2023 Texas Statutes › Vernon's Civil Statutes › Title 109 - Pensions › Article 6243n. Municipal Retirement System in Municipalities of 460,000 to 500,000 › Section 2. Definitions

Sec. 2.  DEFINITIONS.  The following words and phrases have the meanings assigned by this section unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:
(1)  "Accumulated deposits" means the amount standing to the credit of a member derived from the deposits required to be made by the member to the retirement system improved annually by interest credited at a rate determined by the retirement board from time to time upon the advice of the retirement board's actuary and credited as of December 31 to amounts standing to the credit of the member on January 1 of the same calendar year.
(2)  "Actual retirement date" means the last day of the month during which a member retires.
(2A)  "Actuarial accrued liability" means the portion of the actuarial present value of projected benefits of the retirement system attributed to past periods of member service based on the cost method used in the risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B or 10C of this Act, as applicable.
(3)  "Actuarial equivalent" means any benefit of equal present value when computed on the basis of actuarial tables adopted by the retirement board from time to time upon the advice of the retirement board's actuary.  The actuarial tables adopted for this purpose shall be tables that are acceptable to the Internal Revenue Service and be clearly identified by resolution adopted by the retirement board.
(3A)  "Actuarial value of assets" means the value of the retirement system's assets as calculated using the asset smoothing method used in the risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B or 10C of this Act, as applicable.
(4)  "Actuary" means the technical advisor of the retirement board regarding the operations which are based on mortality, service, and compensation experience.
(5)  "Agency of the municipality" means any agency or instrumentality of the municipality or governmental or publicly owned legal entity created by the municipality, before or after the effective date of this Act, to perform or provide a public service or function and that employs at least one employee to provide services or accomplish its public purpose.
(5A)  "Amortization period" means:
(A)  the period necessary to fully pay a liability layer; or
(B)  if referring to the amortization period of the retirement system as a whole, the number of years incorporated in a weighted average amortization factor for the sum of the legacy liability and all liability layers as determined in each annual actuarial valuation of assets and liabilities of the system.
(5B)  "Amortization rate" means, for a given calendar year, the percentage rate determined by:
(A)  adding the scheduled amortization payments required to pay off the then-existing liability layers;
(B)  subtracting the city legacy contribution amount for the same calendar year, as determined in the risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B or 10C of this Act, as applicable, from the sum under Paragraph (A); and
(C)  dividing the difference under Paragraph (B) by the projected pensionable payroll for the same calendar year.
(6)  "Approved medical leave of absence" means any absence authorized in writing by the member's employer for the purpose of enabling the member to obtain medical care or treatment or to recover from any sickness or injury.
(7)  "Authorized leave of absence" means military leave of absence, including a period of not more than 90 days after the date of release from active military duty, or any other leave of absence during which a member is otherwise authorized by law to continue making contributions to the system.  The term does not include an approved medical leave of absence.
(8)  "Average final compensation" means the average monthly compensation, as defined and limited by Subdivision (12) of this section, less overtime, incentive, and terminal pay, plus, (i) amounts picked up by the employer pursuant to Section 10(e) of this Act, and (ii) amounts that would be included in wages but for an election under Section 125(d), 132(f)(4), 402(e)(3), 402(h)(1)(B), 402(k), or 457(b) of the code, during, as applicable:
(A)  if the member has 120 months or more of membership service, the 36 months of membership service which yielded the highest average during the last 120 months of membership service;
(B)  if the member has less than 120 months of membership service, but has at least 36 months of membership service, then the average during the 36 months which yield the highest average; or
(C)  if the member does not have 36 months of membership service, then the average during the member's months of membership service.
The term does not include annual compensation in excess of the dollar limit under Section 401(a)(17) of the code for any employee who first becomes a member in a year commencing after 1995, and that compensation shall be disregarded in determining average final compensation.  Any reduction for overtime, incentive, and terminal pay shall not cause a member's compensation to be less than the limit under Section 401(a)(17) of the code to the extent that the compensation has already been reduced in accordance with Subdivision (12).  The dollar limitation shall be adjusted for cost of living increases as provided under Section 401(a)(17) of the code.
(9)  "Beneficiary" means the member's designated beneficiary.  If there is no effective beneficiary designation on the date of the member's death, or if the designated beneficiary predeceases the member (or dies as a result of the same event that caused the member's death and does not survive the member by 48 hours), the member's spouse or, if the member does not have a spouse, the member's estate shall be the beneficiary.
(10)  "Board" means the boards of directors of an employer that is not a municipality as described in Section 1 of this Act.
(10A)  "City" means a municipality described in Section 1 of this Act.
(10B)  "City legacy contribution amount" means, for each calendar year, a predetermined payment amount expressed in dollars in accordance with a payment schedule amortizing the legacy liability for the calendar year ending December 31, 2022, that is included in the initial risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B of this Act.
(11)  "Code" means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 1 et seq.) and its successors.
(12)  "Compensation" means, with respect to any member, such member's wages, within the meaning of Section 3401(a) of the code (for purposes of income tax withholding at the source) but determined without regard to any rules that limit the remuneration included in wages based on the nature or location of the employment or the services performed (such as the exception for agricultural labor in Section 3401(a)(2) of the code).  Compensation in excess of the dollar limit under Section 401(a)(17) of the code shall be disregarded in determining the compensation of any employee who first becomes a member in a year commencing after 1995.  The dollar limitation shall be adjusted for cost of living increases as provided under Section 401(a)(17) of the code.
(13)  "Consumer price index" means the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (United States City Average, All Items) published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, or its successor in function.
(13A)  "Corridor" means the range of employer contribution rates that are:
(A)  equal to or greater than the minimum employer contribution rate; and
(B)  equal to or less than the maximum employer contribution rate.
(13B)  "Corridor margin" means five percentage points.
(13C)  "Corridor midpoint" means the projected employer contribution rate specified for each calendar year for 30 years as provided by the initial risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B of this Act, rounded to the nearest hundredths decimal place.
(14)  "Creditable service" means the total of prior service, membership service, redeemed service, and service purchased under Section 6 of this Act.
(15)  "Current service annuity" means a series of equal monthly payments payable for the member's life after retirement for creditable service from funds of the retirement system equal to:
(A)  for Group A members, one-twelfth of the product of 3.0 percent of a member's average final compensation multiplied by the number of months of creditable service; and
(B)  for Group B members, one-twelfth of the product of 2.5 percent of a member's average final compensation multiplied by the number of months of creditable service.
(16)  "Deposits" means the amounts required to be paid by members in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(17)  "Designated beneficiary" means any person, trust, or estate properly designated on a form provided by the retirement system by a member to receive benefits from the system in the event of the member's death.  If the member is married, an individual other than the member's spouse may be the designated beneficiary only if the spouse consents to such designation in the form and manner prescribed by the retirement board.
(18)  "Disability retirement" means the termination of employment of a member because of disability with a disability retirement allowance as provided in Section 8 of this Act.
(18A)  "Early retirement annuity" means an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of a current service annuity that would otherwise be payable at age 65 under this Act but that is reduced based on the member's actual age in years and months.
(18B)  "Early retirement eligible member" means a member of Group B that:
(A)  is at least 55 years of age; and
(B)  has at least 10 years of creditable service, excluding nonqualified permissive service credit.
(19)  "Employer" means the municipality described in Section 1 of this Act, the retirement board, or an agency of the municipality.
(19A)  "Employer contribution rate" means, for a given calendar year, a percentage rate equal to the sum of the employer normal cost rate and the amortization rate, as adjusted under Section 10D or 10E of this Act, as applicable.
(19B)  "Employer normal cost rate" means, for a given calendar year, the normal cost rate minus the applicable member contribution rate determined under Section 10 of this Act.
(19C)  "Estimated employer contribution rate" means, for a given calendar year, an employer contribution rate equal to the sum of the employer normal cost rate and the amortization rate of the liability layers, as applicable, excluding the legacy liability layer, and before any adjustments under Section 10D or 10E of this Act.
(20)  "Fund" means the trust fund containing the aggregate of the assets of Fund No. 1 and Fund No. 2.
(20A)  "Funded ratio" means the ratio of the actuarial value of assets divided by the actuarial accrued liability.
(21)  "Fund No. 1" means the fund in which shall be kept all accumulated deposits of members who have not withdrawn from the system.
(22)  "Fund No. 2" means the fund in which shall be kept all money contributed by the city on behalf of city employees, by an agency of the municipality on behalf of the agency's employees, and by the retirement board on behalf of retirement board employees, interest earned thereon, and all accumulations and earnings of the system.
(23)  "Governing body" means the city council of the municipality described in Section 1 and its successors as constituted from time to time.
(23A)  "Group A" means the group of members of the retirement system that includes each member who:
(A)  began membership service on or after January 1, 1941, and on or before December 31, 2011; or
(B)  returned to full-time employment on or after January 1, 2012, and:
(i)  was previously a member of Group A;
(ii)  ceased to be a member of the retirement system;
(iii)  received a distribution of the member's accumulated deposits; and
(iv)  reinstated all of the member's prior membership service credit.
(23B)  "Group B" means the group of members of the retirement system that includes each member who:
(A)  began membership service on or after January 1, 2012; or
(B)  returned to full-time employment on or after January 1, 2012, and:
(i)  was previously a member of Group A;
(ii)  ceased to be a member of the retirement system;
(iii)  received a distribution of the member's accumulated deposits; and
(iv)  has not reinstated all of the member's prior membership service credit.
(24) Repealed by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 834, Sec. 14, eff. Oct. 1, 1999.
(25)  "Investment consultant" means the person or entity that monitors the investment performance of the system and provides such other services as requested by the retirement board.
(26)  "Investment manager" means the persons or entities that have the power to manage, acquire, or dispose of assets of the fund on behalf of the retirement system and that acknowledge fiduciary responsibility to the system in writing.  An investment manager must be a person, firm, or corporation registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, a bank, or an insurance company qualified to manage, acquire or dispose of assets under the laws of more than one state including this state that meets the requirements of Section 802.204, Government Code.
(26A)  "Legacy liability" means the unfunded actuarial accrued liability determined as of December 31, 2022, and for each subsequent calendar year, adjusted as follows:
(A)  reduced by the city legacy contribution amount for the calendar year allocated to the amortization of the legacy liability; and
(B)  adjusted by the assumed rate of return adopted by the retirement system for the calendar year;
(26B)  "Level percent of payroll method" means the amortization method that defines the amount of a liability layer recognized each calendar year as a level percent of pensionable payroll until the amount of the liability layer remaining is reduced to zero.
(26C)  "Liability gain layer" means a liability layer that decreases the unfunded actuarial accrued liability.
(26D)  "Liability layer" means:
(A)  the legacy liability established in the initial risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B or 10C of this Act, as applicable; or
(B)  for calendar years after December 31, 2022, the amount that the retirement system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability increases or decreases, as applicable, due to the unanticipated change for the calendar year as determined in each subsequent risk sharing valuation study under Section 10C of this Act.
(26E)  "Liability loss layer" means a liability layer that increases the unfunded actuarial accrued liability. For purposes of this Act, the legacy liability is a liability loss layer.
(27)  "Life annuity" means a series of equal monthly payments, payable after retirement for a member's life, consisting of a combination of prior service pension and current service annuity, or early retirement annuity, to which the member is entitled.
(28)  "Life annuity (modified cash refund)" means a life annuity providing that, in the event of death of the retired member before that member has received payments under the life annuity totaling the amount of that member's accumulated deposits at the date of retirement, the excess of such accumulated deposits over the payments made shall be paid in one lump sum to the member's designated beneficiary.
(29)  "Malfeasance" means willful misconduct or the knowingly improper performance of any act, duty, or responsibility under this Act, including non-performance, that interrupts, interferes with, or attempts to interfere with the administration, operation, and management of the retirement system or any person's duties under this Act.
(29A)  "Maximum employer contribution rate" means, for a given calendar year, the rate equal to the corridor midpoint plus the corridor margin.
(30)  "Member" means any:
(A)  regular full-time employee of an employer; and
(B)  former regular full-time employee who has not withdrawn the member's accumulated deposits from the system.
In any case of doubt regarding the eligibility of any employee to become or remain a member of the retirement system, or the assignment of a member to a group, the decision of the retirement board is final.
(31)  "Membership service" means the period of time on or after January 1, 1941, during which a person is or was employed as a regular full-time employee or is or was on an authorized leave of absence and who is eligible for participation in the system and pays into and keeps on deposit the amounts of money prescribed to be paid by the member into the system.  The term includes redeemed membership service.
(31A)  "Minimum employer contribution rate" means, for a given calendar year, the rate equal to the corridor midpoint minus the corridor margin.
(31B)  "Normal cost rate" means, for a given calendar year, the salary weighted average of the individual normal cost rates determined for the current active member population, plus the assumed administrative expenses determined in the most recent actuarial experience study.
(32)  "Normal retirement age" means:
(A)  for members of Group A:
(i)  age 62;
(ii)  55 years of age with 20 years of creditable service; or
(iii)  23 years of creditable service, regardless of years of age; and
(B)  for members of Group B:
(i)  62 years of age with 30 years of creditable service, excluding nonqualified permissive service credit; or
(ii)  65 years of age with five years of creditable service, excluding nonqualified permissive service credit.
(33)  "Normal retirement date" means:
(A)  for members of Group A, the earlier of the date a member attains a normal retirement age or the date on which the member has completed 23 years of creditable service; and
(B)  for members of Group B, the date the member reaches normal retirement age under Subdivision (32)(B) of this section.
(33A)  "Payoff year" means the year a liability layer is fully amortized under the amortization period.
(33B)  "Pensionable payroll" means the aggregate basic hourly earnings of all active-contributory members for a calendar year or pay period, as applicable.
(34)  "Prior service" means membership service as an employee of the city:
(A)  rendered by a person prior to January 1, 1941, for which a pension credit is allowable under prior law governing the retirement system of that city; and
(B)  which for a person after January 1, 1941, includes redeemed membership service.
(35)  "Prior service pension" means a series of equal monthly payments payable from funds of the retirement system for a member's life after retirement for prior service equal to one-twelfth of the product of 3.0 percent of the member's average monthly earnings during a period of five years preceding January 1, 1941, multiplied by the number of months of prior service.
(35A)  "Projected pensionable payroll" means the estimated pensionable payroll for the calendar year beginning 12 months after the date of any risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B or 10C of this Act, as applicable, at the time of calculation by:
(A)  projecting the prior calendar year's pensionable payroll forward two years using the current payroll growth rate assumption adopted by the retirement board; and
(B)  adjusting, if necessary, for changes in population or other known factors, provided those factors would have a material impact on the calculation, as determined by the retirement board.
(36)  "Qualified domestic relations order" has the meaning assigned by Section 804.001, Government Code, and its subsequent amendments.
(37)  "Redeemed membership service" means membership service reinstated in accordance with Section 5(e) of this Act.
(38)  "Redeemed prior service" means prior service reinstated in accordance with Section 5(e) of this Act.
(39)  "Regular full-time employee" means an individual who is employed by the municipality, an agency of the municipality, or the retirement board who is not a commissioned civil service police officer or fire fighter, a fire or police cadet employed under civil service procedures, the mayor, or a member of the governing body; who serves in a position that is classified in the annual budget of an employer for employment for the full calendar year; and who works or is budgeted for 30 hours or more in a normal 40-hour work week.  The term does not include an individual whose position is classified as seasonal or temporary by the employer, even if the individual works 30 hours or more in a normal 40-hour work week in which the individual is employed.
(40)  "Retired member" means a person who because of creditable service or age is qualified to receive and who has retired and is eligible to continue receiving a retirement allowance as provided by this Act.
(41)  "Retirement" means the termination of employment of a member after the member becomes entitled to receive a retirement allowance in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(42)  "Retirement allowance" means the life annuity (modified cash refund) to which a member may be entitled under this Act, including annuities payable on disability retirement.
(43)  "Retirement board" means the board of trustees of the retirement and pensioning system herein created for the purpose of administering the retirement system.
(44)  "Retirement system," "retirement and pensioning system," "pension system," or "system" means the retirement and pensioning system created by this Act for a municipality governed by this Act or a retirement system established under this Act.
(44A)  "Unanticipated change" means, with respect to the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in each subsequent risk sharing valuation study under Section 10B or 10C of this Act, as applicable, the difference between:
(A)  the remaining balance of all then-existing liability layers as of the date of the risk sharing valuation study that were created before the date of the study; and
(B)  the actual unfunded actuarial accrued liability as of the date of the study.
(44B)  "Unfunded actuarial accrued liability" means the difference between the actuarial accrued liability and the actuarial value of assets.
(45)  "Year of creditable service" means a 12-month period of creditable service determined in accordance with uniform and nondiscriminatory rules established by the retirement board.