| Information Only |
August 8, 2001
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
Subject: Senate Bill (SB) 273 and House Bill (HB) 3147: Provisions Related to the Employment of Retired Educators
SB 273 and HB 3147, recently passed by the 77th Texas Legislature, take effect immediately. These two pieces of legislation mandate certain requirements related to the employment of individuals who have retired from service with a Texas public school. In general, these laws allow retired educators to return to full employment with Teacher Retirement System (TRS) covered employers without experiencing restrictions to, or loss of, benefits as long as certain conditions are met. There are no changes in current law regarding disability retirees who return to work.
Based on guidance from TRS, the agency has determined that there are different conditions that must be met depending on whether an individual retired before or after January 1, 2001. These conditions are summarized in the attached table, Conditions of Employment of Retired Individuals.
A key component related to individuals who retire after January 1, 2001 relates to areas of acute teacher shortage. One of the provisions of SB 273 requires the board of trustees of a school district to determine (by rule) acute areas of teacher shortage in the district. The local board of trustees' determination must be based on guidelines adopted by the commissioner of education. These guidelines are attached.
If you have questions related specifically to retirement issues, please check the TRS website at www.trs.state.tx.us or contact TRS by phone at 1-800-223-8778. If you have questions related to the guidelines related to acute areas of teachers shortage, please contact Nolan Wood or Bobby West at (512) 475-1233.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Nelson
Commissioner of Education
For further information on this topic, contact Nolan Wood or Bobby West at (512) 475-1233.