H.R. 1013House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act of 2025

Introduced February 5, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 29, 2025 at 5:52 AM UTC

The Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act of 2025 updates federal securities laws to give 403(b) retirement plans—used by many non‑profit and educational employers the same regulatory treatment as other retirement plans. It makes the plan‑offering employer a fiduciary responsible for choosing and approving the investment options participants can use. The changes aim to improve protection and oversight for workers in charities and schools who rely on these plans for retirement savings.

Key Provisions

  • Adds 403(b) retirement plans—commonly used by charities, schools, and other non‑profits—to the list of investment vehicles covered by the Investment Company Act, the Securities Act, and the Securities Exchange Act.
  • Requires any employer that offers a 403(b) plan to act as a fiduciary for the plan’s investment choices, meaning they must select and oversee the investment options offered to participants.
  • Mandates that the employer or a designated fiduciary review and approve each investment alternative before it can be offered to plan participants.
  • Specifies that these new rules apply to 403(b) plans that are subject to ERISA, are governmental plans, or otherwise meet the defined criteria.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions
HouseCalendars Latest Action

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 340.

November 28, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 5, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

February 5, 2025

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

May 20, 2025

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 8.

May 20, 2025

HouseCommittee

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 119-390.

November 28, 2025

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 340.

November 28, 2025

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 1013 on the floor

1 Republican
Ann Wagner
Rep. Ann WagnerR-MO-2 · Dec 12, 2025

Mr. Chair, I would like to share the preliminary estimate by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on H.R. 3383, the INVEST Act. CBO has previously estimated the direct spending and revenue effects,…

Bill Text

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Reported in HouseIssued November 28, 2025

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Union Calendar No. 340

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1013

[Report No. 119–390]

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 5, 2025

Mr. Lucas (for himself, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Foster, and Mr. Barr) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

November 28, 2025

Additional sponsors: Mr. Meuser, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Sessions, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Vindman, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Norcross, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Ms. Houlahan, Ms. Bynum, Mr. Schneider, Ms. McBride, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Horsford, and Mr. Courtney

November 28, 2025

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 5, 2025


A BILL

To amend the Federal securities laws to enhance 403(b) plans, and for other purposes.


1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act of 2025.

2.

Enhancement of 403(b) plans

(a)

Amendments to the Investment Company Act of 1940

Section 3(c)(11) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(11)) is amended to read as follows:

(11)

Any—

(A)

trust forming part of an employee’s stock bonus, pension, or profit-sharing plan which meets the requirements for qualification under section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(B)

custodial account meeting the requirements of section 403(b)(7) of such Code;

(C)

governmental plan described in section 3(a)(2)(C) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77c(a)(2)(C));

(D)

collective trust fund maintained by a bank consisting solely of assets of one or more—

(i)

trusts described in subparagraph (A);

(ii)

governmental plans described in subparagraph (C);

(iii)

church plans, companies, or accounts that are excluded from the definition of an investment company under paragraph (14) of this subsection; or

(iv)

plans which meet the requirements of section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986—

(I)

if—

(aa)

such plan is subject to title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.);

(bb)

any employer making such plan available agrees to serve as a fiduciary for the plan with respect to the selection of the plan’s investments among which participants can choose; or

(cc)

such plan is a governmental plan (as defined in section 414(d) of such Code); and

(II)

if the employer, a fiduciary of the plan, or another person acting on behalf of the employer reviews and approves each investment alternative offered under such plan described under subclause (I)(cc) prior to the investment being offered to participants in the plan; or

(E)

separate account the assets of which are derived solely from—

(i)

contributions under pension or profit-sharing plans which meet the requirements of section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the requirements for deduction of the employer’s contribution under section 404(a)(2) of such Code;

(ii)

contributions under governmental plans in connection with which interests, participations, or securities are exempted from the registration provisions of section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77e) by section 3(a)(2)(C) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 77c(a)(2)(C));

(iii)

advances made by an insurance company in connection with the operation of such separate account; and

(iv)

contributions to a plan described in clause (iii) or (iv) of subparagraph (D).

.

(b)

Amendments to the Securities Act of 1933

Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77c(a)(2)) is amended—

(1)

by striking beneficiaries, or (D) and inserting beneficiaries, (D) a plan which meets the requirements of section 403(b) of such Code (i) if (I) such plan is subject to title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), (II) any employer making such plan available agrees to serve as a fiduciary for the plan with respect to the selection of the plan’s investments among which participants can choose, or (III) such plan is a governmental plan (as defined in section 414(d) of such Code), and (ii) if the employer, a fiduciary of the plan, or another person acting on behalf of the employer reviews and approves each investment alternative offered under any plan described under clause (i)(III) prior to the investment being offered to participants in the plan, or (E);

(2)

by striking (C), or (D) and inserting (C), (D), or (E); and

(3)

by striking (iii) which is a plan funded and all that follows through retirement income account). and inserting (iii) in the case of a plan not described in subparagraph (D) or (E), which is a plan funded by an annuity contract described in section 403(b) of such Code..

(c)

Amendments to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Section 3(a)(12)(C) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)(C)) is amended—

(1)

by striking or (iv) and inserting (iv) a plan which meets the requirements of section 403(b) of such Code (I) if (aa) such plan is subject to title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), (bb) any employer making such plan available agrees to serve as a fiduciary for the plan with respect to the selection of the plan’s investments among which participants can choose, or (cc) such plan is a governmental plan (as defined in section 414(d) of such Code), and (II) if the employer, a fiduciary of the plan, or another person acting on behalf of the employer reviews and approves each investment alternative offered under any plan described under subclause (I)(cc) prior to the investment being offered to participants in the plan, or (v);

(2)

by striking (ii), or (iii) and inserting (ii), (iii), or (iv); and

(3)

by striking (II) is a plan funded and inserting (II) in the case of a plan not described in clause (iv), is a plan funded.

(d)

Conforming Amendment to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Section 12(g)(2)(H) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78l(g)(2)(H)) is amended by striking or (iii) and inserting (iii) a plan described in section 3(a)(12)(C)(iv) of this Act, or (iv).

November 28, 2025

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed