HOUSTON – A group that oversees the retirement fund for Houston firefighters filed a lawsuit Tuesday aimed at stopping a bill aimed at reforming the city’s pension program for municipal workers, police officers and firefighters.
The heavily debated bill was given the final nod by legislators May 24 and was signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday.
The Senate version of the bill encompassed Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s pension reform plan, which requires cuts in future employee benefits, coupled with the sale of bonds to begin whittling down the city’s $8 billion pension deficit.
The bill also required a citywide referendum to approve sale of the bonds.
Three amendments favored by firefighters were tacked on in the House, but all three were later stripped from the bill in conference committees.
Officials at the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund said Wednesday the group had filed suit because they believe the bill violates the state’s constitution.
“We will not collude in an act we believe to be illegal based on sound legal analysis,” the group said in a written statement about the lawsuit.
Without an injunction, Abbott’s signature means the law will become effective July 1.
It's official: @GovAbbott has just signed the historic #HoustonPensionSolution. pic.twitter.com/h66Bkng2DL
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) May 31, 2017
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said that the lawsuit was filed Wednesday. The corrected information is above.