Sec. 16. SERVICE CREDIT FOR MEMBERS PREVIOUSLY MEMBERS OF SIMILAR FUNDS. (a) A person who becomes a firefighter in a municipality to which this article applies may receive service credit for prior employment with the fully paid fire department of another municipality in this state with a similar fund benefiting only firefighters of that municipality to which the firefighter contributed if:
(1) the firefighter is under 36 years of age at the time of applying to the fund;
(2) the firefighter passes a physical examination;
(3) the firefighter pays into the fund an amount equal to the total contribution the firefighter would have made had the firefighter been employed by the municipality, at the municipality's pay scale, instead of the municipality by which the firefighter was previously employed, plus six percent interest, compounded annually;
(4) the firefighter applies for that credit not later than the 60th day after the date on which membership begins; and
(5) the firefighter has moved directly into employment at the fire department from the fire department for which the prior service credit is sought, without any intervening employment or extended interruption.
(b) A member may receive credit for prior service in more than one fire department under Subsection (a) of this section only if there have not been interruptions in employment and each preceding service meets the other requirements of Subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The municipality to which the member has transferred shall pay an amount equal to the amount it would have paid had the member been employed by that municipality instead of the municipality by which the firefighter was previously employed, based on the municipality's pay scale, plus six percent interest, compounded annually. Both the municipality's contribution and the member's contribution must be paid promptly on approval of the member's application for service credit.
(d) A firefighter may not participate under this section in the fund of the municipality to which the firefighter has transferred until the firefighter has fully complied with this article and the municipality has complied with Subsection (c) of this section.
(e) A firefighter eligible for prior service credit may participate in the fund, subject to the other requirements of this article, without obtaining that credit, and if the firefighter does not comply with the provisions and time limits of this section, the firefighter is ineligible for the credit.
Structure Texas Statutes
Section 1A. Interpretation of Article
Section 1C. Alternative Retirement Plans
Section 1D. Requirements for Certain Cash Balance Retirement Plans
Section 2. Fund and Board of Trustees
Section 2A. Qualifications of Municipal Actuary
Section 2B. Report on Investments by Independent Investment Consultant
Section 3. Other Powers of the Board
Section 3A. Certain Alterations by Local Agreement
Section 4. Service Pension Benefits
Section 5. Deferred Retirement Option Plan
Section 5A. Post-Retirement Option Plan
Section 6. Disability Pension Benefits
Section 8. Deferred Pension at Age 50; Refund of Contributions
Section 9. Proof of Continued Disability
Section 10. Nonstatutory Benefit Increases
Section 10A. Annual Supplemental Benefit for Certain Retired Members and Eligible Survivors
Section 10B. Additional Lump-Sum Retirement or Death Benefit
Section 11. General Provisions for Calculation and Payment of Benefits
Section 12. Appeals of Benefit Decisions
Section 13. Membership and Member Contributions
Section 13A. Municipal Contributions
Section 13B. Risk Sharing Valuation Studies
Section 13C. Initial Risk Sharing Valuation Studies; Corridor Midpoint
Section 13D. Actuarial Experience Studies
Section 13H. State Pension Review Board; Report
Section 14. Internal Revenue Code Limitations
Section 15. Exemption of Benefits From Judicial Process
Section 16. Service Credit for Members Previously Members of Similar Funds
Section 17. Confidentiality of Information About Members or Beneficiaries