Texas Government Code 814.104 – Eligibility of Member for Service Retirement
(a) Except as provided by Subsections (d) and (e) of this section, § 814.102, or by rule adopted under § 813.304(d) or 803.202(a)(2), a member who has service credit in the retirement system is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity if the member:
(1) is at least 60 years old and has at least 5 years of service credit in the employee class; or
(2) has at least 5 years of service credit in the employee class and the sum of the member’s age and amount of service credit in the employee class, including months of age and credit, equals or exceeds the number 80.
(b) A member who is at least 55 years old and who has at least 10 years of service credit as a commissioned peace officer engaged in criminal law enforcement activities of the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, or the office of inspector general at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, or as a custodial officer, is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 814.104
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Justice: when applied to a magistrate, means justice of the peace. See Texas Government Code 312.011
- Rule: includes regulation. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) For the sole purpose of determining eligibility to receive a service retirement annuity, the retirement system shall consider service performed as a participant in the optional retirement program under Chapter 830 as if it were service for which credit is established in the retirement system.
(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e) of this section, § 814.102, or by rule adopted under § 813.304(d) or 803.202(a)(2), a member who was not a member on the date hired, was hired on or after September 1, 2009, and has service credit in the retirement system is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity if the member:
(1) is at least 65 years old and has at least 10 years of service credit in the employee class; or
(2) has at least 10 years of service credit in the employee class and the sum of the member’s age and amount of service credit in the employee class, including months of age and credit, equals or exceeds the number 80.
(e) A member who takes the oath of office for a position included in the elected class of membership, other than a district attorney or criminal district attorney, is not eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity under this section that is based on service credit transferred to the employee class from the elected class under § 813.503 until the member no longer holds that position. This provision does not prohibit a member from retiring and receiving a service retirement annuity under this section that is based on service credit earned in a position included in the employee class of membership under § 812.003.