Sec. 1551.111. PARTICIPATION BY CERTAIN RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. (a) The Texas Municipal Retirement System and the Texas County and District Retirement System shall participate in the group benefits program in the manner described by this section.

(b) Participation is limited to:

(1) an officer or employee of either system who has been an officer or employee of either system following completion of the waiting period described by Section 1551.1055;

(2) an eligible dependent of an officer or employee of either system described by Subdivision (1);

(3) an individual who:

(A) was an officer or employee of either system;

(B) has retired from either system, subject to Section 1551.1055;

(C) receives or is eligible to receive an annuity from either system or under Chapter 803, Government Code, based on at least 10 years of service credit and is at least 65 years of age; and

(D) has at least 10 years of service credit with a state agency whose employees are authorized to participate in the group benefits program; and

(4) an eligible dependent of a retired officer or employee described by Subdivision (3).

(c) Except as provided by Section 1551.114, participation in the group benefits program does not extend to:

(1) the governing body of either system;

(2) a municipality or subdivision participating in either system; or

(3) a trustee, officer, or employee, or a dependent of a trustee, officer, or employee, of a participating municipality or subdivision.

(d) A participant described by this section may not receive a state contribution for premiums.

(e) Subject to Section 1551.323, an individual and the individual's dependents are eligible to participate in the group benefits program as an annuitant and the dependents of an annuitant as described under this section if the individual:

(1) served as an officer or employee as described by Subsection (b)(1) on or before August 31, 2003; and

(2) at the time of retirement meets the requirements for eligibility for participation in the program as an annuitant as those requirements existed on August 31, 2003.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1419, Sec. 3, eff. June 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 366, Sec. 2.10, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1030, Sec. 1.02, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 3, Sec. 16.02, eff. Jan. 11, 2004.