform any investment, administrative, legal, medical, accounting, clerical, or other service the pension board considers appropriate, including:
(1)  a certified public accountant or firm of certified public accountants to perform an audit of the pension fund at times and intervals the pension board considers necessary;
(2)  a professional investment manager or firm of managers as provided by Section 802.204, Government Code;
(3)  an actuary or actuarial firm at times and for purposes the pension board considers appropriate; and
(4)  an attorney or law firm to advise, assist, or represent the pension board in any legal matter relating to the pension fund.
(c)  A fee for a service or person contracted with under Subsection (b) of this section may be paid from the pension fund.
(d)  The pension board may hire employees as the pension board considers advisable for the proper and efficient administration of the system, including persons described in Subsection (b) of this section, whose positions and salaries shall be set by the pension board.
(e)  The executive director hired by the pension board is the plan administrator.
(f)  The pension board shall compensate from the pension fund the persons performing services under Subsections (d) and (e) of this section and may provide other employee benefits that the pension board considers proper.  Any person employed by the pension board under Subsection (d) or (e) of this section who has service credits with the pension system at the time of the person's employment by the pension board retains the person's status in the pension system.  Any person employed by the pension system on or after January 1, 2008, who does not have service credits with the pension system at the time of employment is a group D member in accordance with Section 5 of this Act.  The pension board shall adopt a detailed annual budget detailing its proposed administrative expenditures under this subsection for the next fiscal year.
(g)  The pension board may institute legal action in the name of the pension board on behalf of the pension system, including a civil action to recover from any offending party, or from the party's surety, money paid out or obtained from the pension fund through fraud, misrepresentation, defalcation, theft, embezzlement, or misapplication.
(h)  The pension board may offset amounts received wrongly or in error by a member, deferred participant, retiree, eligible survivor, alternate payee, or beneficiary from future pension or benefit payments payable to the person or the person's beneficiaries.
(i)  On written request from the chair, the city attorney shall represent the pension board or the pension fund in any legal matter.  The city attorney may not be compensated from the pension fund for providing representation.  The pension board may employ, if necessary, legal counsel instead of the city attorney or to assist the city attorney and may pay reasonable compensation from the pension fund.
(j)  The pension board may obtain from any member, deferred participant, retiree, eligible survivor, alternate payee, or beneficiary any information the pension board considers necessary for the proper administration of the pension system.  The pension board may require any member, survivor, or other person or entity to furnish information the pension board requires for the determination of benefits under this Act.  If a person or entity does not cooperate in the furnishing or obtaining of information, the pension board may withhold payment of the pension or other benefits until the pension board receives the information.
(k)  On majority vote of the trustees, the pension board may allocate among the trustees the responsibilities of the pension board under this Act and may designate any person who is not a trustee, including the executive director and other employees, to carry out the responsibilities of the pension board under this Act.
(l)  The pension board may by resolution make the implementation of a provision of this Act contingent on receipt of a favorable private letter ruling or favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service if the pension board determines that the action is in the best interest of the pension system.
(m)  It is intended that this Act be construed and administered in a manner so that the pension system's benefit plan will be considered a qualified plan under Section 401(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  The pension board may adopt rules that qualify the plan to the extent necessary for the pension system to be a qualified plan.  Rules adopted by the pension board under this subsection are considered a part of the plan.  In determining qualification status under Section 401(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the pension system's benefit plan shall be considered the primary retirement plan for members of the pension system.
(n)  Notwithstanding any other law and except as specifically limited by Subsection (o) of this section, the pension board may enter into a written agreement with the city regarding pension issues and benefits.  The agreement must be approved by the pension board and the governing body of the city and signed by the mayor and by the pension board or the pension board's designee.  The agreement is enforceable against and binding on the pension board, the city, and the pension system, including the pension system's members, retirees, deferred participants, beneficiaries, eligible survivors, and alternate payees.  Any reference in this Act to an agreement between the city and the pension board or pension system is a reference to an agreement entered under this subsection.
(o)  In any written agreement entered into between the city and the pension board under Subsection (n) of this section, the parties may not:
(1)  alter Sections 8A through 8F of this Act, except and only to the extent necessary to comply with federal law;
(2)  increase the assumed rate of return to more than seven percent per year;
(3)  extend the amortization period of a liability layer to more than 30 years from the first day of the fiscal year beginning 12 months after the date of the risk sharing valuation study in which the liability layer is first recognized; or
(4)  allow a total city contribution in any fiscal year that is less than the total city contribution required under Section 8E or 8F, as applicable, of this Act.
(p)  Annually on or before the end of the fiscal year, the pension board shall make a report to the mayor and the governing body of the city, each of which shall provide a reasonable opportunity for the pension board to prepare and present the report.
(q)  The pension board shall provide quarterly investment reports to the mayor.
(r)  At the mayor's request, the pension board shall meet, discuss, and analyze with the mayor or the mayor's representatives any city proposed policy changes and ordinances that may have a financial effect on the pension system.
(s)  The pension board shall work to reduce administrative expenses, including by working with any other pension fund to which the city contributes.