(a) The following committees are created for a period which will expire at the end of the next sunset review for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) which is September 1, 2019, unless continued by the outcome of the sunset process, to advise or otherwise serve the retirement system and are deemed necessary to assist the Board of Trustees in performing its duties:
  (1) a Medical Board, composed of three licensed physicians as provided by §825.204, Government Code; and
  (2) a Retirees Advisory Committee for the health benefits program under the Texas Public School Retired Employees Group Benefits Act (TRS-Care), composed as provided by Subchapter I of Chapter 1575, Insurance Code.
(b) The duties of a committee under this section are established by applicable statute or policies of the Board of Trustees.
(c) The members of the Medical Board shall be paid, as independent contractors, fees and expenses in accordance with contracts negotiated by the executive director or his designee subject to the applicable resolutions, policies, and annual budget adopted by the Board of Trustees. To the extent advisory committees are composed of independent contractors they are to be considered consultants employed by the retirement system under the authority recognized by §2254.024, Government Code.
(d) Members of the Retirees Advisory Committee for TRS-Care do not serve as independent contractors and are entitled only to reimbursement for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in performing functions as members of the committee.

Source Note: The provisions of this §51.1 adopted to be effective January 12, 1994, 19 TexReg 87; amended to be effective April 22, 1994, 19 TexReg 2550; amended to be effective April 14, 1998, 23 TexReg 3698; amended to be effective March 12, 2003, 28 TexReg 2120; amended to be effective March 8, 2007, 32 TexReg 1098; amended to be effective April 1, 2011, 36 TexReg 2005