reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
TX Civ Stat § 15 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243d-1. Policemen's Relief and Retirement Fund|Section 15. Reduction of Benefits Authorized in Case Fund Is Depleted

Sec. 15. REDUCTION OF BENEFITS AUTHORIZED IN CASE FUND IS DEPLETED.  In the event said pension fund becomes seriously depleted, in the opinion of the pension board, said pension board may proportionately and temporarily reduce the benefits of all pensioners and beneficiaries, but such reductions shall thereafter be paid to such pensioners or beneficiaries as and when said fund is, in the opinion of the pension board, sufficiently re-established to do so.
TX Civ Stat § 16 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243d-1. Policemen's Relief and Retirement Fund|Section 16. Legal Counsel for Board

Sec. 16. LEGAL COUNSEL FOR BOARD.  The city attorney of any such city shall render such legal service, and without additional compensation, as such pension board may request him to do.  The pension board may, if it deems necessary, employ additional legal assistance and pay reasonable compensation therefor, out of said police pension fund.  Said pension board, may at its discretion, from time to time, employ the services of an actuary, and pay him reasonable compensation out of said police pension fund.
TX Civ Stat § 17 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243d-1. Policemen's Relief and Retirement Fund|Section 17. Pensions Not Subject to Execution, Etc

Sec. 17. PENSIONS NOT SUBJECT TO EXECUTION, ETC.  No portion of any such pension fund, either before or after its order of disbursement by said pension board, and no amounts due or to become due any beneficiary or pensioner, under this Act, shall ever be held, seized, taken, subjected to, detained, or levied upon by virtue of any execution, attachment, garnishment, injunction, or other writ, and no order or decree, or any process or proceeding whatsoever, shall issue out of or by any Court of this State for the payment or satisfaction in whole or in part out of said pension fund, of any debt, damage, claim, demand, or judgment against any such members, pensioners, dependents, or any person whomsoever, nor shall such police pension fund or any part thereof, or any claim thereto be directly or indirectly assigned or transferred and any attempt to transfer or assign the same or any part thereof, or any claim thereto, shall be void.  Said fund shall be sacredly held, kept, and disbursed for the purposes provided by this Act, and for no other purposes whatsoever.
TX Civ Stat § 18 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243d-1. Policemen's Relief and Retirement Fund|Section 18. Severability Clause

Sec. 18. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.  If any provision, section, part, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or paragraph of this Act be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect any other portion or provision hereof and all other provisions shall remain valid and unaffected by any invalid portion, if any.
TX Civ Stat § 19 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243d-1. Policemen's Relief and Retirement Fund|Section 19. Act to Be Cumulative to Other Laws

Sec. 19. ACT TO BE CUMULATIVE TO OTHER LAWS.  The provisions hereof shall be cumulative of and in addition to all other laws relating to pensions, which laws are hereby preserved and continued in force and effect, provided, however, that in the event of any conflict, the provisions of this law shall control, and police departmental pensions in the cities covered by this Act shall be administered in accordance with this law.|Acts 1939, 46th Leg., p. 105.|
TX Civ Stat § 1 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 1. Short Title

Sec. 1.  SHORT TITLE.  This Act may be cited as the Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act.
TX Civ Stat § 3 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 3. Application of Act

Sec. 3.  APPLICATION OF ACT.  (a)  This Act applies to each municipality in the state that has a regularly organized fire department not consisting exclusively of volunteers, except:(1)  a municipality all of whose fire department personnel participate in the Texas Municipal Retirement System;(2)  a municipality whose fire department is governed by another state law providing for retirement benefits for fire department personnel; and(3)  a municipality that has in effect a program providing retirement benefits for fire department personnel that was established by charter or ordinance before September 1, 1989.(b)  This Act also applies to each municipality in the state that has a fire department that:(1)  consists exclusively of volunteers;(2)  was organized before September 1, 1989, and remains a regularly organized department; and(3)  does not participate in the statewide program provided by Chapter 269, Acts of the 65th Legislature, Regular Session, 1977 (Article 6243e.3, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).(c)  If a municipality's fire department consists partly of employees participating in the Texas Municipal Retirement System and partly of employees or volunteers not participating in that retirement system, this Act applies to the persons who are not participating in the Texas Municipal Retirement System.  In that circumstance, a provision of this Act that applies to members of a retirement system or to members of a fire department applies only to those members who are participating in a retirement system under this Act.(d)  If a municipality's fire department consists partly of volunteers participating in the statewide program provided by Chapter 269, Acts of the 65th Legislature, Regular Session, 1977 (Article 6243e.3, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and partly of employees not participating in that program, this Act applies to the fire department personnel who are employees.  In that circumstance, a provision of this Act that applies to members of a retirement system or to members of a fire department applies only to those members who are employees.(e)  In addition to the other applicability of this Act, this Act applies to a political subdivision that has a regularly organized fire department not consisting exclusively of volunteers, except a political subdivision whose fire department is governed by another state law providing for retirement benefits for full-time paid fire department personnel.  If the political subdivision's fire department consists partly of volunteers eligible to participate in the program provided by Subtitle H, Title 8, Government Code, and partly of employees, this Act applies to fire department personnel who are employees.
TX Civ Stat § 4 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 4. Retirement System and Trust Fund

Sec. 4.  RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TRUST FUND.  A fire fighters' retirement system and trust fund are established in each municipality or other political subdivision to which this Act applies.  The board of trustees of each retirement system established by this Act shall hold or cause to be held in trust the assets appropriated or dedicated to the system or fund, separate from other money or accounts administered by the board of trustees or the municipality or other political subdivision, for the exclusive benefit of the members and retirees of the system and their beneficiaries.
TX Civ Stat § 5 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 5. Exemption From Judicial Process

Sec. 5.  EXEMPTION FROM JUDICIAL PROCESS.  All amounts in a trust fund of a retirement system subject to this Act and all rights accrued or accruing under this Act to any person are exempt from garnishment, attachment, execution, state and municipal taxation, sale, levy, and any other process and are unassignable.
TX Civ Stat § 6 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 6. Social Security

Sec. 6.  SOCIAL SECURITY.  Provisions of a retirement system may not be integrated with social security as otherwise permitted under Sections 401(a)(4), (a)(5), and (l) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 401).
TX Civ Stat § 7 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 7. Modification of Benefits and Eligibility

Sec. 7.  MODIFICATION OF BENEFITS AND ELIGIBILITY.  (a)  The board of trustees of a retirement system may change the benefits or eligibility requirements for benefits payable from the retirement system, may provide for reinstatement by a member of service credit previously forfeited, and may adopt or change other requirements for the payment of benefits, except as otherwise prohibited by this Act.(b)  Before a board of trustees chooses to adopt or change a benefit or requirement for payment of benefits under this section, the proposed addition or change must be approved by:(1)  an eligible actuary selected by the board; and(2)  a majority of the participating members of the retirement system voting on the addition or change by secret ballot at an election held for that purpose at which at least 50 percent of all participating members of the retirement system vote.(c)  To be eligible to approve an addition or change under this section, an actuary must be either a fellow of the Society of Actuaries or a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.(d)  Except as provided by Subsection (e) of this section, if a board chooses to adopt an addition or change after it has been approved as provided by this section, the addition or change applies to all persons who are participating members of the retirement system on the effective date of the addition or change and all persons who became participating members during the time the addition or change remains in effect.  The addition or change also may apply to:(1)  persons receiving monthly benefits; or(2)  former members of the fire department who meet an applicable length-of-service requirement for service retirement.(e)  An addition or change adopted under this section may not, without the written consent of the member, retiree, or eligible survivor under Section 15 of this Act, deprive a member of the retirement system, a retiree, or an eligible survivor of a right to receive a vested accrued benefit.(f)  The effective date of a change or addition adopted under this section is a date specified by the board of trustees that is not earlier than the date of adoption by the board.  A change or addition may not be applied retroactive to its effective date unless required to maintain a plan's tax qualification status.
TX Civ Stat § 8 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 8. Recovery of Amounts Wrongfully Obtained

Sec. 8.  RECOVERY OF AMOUNTS WRONGFULLY OBTAINED.  The board of trustees of a retirement system subject to this Act may initiate or cause to be initiated a suit against any appropriate person to recover amounts paid or obtained from the trust fund through fraud, misrepresentation, theft, or other misapplication or by mistake.  The board of trustees shall deposit amounts recovered under this section in the trust fund for the retirement system.
TX Civ Stat § 9 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 9. Membership

Sec. 9.  MEMBERSHIP.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided by this section, a person who is an employee of a fire department included within the coverage of a retirement system is a member of the retirement system if the person is younger than 36 years old on the date the person is certified under civil service as eligible for a beginning position with the department.(b)  Except as provided by Subsections (c), (d), (e), and (g) of this section, a person who performs services as a volunteer of a fire department included within the coverage of a retirement system is a member of the retirement system.(c)  A board of trustees established under this Act may, in accordance with Section 7 of this Act:(1)  require a waiting period before retirement system membership begins;(2)  include within the required membership of the retirement system categories of personnel, other than personnel performing services for the fire department, who perform emergency medical or fire department-related services; or(3)  exclude from membership categories of fire department personnel not regularly directly engaged in the fighting of fires.(d)  If a board of trustees, under Subdivision (2) of Subsection (c) of this section, includes categories of personnel within the membership of a retirement system, for purposes of this Act, the personnel are considered employees or volunteers, as applicable, of the fire department and their service is considered as if it were performed for the fire department included within the coverage of the retirement system.(e)  As a condition of membership in a retirement system, a board of trustees may by order require persons to pass a physical examination given by a physician of the board's choice but may not require the persons to pay the cost of the examination.(f)  A board of trustees of a retirement system for a fire department may by order authorize membership in the retirement system for employees of the department who are 36 years old or older at the time they become employees but who first became fire fighters at an age younger than 36.  Membership under an authorization is optional with each employee, except that an employee must, before beginning membership, pass any physical examination requirement established under Subsection (e) of this section.(g)  A service retiree of a retirement system may not rejoin or receive credit in the system for any postretirement service performed for the fire department included within the coverage of the system.
TX Civ Stat § 10 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 10. Service Credit

Sec. 10.  SERVICE CREDIT.  (a)  Service credit is earned in a retirement system for each month for which an employee makes the contribution required under this Act.(b)  Service credit is earned in a retirement system for each calendar year in which a volunteer answers at least 25 percent of all fire alarms determined by the board of trustees and attends at least 40 percent of all drills held by the fire department.(c)  A retirement system shall also grant service credit to a member who leaves the service of a fire department and later returns, if the break in service is attributable to service for any period as a member of the armed forces of the United States during a war or national emergency.(d)  Absence from service by an employee does not forfeit service credit accrued before the absence begins, unless membership is terminated.  Absence from service by a volunteer does not forfeit service credit accrued before the absence begins.(e)  A board of trustees established under this Act may, in accordance with Section 7 of this Act, expand the circumstances under which service credit is earned.
TX Civ Stat § 11 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 11. Previous Fire Department Service

Sec. 11.  PREVIOUS FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICE.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section, a person who elects to become a member of a retirement system under an authorization adopted under Subsection (f) of Section 9 of this Act may establish credit in the retirement system for previous service performed for another fire department included within the coverage of a retirement system under this Act.  To establish credit for the previous service, the person must deposit with the retirement system an amount determined by the board of trustees that is equal to the sum of:(1)  the amount that the person would have contributed to the system if the person's previous fire department service had been performed for the department by which the person is employed, computed on the member contribution rate in effect in the retirement system at the time the service was performed and on the person's compensation for the previous service; and(2)  interest on the amount described by Subdivision (1) of this subsection at the rate of eight percent, compounded annually, from the date the service was performed to the date of deposit.(b)  If a person makes the deposit described by Subsection (a) of this section, the municipality or other political subdivision served by the fire department that employs the person shall deposit with the retirement system an amount determined by the board that is equal to the sum of:(1)  the amount that the municipality or other political subdivision would have contributed to the system if the person's previous fire department service had been performed for the department by which the person is employed, computed on the contribution rate of the municipality or other political subdivision in effect in the retirement system at the time the service was performed and on the person's compensation for the previous service; and(2)  interest on the amount described by Subdivision (1) of this subsection at the rate of eight percent, compounded annually, from the date the service was performed to the date of deposit.(c)  A person may not establish credit under this section for service that is credited in another public retirement system, including another retirement system subject to this Act.
TX Civ Stat § 12 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 12. Service Retirement

Sec. 12.  SERVICE RETIREMENT.  (a)  A member of a retirement system is eligible for retirement for service if the member is at least 55 years old and has performed at least 20 years of service that is credited in the retirement system.(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section, monthly benefits payable for service retirement are $100 to a retiree whose service was not exclusively as a volunteer and $25 to a retiree whose service was exclusively as a volunteer.(c)  A board of trustees established under this Act may, in accordance with Section 7 of this Act:(1)  decrease the age or service requirements for service retirement from a particular retirement system; or(2)  determine formulas for computing benefits, classes of permissible beneficiaries, and other requirements for payment of service retirement benefits, as long as the minimum benefits payable to a retiree are not less than the amounts provided by Subsection (b) of this section.
TX Civ Stat § 13 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 13.

Sec. 13.  (a)  A member of a retirement system who meets an applicable length-of-service requirement for service retirement benefits but does not meet the applicable age requirement for service retirement benefits may terminate employment with or otherwise discontinue service for the fire department and remain eligible to receive service retirement benefits from the retirement system on attaining the applicable age, as long as the member does not withdraw contributions in the retirement system.(b)  A member who terminates employment or otherwise discontinues service after meeting an applicable length-of-service requirement for service retirement may not be required to pay to the retirement system contributions that become due after the date of termination or discontinuance.
TX Civ Stat § 16 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 16. Reduction of Benefits During Deficiency

Sec. 16.  REDUCTION OF BENEFITS DURING DEFICIENCY.  If money available for benefits currently payable by a retirement system is insufficient to pay the full amount of those benefits, a board of trustees may proportionately reduce all benefit payments for the time necessary to prevent payments from exceeding money available to pay the benefits.
TX Civ Stat § 17 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 17. Person Causing Death of Member or Annuitant

Sec. 17.  PERSON CAUSING DEATH OF MEMBER OR ANNUITANT.  (a)  A benefit payable on the death of a member or annuitant may not be paid to a person convicted of causing that death but instead is payable to a person who would be entitled to the benefit had the convicted person predeceased the decedent.  If no person would be entitled to the benefit, the benefit is payable to the decedent's estate.(b)  A retirement system is not required to pay a benefit under Subsection (a) of this section unless it receives actual notice of the conviction of the person who would have been entitled to the benefits.  However, a retirement system may delay payment of a benefit payable on the death of a member or annuitant pending the results of a criminal investigation and of legal proceedings relating to the cause of death.(c)  For the purposes of this section, a person has been convicted of causing the death of a member or annuitant if the person:(1)  has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or has been found guilty by a court of an offense at the trial of which it is established that the person's intentional, knowing, or reckless act or omission resulted in the death of a person who was a member or annuitant, regardless of whether sentence is imposed or probated; and(2)  has no appeal of the conviction pending and the time provided for appeal has expired.
TX Civ Stat § 18A (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 18A.

Sec. 18A.  Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1316, Sec. 4.01(4), eff. June 14, 2013.
TX Civ Stat § 18B (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Vernon's Civil Statutes|Title 109 - Pensions|Article 6243e. Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act|Section 18B. Technical Assistance, Training, and Information for Boards of Trustees

Sec. 18B.  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND INFORMATION FOR BOARDS OF TRUSTEES.  (a)  The State Pension Review Board shall provide technical assistance, training, and information to members of the boards of trustees established under this Act.  The training required by this section must be designed to meet the specific needs of members of boards of trustees administering benefit plans for local fire fighters, including small-to-medium-sized benefit plans.(b)  To the extent resources are available, the board shall designate one person who specializes in providing the technical assistance, training, and information required under Subsection (a).