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HB 245

Relating to the treatment of military service credit in the Employees Retirement System of Texas as law enforcement or custodial officer service.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Terry Wilson

Texas bill allows state employees to count military service as law enforcement/custodial officer service under ERS, accessing enhanced retirement benefits and earlier eligibility.

Referred to Finance
#employeesretirementsystemoftexas(ers)(v0471) #lawenforcement(i0510) #military&veterans(i0535) #retirementsystems--general(i0725)
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Bill Summary · HB 245

Legislative bill overview

HB 245 allows military service to be credited as law enforcement or custodial officer service under the Texas Employees Retirement System (ERS). This means military veterans employed by the state could have their military years counted toward retirement benefits under the more favorable law enforcement/custodial officer classification rather than standard employee status.

Why is this important

Retirement benefit calculations under ERS vary significantly by job classification. Law enforcement and custodial officers receive more generous benefits, including earlier retirement eligibility and higher benefit multipliers. This bill would allow eligible military veterans to access these enhanced benefits for their military service years, potentially increasing retirement payouts for affected state employees.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost to retirement system: Reclassifying military service as law enforcement/custodial service increases state pension liabilities and may require higher employer contributions or reduce funds available for other state obligations
  • Fairness questions: Non-military state employees may view this as preferential treatment, while some may argue military service already receives sufficient federal veteran benefits
  • Eligibility scope: Unclear whether all military service qualifies or only specific roles (combat, security-related, etc.), and whether this applies retroactively to current retirees

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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