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Retirement and Survivors' Annuities for Bankruptcy Judges and Magistrates Act of 1988

Public Law 100-659 · S. 1630 · 100th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 15, 1988 · Law

Sponsor: Sen. Howell Heflin (D-AL)

Cosponsors (15): Sen. Chuck Grassley,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Retirement and Survivors' Annuities for Bankruptcy Judges and Magistrates Act of 1988 - Amends Federal law to establish a new retirement system for bankruptcy judges and magistrates with 14 or more years of service (full annuity), or at least eight years of service (reduced annuity), upon attaining age 65. Entitles a bankruptcy judge or magistrate who has served at least five years to disability retirement. Provides for cost-of-living adjustments in such retirement system.

Requires each bankruptcy judge or magistrate who elects an annuity under this Act to notify the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Declares that such judge or magistrate shall not be entitled to an annuity under the civil service systems.

Declares this Act applicable to service on or after October 1, 1979.

Provides for making payments which would otherwise be made to a bankruptcy judge or magistrate to another person to the extent provided for under the terms of any court order or court-approved property settlement agreement incident to any court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation.

Provides for deducting amounts from the salary of a bankruptcy judge or magistrate who elects an annuity under this Act. Allows such persons to make deposits for prior service.

Declares that a bankruptcy judge or magistrate who retires and thereafter practices law forfeits all rights to an annuity under this Act, unless previously the bankruptcy judge or magistrate filed an election which freezes the annuity. Provides that such annuitants who do practice law are barred from being recalled to service.

Declares that a bankruptcy judge or magistrate who accepts civil office or employment under the Federal Government must forfeit all rights to an annuity during the period of such employment.

Provides for the payment of the lump-sum credit of any bankruptcy judge or magistrate who leaves office prior to such person's eligibility to receive an annuity.

Establishes the Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund for the payment of annuities, refunds, and other payments under this Act. Authorizes appropriations as necessary for the unfunded liability of the Fund.

Establishes transition provisions for incumbent judges and magistrates.

Provides survivors' annuities for bankruptcy judges, magistrates, and incumbents.

Authorizes the recall of retired bankruptcy judges and magistrates into service.

Permits bankruptcy judges and magistrates to continue making contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan but without a matching contribution from the Government.

Requires the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, not later than five years after the date of enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress on the financial operation of the retirement annuity program.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee
  • Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · discharged from, referred to
  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 33 actions.

  1. Nov 15, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-659.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 7, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 19, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
  6. Oct 11, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 100-1072 Filed in House.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 100-1072 Filed in House.
  8. Oct 7, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  10. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: Senate report and managers' statement and official papers held at the desk in Senate.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
  12. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
  13. Sep 13, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to request for conference. Appointed conferees. Biden; Heflin; DeConcini; Thurmond; Grassley.
  14. FloorFloor · Senate disagreed to House amendments by Voice Vote.
  15. Jul 13, 1988FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and held at desk: House amendments to Senate bill House requests a conference.
  16. Jul 12, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Requested a Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Rodino, Kastenmeier, Synar, Moorhead, Hyde.
  17. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Insisted on its Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  18. Jul 11, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  19. FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  22. Mar 11, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  23. Mar 8, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  25. Mar 3, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  26. Feb 29, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  27. Dec 3, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  28. Nov 18, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  29. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  30. Oct 28, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.