TITLE 34.PUBLIC FINANCE

Part 5. TEXAS COUNTY AND DISTRICT RETIREMENT SYSTEM

Chapter 107. MISCELLANEOUS RULES

34 TAC §107.6

The Texas County and District Retirement System proposes amended §107.6, concerning the penalty for late reporting of monthly information and contributions required of subdivisions participating in the system. Under the proposed rule, a due date for a monthly report that falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday is extended to the first day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, but the periods for mailing before the due date by certified mail or approved private delivery services to qualify for an exemption from the penalty if the report is late or undelivered are unchanged. The proposed rule also provides approved same-day or overnight delivery services, as required by §845.407, Government Code.

Ray Henry, Deputy Director of the Texas County and District Retirement System, has determined that for the first five-year period the rule is in effect there will be no fiscal implications for state government and the possibility of minimal cost savings to local governments as a result of administering the rule.

Mr. Henry has also determined that for each of the first five years the rule is in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of administering the rule will be the mitigation of the reporting deadline to account for circumstances beyond the control of the reporting subdivisions. There will be no costs to small businesses. There are no anticipated economic costs to persons who are required to comply with the rule as proposed.

Comments on the proposed amended rule may be submitted to Ray Henry, Deputy Director, Texas County and District Retirement System, P.O. Box 2034, Austin, Texas 78768-2034.

The rule is proposed under §845.102, Government Code, which provides the board of trustees of the Texas County and District Retirement System with the authority to adopt rules necessary or desirable for efficient administration of the system.

Section 845.407, Government Code, is affected by this proposed rule.

§107.6.Penalty for Late Reporting.

(a) In this section [ the term ] "report" means the combination of all information and contributions required to be provided to and deposited with the system for each month of participation, in accordance with Subchapter E, Chapter 845, Government Code.

(b) A [ The ] due date of a monthly report that is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday is extended to the first day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, but the dates provided by §845.507(c) for eligibility for an exemption from a penalty assessment are not extended if they fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday [ the 15th day of the following month. A subdivision shall be assessed a penalty for each monthly report that is not received by the retirement system by the due date ]. The penalty for a past-due report consists of an administrative fee in the amount provided by §845.407(a), Government Code, [ of $500 ] plus interest on the past-due amounts for each day past due computed at an annual rate provided by that subsection [ of 12% ].

(c) If a report is past due, the system shall mail an advice to the governing board and correspondent of the subdivision stating the due date of the report, that the report was not received by the due date, that unless the subdivision submits proof satisfactory to the system that the report was sent in compliance with §845.407(c), Government Code, the subdivision is subject to [ has incurred ] a penalty for late reporting in accordance with §845.407(a), [ §845.407 of the Texas ] Government Code, and that the amount of the penalty will be computed and assessed on receipt of the report.

(d) After the system receives the past-due report, a notice shall be mailed to the governing board and correspondent of the subdivision stating that a penalty has been assessed for late reporting in accordance with §845.407, Government Code, and indicating the date the report was received by the system, the number of days the report was past due, the amount of contributions on which interest was charged, the accumulated interest and the administrative fee. The notice shall inform the governing board and correspondent that if the penalty is not paid within the period provided by §845.407(a), Government Code [ three months from the date of the notice ], the penalty shall be deducted from the subdivision's account in the Subdivision Accumulation Fund and credited to other funds of the system in accordance with that subsection [ §845.407 ].

(e) The amount of the penalty stated in the notice described by subsection (d) of this section becomes fixed and final on the tenth business day following the date of the notice and may not be modified thereafter for any reason.

(f) For purposes of §805.407, Government Code, approved same-day or overnight delivery services are:

(1) Airborne Express;

(2) DHL Worldwide Express;

(3) Emery Worldwide;

(4) Federal Express;

(5) Lone Star Overnight; and

(6) United Parcel Service.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, on July 16, 2001.

TRD-200104096

Ray Henry

Deputy Director

Texas County and District Retirement System

Proposed date of adoption: September 7, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 328-8889