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Houston FFs unhappy with pension bill passed by Texas House

A Senate version of the pension bill is headed for the governor’s desk without the amendments firefighters wanted

BY FireRescue1 Staff

HOUSTON —The Texas House voted on Wednesday in favor of the controversial Senate version of a bill that seeks to revamp Houston’s failing pension funds, despite firefighters’ vehement objections.

Texas Tribune reported that Senate Bill 2190 is now on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. However, it passed without two amendments the House had added to mitigate firefighters’ concerns. The amendments would have prevented the bill from affecting current firefighter retirees and would have allowed the firefighter pension system to have less responsibility in paying down unfunded liabilities in three city employee retirement funds.

The omission of these amendments angered the group of firefighter pension members who were sitting in the House gallery during the vote. One person yelled , “Shameful!”

Houston firefighter pension board chairman David Keller said it was too soon to say if the pension board will file a lawsuit.

“We will explore every option available to us,” he said.

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