OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TExhs 

AUSTIN 

flonorp&le Jo& 3. iiudd, Jr. 

he~-&ator 

-t Syrt6a or T6JLw 

huotln, T640 

m6rsQ-r O~lalon no. o-3917 

ce: Authority of Boar& of True 

to00 to P6QUiE6 06S’tstn 

aaount or toebahiqO durin(i 

1937-S u b reQulolto to 

Od6bUobllYnt 5r prior 06r- 

~la60 amalt. 

. 

In four l6tt6v or hi@ut al, 1941, rou subat to 

a0 the foll5vlng faaSs awl Qu6otiouo for 5ur oplnia, to-vit: 

%6 t)oaFb 5s Truetees of th6 4-r Betir mt SJo ten hu r eq lmo ted Ia 6 to l ee~w6 a n 

o p lulw fr o aa y o u & a r efp r zd o t& 6 authcmtg & Ixl 

llwtaUow 5f the Bo a r d 6t wuat6eo ln rppror - 

ifle Or deu#.0& 4It@&eatiOAO iC@ 662d66 NtfX6- 

Wt o lk wa a o &OO f tUdWA-0 ub o O* l 6mi66 iJ& th6 

publio 80bo0ld ef Td?tno in th6 l937-38 8ahool 

yerc vu not of ours~6i6zlt 6xt6at to oluoLry 

a uob l6rPiQ6 M a ar64i.tau6 you of 06wia6 

eaaord.Ug to repl8ti550 of t&6 beard of Twotees of a46 mo.o&6~ zletirssrnt &yotom. 

*hWw t0 @6tOtiOIl 5 Of tkAC %8&&6~ i%6- 

tlr6ra6at x&v, Y lmlub6r, m other Iwjmts, 

must have C~l8tedtVBPty’OTo years of 

or@U&lo remtao b6fcw6 b6Lq eli@bl6 for 

l er via ret-t s h lefSt0. la o ld6r SOP a 

proon at th6 pmosnt time to hovs tvaaty or 

W6 76&W@ Of 6&‘6&tdd 063V%od, it io ObViOUO 

th a t l ueb -WA O&kOt h&V6 eotablloh& 6OdAt X0&’ 

p r ior l 6r via 6. In o-tlon vith the ootabl%irhla6lxt of p2%or aeIw.w t3reat, 1 vidl to F6frrr 

YOU t5 mtia 4 Of thn %S6h6S’ B6tirer#at m 

o&VI 06rteh x%Llb@ pMo0d by the PlorrQ 0.f TPUSteas of t&a T6aaher Retir6?@aat Syrfea. I &a 
l two h ioheg r ea tOOo W Of & 16ttelF Vr ittteo n 

the Attorney ChnCaI%& under tit. Of ~OV6d36l' 12, 

1937, r6quaotiag th6 opinion OS ttm Attoramy 

O6~rdlo~6rnl.q owhrullq8 ~006dby th6 

Boafd of Truetoea snd 6 oopy of th6 Attorney 

Qen6Pal'# opulionglv6n uud6r d8t6 orD666mb6r 

14, 1937. You vill obrerve th8t rullr@o ~$3 

an r ela l ti p6alr168llyt0th6 -r in 

E& a & t iOr F iOP l 6Mi66 rasJ b6 6Otrb- 

. 

'In Pegaml to the nq ulPea6nto as to the 

6xtent 88d n6tua-6 of oervloe r6qulred fm a 

l 6h661 y66E in order ror owh 06rvlae to b6 

608Oider edU l a lí6ditdJl7'602 6 Of OcrmiO6, 

th6%66h6rR6tL19116ot~t6mhfu oonaidered 

the roll- r6$ulatloM u ninisnllll P6qulxeB6ato I 

“A tether &&Xl be umdlted vlth 

as.niamaf~oonthoonaoo.lary bulo, 6seept a teaah6r in a oahool 

VhOO6 filll O&Od 7Ul'dMO XlOt MloUllt 

toyaa8tbl,vhoVlllb6aPedltedvith 

hV-6 t806hoO1p6rlfh6t68Oh60 

r0l. the tLsafha6o6ldsahoolioin 

l 600i~ f9P th6 Oobooi 76~. 

“A fuU-6la6 t6tuWr ok&l - 6h6 

teaoher vhoso rsguler oalorled aoajmration ror 06i66 r6Mwwd 60 6 t6&h6r6Qualoor6x666dOhlor6ul6roalAri6d ooPqpeM8tiOn fOP w 0 St. r 06rvloe 

that al&h6 b6r6&6r6dinOtbr VO66- 

t1QM l&i16 raid p6roon 10 6a@g6d in 

It 16 flmh6r prwlml that 

::~~OOiOtMtO sad p6OH6 tin higher eduaatlcmal i.mtLtutiona on a 

oaholamh3.p ehau aat b6 aanrtdered 

fUU-tiM t6Mh6PO. 466oh6ro In a night 

r6hoolan6AMurx?yb66io a060 POt Qollotltu66 eU.g%biUty for memlxbrtip. 

'TbsR6t~tB~tsmnoohoa 6XumtbW 

of tea6h6ro vhe aPe ylprying for a #emlee Mtlr656nt allov?uvJ~ rho bid not r6zd6P 06rv106 

i 
m-b16 Jaha 5. RI&%, Jr. j pae6 3 

in the l937-3& euhool year to the extent requfre& 

for 6U6h S6PViao In 6wh yWU’ to h6V6 been. eonsidered a oredltable year or oervlae. The employem of ouch persons in 1937-38 deduoted Pfve 

per aant of the 06Ury vhich vas paid to euah 

persona and remitted cuab deduct&one to the 

Teaahsr Retirem6nt System. The T6aohe~ Ret-- 

mat Syot6m Pccepted such five per cent conixlbutlona of ouah peroon8, op6n6d aocounte, alrI.@ed mgmberahlp numbera, and credited ouah 

eontxlbutlaw reoelved to the accounta OS cuah 

p6roono. 

“I vould l.Lks to have your opinion inolude 

anovere to the follovlng queotlono: 

“1. Uould tho Borrd of Tmuteea t>a 

mrrying out th6 intent of th6 Retlrembnt 

Lav and vould it b6 leg6U.y proper if the 

Bomd ruled that a pwron had not emtabli6hed arredlt for prior aervlae unlero ouch 

p6roox.i r6nd6P6d rarrvioe in 1937-38 to th6 

extent rsquimd for ouoh aervioe to be cono!idered ac a aMditabl6 year of 8ervlceP 

m2. Uould the Beard oi !htote6o be 

OIcfging OUt th6 i.Ut6Xlt Of th6 H6tmt 

I&v and vould It be 16g6lly proper if the 

Board ruled that 8 p6roon vho 6atual.Q r6ndOP6d 06PVb6 (LO 8 t6Wh6P in th6 1937-38 

#Oh001 76OP t0 an. 6Xt6nt 1660 th6ll the 6Xt6nt required for 8-h service to be oopl id6r 6d &d a w&.ltablet year of actrvlae had 

6ot6blUhed oredit for prior service ev6n 

though owh peraon~o 6ervlae ia 19X-38 ~66 

not ooluridered 6 oreditable yoiw oi’ oerviost 

“3. In the event your awver to Qu66- 

tlon #2 is ‘yefiB, In it vlthia the povere 

of the Board of Truoteee to set a minimum 

extent of eerv2ae in 1937-38 whloh mwt 

have been rendered by :E person before auah 

psraon vi11 be grented i2red.i.t ior prior 

cervioe? 
~#wMblo Jehn 53. RUdd, Jr., p&6 4 

*4. If your awwer to Queetion #3 10 

'y60', ‘IOU&i it b6 X'68Oonab16 fOl’ th6 EMsrd 

to rule that a p6ruon who aatunlly rendored 06rvieo es 6 t6aahor for et leart on6 

month in 1937-38 vould be granted aretit 

Sor prior 06rvioe?* 

On Nor6mb6r 7, 1937, th9 Bq6rd 6dopted certaiu rallnge 

inawdlng X00. 3 6nd 7 reading e-0 tollovar 

“3. It vao mooad by Hr. #Lllo that a te6oh%r 

ln order to 6ot6bUoh ar6dlt r0r prior-06rvloo 

Mt f8&lVitbinOnO Of th6 t&66 fO~Ov+as&%Wl.flartleno : 

*(a) -Me VhO hU ‘iW@&t ill th0 Stat6 

prior to the ~8tabUakment of the Syotxm, 

b ut vho lo not tea o h iduq r intg h6 l %h o o l 

y6aP 1937-s 6h6ll* lf h6 l eouroo 6lQ1Ora6nt berorc, July 1, 1939 ezrb ii h6 aontin- 

~0 t6aahbg r0r a period 0r f1v6 (5),aanooautlvs yoaro k ontltled to r6cefip6 opodlt faP pPl6P-oecrle%. 

l (b) mano vho 10 8 Mmb6P do t&6 

wr or a16 00h00l ybsr 1937-38, 1.0.~ 

anyon vho lo rogubPly empby6d u 8 teaoh6r at 6h6 b6gLnni.q of the oohoolp66r 1937- 

38 cab vho bq@o aontr%butLng and pays his 

MUlb6POhip f66 t0 th% 8yOt6El tOP hi0 ril'Ot 

oorqpbnratim ftw th6 year, r6gardl6ee of 

vh6nh6vaolnot6mployedaoat6aahe~in 

96X&U rfLoll b6 9lltitd9d t0 P96OiVO UP6dit 

for prior-oorviae . 

*(a) Anyone vim YII 8 tclmhor at any 

IAm% during 6h6 ticrh00l yeOrl99;$6-37 8&lLh0 

becomoo amwiber during the oahooly66rl937- 

38 &all b6 entitled to rbobive ccedit Sor 

prior-rervlee. (Iotlo% th6t la modified by 

x0* 7) 

%0t10n yall oecond6d by nior Yood6 6nfJ OS*- 

rl6d.” 
wblm Jnhn 9. Rudd, Jr., p6@% 5 

“7. Hr. Mills moved th6t a p6roon vho 

taught for at 16aot 4* 5ontho or the full e6hool 

tom durln& th6 la62 66hool y66z aould eot8bliah 

his prlcw-aorvlo6 wedit ii ho taught. for 

length of tim6 durl.q tho who01 ye6r 1937-J 7 at 

a roeular salmy on full-time employm6nt and mud6 

ombe~ohip conttibutlono. Motion vaa reoandrrd by 

Mine WOO&I and aerriod." 

“seu.3.... 

“(1) All poreon uho 6re towhero on th6 

date w or vhlch t&6 RI- t Byoton is ootablioh9d oholl boainw a65bbro 00 of that date u 

6 oandltion or th9z.r 6qplope6nt unlooo Vlthlll 

ti porlod of nirmty (PO) days aStar Soptomb6r 1, 

1937, any ouah tea&m rhaU file vita tho 6tw.o 

Board of Trwteeu on a formp~eo6slb6dby l u6h 

Board, a nOtjn9 Of hi8 616atiOl3 not t0 be COVOP6d in th6 ~~5b8POhip Of th6 -atdun Sad a duly 

oxomtod v6Av6r of 631 prooslrt and prorpootlvo 

beAeJrit0 l?sob voad oth6rvloo inure to hLn on 

a66ount 0r hi6 partl6tpatioIl ln th6 RotLmmoiat 

ayotem. 

.(2) Be- Sept6mb6r 1, 19% urd 

sherafter any t6whor t666W.ng for tho Sirrt 

time b To xu sh a ll b eo o me l umber of th6 Retirem6nt SyatbPl 0.a a oonditlon of hir emlploym6nt. 

I 

. . . . 

“(5) Anyon% vho hm tmght in the stoto of 

‘26X&9 in M00~d6nCe vlth th6 tOPma Of thi8 bat, 

~~h$eh~t&~%-;O%~ %z:%if: 

beooeuo a tea6hm 17Litbin tvo 2f year6 of the 

date on vhlokr t&la Aot becanea eSS6ctiv6, and 

if he oantinues ua ewb Sor 6 p6riod OS Slve 

(5) commwive yeaP&, be 6ntitlod to refmlv6 

uredit act resultlag b%noflCe f’or p&o*-s6rvl6e 

ac provided for in thla hct . * 
“sec. 4. 

“(1) Under auuh rules 6md regulations as 

the State hard of Trusteea shall adopt eaoh 

peraon vho valf a teacher, as deftid Ln thi8 

Act, at any time during the year immediately 

preaedhg the ectahlicthm8nt of the syrtem, and 

vho becomes a meaber duriq the first year of 

operation of the Retirement Syetom, or vho la 

a member at the be@mlng of the sahool year 

1937-38, ahall file a dotailod atatenmnt of all 

Texac service, w a teacher, rendered by him 

prior to the date of eetabllahment. of the Rstiremeat System for vhlch he alaIm credit. 

‘(2) The stat0 Board of Trwteoc &all 

fix aud detemnino by appropriate rules end regulatlona hov much eervioe in any year la equivalent to one year of service, but in no oace 

shall more than one year of aervioe be weditable for all eervias in on0 sahool year. 

“(3) Subject to tho above reatrictiow 

and to such other rule8 and rogulatlona aa the 

State Board oi Trwteoa may adopt, the State 

Board or Trwteoa &mll verUy and adjwt, a8 

80on M pra8tlcablO Wter the itUng or such 

atatemente of eervioe, the aorvice therein 

claksed. 

aI I 

. . . . 

In makhg ita rule8 and regulationa and in laming 

or iflthholding prior-service crertlflaatea, the State Ward of 

Tpwteee mwt stay within the boundarioo fixed by zhe et&two. 

While a reading of Seotfon 4(l) by Staelf mLght Lndloate that 

it dealt only vith the question of filing the etatomemt, vo 

think it rather clear that vhen read in connection vlth other 

parta of the Act thie section also deal8 with ths.fundemental 

queatlon of vhat fa43t.e entitle a men to credit for prior-eervlte. 

If he vaa a teacher at any time duxQ.ng 1936-37 and became a 

iuomber during 1937-36, or vae a member at the beg5.m.Ug of the 

echo01 gear 1937-36, he beoame entitled to uredit for prior aervice. Me are of the opinion that it vat poeelblo aa a mattor 

of lav for a nmn to become a member dur3.q 1937-38 vlthout actually teaoting a8 m&h a@ four and a half months. Also ve 
yIonoreble Jahn 8. Rudd, or.. yage 7 

Wlieve t+at a man might have been a number at the begirU.ng 

;,;gf;;T sod not have taki,&c four and e half montha durin& 

. In other yarda, by requlriq four end a half mo~tha 

of teeohhg in 1937-36 vould be LmpoaLng a burden heavier than 

omtemplated by statute. On thic phase of the qwstlon the 

Board may Squire only (1) vhether he beo.sme a member dur- 

~37-36, or (2) vhether he VIM a member st the be&nning of the 

8ehool year 1937-36. Hovever, a “member” mwt be a ttier a8 

*fined in Section l(3), and a oertala uaount of actual toeohi,g ~~e~~qu5.red to be ehovn in eatabllahing a pereon ae be- 

. But, no more actual teauhing OM be required to 

be ehovn than vould tend reaaowbbly to lend credence to the 

&aim that ewh pereon vas a bona fide teaohm et the beginnbg 

of s37-36 or for ease time during the perr. where ie no rolatubwhip betveon tho 4m0unt of wtual to4uhbg nooeeaary to 

aowtltute a year’s oreditable eervioe and tiho eaeount uiiloh 

awt have been rendered in 1937-36 to eetaUeh oruUt for prior 

80rv100. 

x0113 firat quetei02i i8 tamr0r0 sns~0rsd in the mgrtive and your eeoond in the afflrmatlvo~ 

Your third qwrtioa ie anewred in the tisirmative. 

Mvever, tho time 80 fixed am tho minimum in our opinian met 

be of ehort duration. In reply to your fourth queetion, ve are 

lwliwd to the belies that lf a peraon ehould oatablieh t&et 

he hOku2d a bOntrWt t0 tOWh t&0 year 1937-s & onbarked qp0n 

hle eervIeo, but vae forced to quit beoswe ai come lllneae. 

ewh 88 tsbereuloelr, ten day8 after oomsmnaiiag to teaah, he 

oould claim orodit for prior ecrvloo. Honoe ve doubt that tho 

&abimw oould be flxed at a month, or for a fonger porlod than 

8 day. 

Your8 very truly 

COMMIREL