Sec. 10. METHOD OF FINANCING. (a) Each active-contributory member shall make deposits to the retirement system at a rate equal to eight percent of the member's base compensation, pay, or salary, exclusive of overtime, incentive, or terminal pay or at a higher contribution rate approved by a majority vote of regular full-time employee members. Deposits shall be made by payroll deduction each pay period. If a regular full-time employee works at least 75 percent of a normal 40-hour work week but less than the full 40 hours, the employee shall make deposits as though working a normal 40-hour work week even though the rate of contribution may exceed eight percent of the employee's actual compensation, pay, or salary, and the employee's average final compensation shall be computed on the basis of the compensation, pay, or salary for a normal 40-hour work week. No deposits may be made nor membership service credit received for periods during which an employee's authorized normal work week is less than 75 percent of a normal 40-hour work week. A person who is eligible for inactive-contributory membership status and who chooses to be an inactive-contributory member shall make deposits to the retirement system each pay period in an amount that is equal to the amount of the member's deposit for the last complete pay period that the member was a regular full-time employee. The regular full-time employee members may increase, by a majority vote of all such members voting at an election to consider an increase in contributions, each member's contributions above eight percent or above the higher rate in effect and approved by majority vote in whatever amount the retirement board recommends. Each employer shall contribute amounts equal to eight percent of the compensation, pay, or salary of each active-contributory member and each inactive-contributory member employed by the employer, exclusive of overtime, incentive, or terminal pay, or a higher contribution rate agreed by the employer. If a regular full-time employee of the employer works at least 75 percent of a normal 40-hour work week but less than the full 40 hours, the employer shall make contributions for that employee as though that employee works a normal 40-hour work week even though the rate of contribution may exceed eight percent of that employee's actual compensation, pay, or salary. The governing body of the city may authorize the city to make additional contributions to the system in whatever amount the governing body may determine. If the governing body authorizes additional contributions to the system by the city for city employees, the board of each other employer shall increase the contributions for such employer's respective employees by the same percentage. Employer contributions shall be made each pay period.

(b) In addition to the contributions by the city required by Subsection (a) of this section, the city shall contribute to the retirement fund each month two-thirds of such amounts as are required for the payment of prior service pensions that are payable during that month, and one-third of each prior service pension payable that month shall be made from Fund No. 2.

(c) Employer contributions shall be paid to the retirement system after appropriation by the respective governing body or board.

(d) Expenses for administration and operation of the retirement system that are approved by the retirement board shall be paid by the retirement board from funds of the retirement system. Such expenses shall include salaries of retirement board employees and fees for actuarial services, legal counsel services, physician services, accountant services, annual audits by independent certified public accountants, investment manager services, investment consultant services, preparation of annual reports, and staff assistance.

(e) Each employer shall pick up the contributions required to be made to the fund by its respective employees. Active contributory member deposits will be picked up by each employer by a reduction in each such employee's monetary compensation. All such employee contributions shall be treated as employer contributions in accordance with Section 414(h)(2) of the code for the purpose of determining tax treatment of the amounts under the code. Such contributions are not includable in the gross income of the employee until such time as they are distributed or made available to the employee. Each employee deposit picked up as provided by this subsection shall be credited to the individual accumulated deposits account of each such employee and shall be treated as compensation of the employee for all other purposes of this Act and for the purpose of determining contributions to social security. The provisions of this subsection shall remain in effect as long as the plan covering employees of the employers is a qualified retirement plan under Section 401(a) of the code and its related trust is tax exempt under Section 501(a) of the code.

(f) Under no circumstances and in no event may any of the contributions and income of the retirement system revert to the employer or otherwise be diverted to or used for any purpose other than the exclusive benefit of the members, retirees and their beneficiaries. It shall be impossible for the diversion or use prohibited by the preceding sentence to occur, whether by operation or natural termination of the retirement system, by power of revocation or amendment, by the happening of a contingency, by collateral arrangement, or by any other means.

(g) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352, Sec. 10, eff. June 17, 2011.