According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB 5015 is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the State of Texas. The bill primarily expands the list of retirement systems eligible to participate in the Proportionate Retirement Program (PRP) by lowering the municipal population threshold, which has the effect of adding the Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund to the program.

While this expansion does allow another public retirement system to coordinate benefits with other systems such as ERS, TRS, and TMRS, it does not require the state to contribute additional funds or modify any actuarial assumptions or benefit structures. The PRP functions by allowing retirement credit from one system to be combined with credit from another for eligibility purposes, without transferring assets or liabilities between the systems.

At the local level, the Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund anticipates some administrative costs related to implementing the PRP. However, these costs are expected to be minimal relative to the size of the fund’s overall assets. Thus, while there may be minor administrative expenditures, no material financial burden is projected for either the state or the affected local retirement system.

HB 5015 presents a narrow and administrative revision to the existing statute by lowering the minimum population threshold for municipal participation in the Proportionate Retirement Program (PRP) from 950,000 to 900,000. This change effectively makes the Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund eligible for participation. The bill’s intent is to extend proportional retirement benefits to municipal employees in one additional city, aligning the retirement system’s treatment with that of similar jurisdictions already participating in the PRP.

The bill does not increase the size or scope of government. It modifies an existing eligibility requirement without establishing a new government agency, creating a new program, or expanding state authority. It simply broadens access to an existing coordination program that already serves multiple public retirement systems statewide.

Furthermore, there is no added burden on taxpayers. According to the Legislative Budget Board, the bill carries no significant fiscal implications to the state, and the Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund anticipates only minimal administrative costs relative to its asset base. There is also no increase in regulatory burden on individuals or businesses. The bill strictly affects internal operations of public-sector retirement systems and does not impose any mandates or compliance costs on private citizens or entities.

The bill supports key liberty-aligned principles, including individual liberty (through improved retirement portability for public employees) and limited government (by achieving its aims without expanding state functions or spending). Given these factors, HB 5015 is a responsible and well-targeted update to retirement system coordination policy, and as such, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES.

• Individual Liberty: The bill strengthens individual liberty by allowing more public employees, specifically, municipal workers in Fort Worth, to access the Proportionate Retirement Program (PRP). This program empowers employees who have served in multiple eligible retirement systems to combine their service credit to qualify for retirement benefits they might otherwise lose. Enhancing benefit portability supports individual autonomy and mobility within the public workforce, allowing employees to make career choices based on their personal and professional goals, rather than being penalized for moving between systems.
• Personal Responsibility: By enabling workers to aggregate service credit across systems, the bill rewards long-term public service and encourages responsible retirement planning. The bill doesn't create new entitlements; it simply ensures that existing contributions and service time are recognized more broadly. This approach reinforces the principle that people should be able to retain the value of their work and service without unnecessary bureaucratic fragmentation.
• Free Enterprise: The bill has no direct impact on private enterprise, competition, or market regulation. It affects only public-sector retirement coordination and does not create or modify any rules governing private businesses or the broader economy. While it could make public-sector employment marginally more attractive in a competitive labor market, the effect is indirect and minimal.
• Private Property Rights: The bill does not touch land use, ownership rights, or property-related regulatory issues. It is solely concerned with public employee retirement eligibility and has no effect, positive or negative, on property rights.
• Limited Government: Importantly, the bill does not grow the size, scope, or power of state or local government. It does not create a new program, expand regulatory authority, or authorize new expenditures. It only modifies the eligibility criteria for an existing statutory program. The bill also does not require additional rulemaking authority. It achieves its policy goal within the confines of the existing government structure, respecting the principle of minimal and efficient governance.