Texas Government Code - GOV'T § 824.202. Eligibility for Service Retirement

(a) Except as provided by Subsections (a-1) and (a-2), a member is eligible to retire and receive a standard service retirement annuity if:

(a-1) This subsection applies only to a person who becomes a member of the retirement system on or after September 1, 2007, and who is not subject to Subsection (a-2).  A member subject to this subsection is eligible to retire and receive a standard service retirement annuity if:

(a-2) This subsection applies only to a person who does not have at least five years of service credit in the retirement system on or before August 31, 2014, or who becomes a member of the retirement system on or after September 1, 2014.  A member subject to this subsection is eligible to retire and receive a standard service retirement annuity if:

(b) This subsection applies only to a person who is not subject to Subsection (b-1), (b-2), (d), (d-1), or (d-2).  If a member subject to this subsection is at least 55 years old and has at least five years of service credit in the retirement system, the member is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity reduced from the standard service retirement annuity available under Subsection (a)(1), to a percentage derived from the following table:

(b-1) This subsection applies only to a person who becomes a member of the retirement system on or after September 1, 2007, and who is not subject to Subsection (b-2).  If a member subject to this subsection is at least 55 years old and has at least five years of service credit in the retirement system, but does not meet the requirements under Subsection (d-1), the member is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity reduced from the standard service retirement annuity available under Subsection (a-1)(1), to a percentage derived from the following table:

(b-2) This subsection applies only to a person who does not have at least five years of service credit in the retirement system on or before August 31, 2014, or who becomes a member of the retirement system on or after September 1, 2014.  If a member subject to this subsection is at least 55 years old and has at least five years of service credit in the retirement system, but does not meet the requirements under Subsection (d-2), the member is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity reduced from the standard service retirement annuity available under Subsection (a-2)(1), to a percentage derived from the following table:

(c) Repealed by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 1359, § 55(a)(1), eff. Sept. 1, 2005.

(d) This subsection applies only to a person who is not subject to Subsection (d-1) or (d-2).  If a member subject to this subsection has at least 30 years of service credit in the retirement system, the member is eligible to retire regardless of age and receive a service retirement annuity consisting of the standard service retirement annuity available under Subsection (a) decreased by two percent for each year of age under 50 years.

(d-1) This subsection applies only to a person who becomes a member of the retirement system on or after September 1, 2007, and who is not subject to Subsection (d-2).  If the sum of the member's age and amount of service credit in the retirement system equals the number 80, with at least five years of service credit, or if the member has at least 30 years of service credit in the retirement system, the member is eligible to retire regardless of age and receive a service retirement annuity consisting of the standard service retirement annuity available under Subsection (a-1)(2) decreased by five percent for each year of age under 60 years.

(d-2) This subsection applies only to a person who does not have at least five years of service credit in the retirement system on or before August 31, 2014, or who becomes a member of the retirement system on or after September 1, 2014.  If the sum of the member's age and amount of service credit in the retirement system equals the number 80, with at least five years of service credit, or if the member has at least 30 years of service credit in the retirement system, the member is eligible to retire regardless of age and receive a service retirement annuity consisting of the standard service retirement annuity available under Subsection (a-2)(2) decreased by five percent for each year of age under 62 years.

(e) The board of trustees may adopt tables for reduction of benefits for early retirement by each month of age, but the range of percentages in the tables within a year must be limited to the range provided between two years of age by this section.

(f) Except as provided by Chapter 803 or 805, a member is not eligible to receive service retirement benefits from the retirement system unless the member has at least five years of service credit in the retirement system for actual service in public schools.