Sec. 813.104.  ALTERNATIVE PAYMENTS AND METHODS TO ESTABLISH OR REESTABLISH SERVICE CREDIT.  (a)  The board of trustees may adopt rules to provide procedures for making installment payments to establish or reestablish credit in the retirement system as alternatives to lump-sum payments otherwise authorized or required by this subtitle.  The methods may include payment by payroll deduction. 
(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), payments may not be made under a rule adopted under this section:
(1)  to establish or reestablish service credit of a person who is currently retired or has died;  or
(2)  to establish current service under Section 813.201.
(c)  Under a rule adopted under this section, the designated beneficiary of a deceased member or, if none exists, the personal representative of the decedent's estate may establish or reestablish service for which the member was eligible at the time of death if the establishment of the service would result in the payment of a death benefit annuity or an increase in the amount of a death benefit annuity.
(d)  The payment for the establishment or reestablishment of service under Subsection (c) must be made in a lump sum and completed before the first payment of a death benefit annuity, but not later than the 60th day after the date the retirement system receives notice of the death.
(e)  The retirement system may provide for the electronic filing of agreements to establish or reestablish service credit.  In this subsection, "electronic filing" has the meaning assigned by Section 814.010(a).
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 791, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 586, Sec. 6, eff. Aug. 28, 1995;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 964, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1048, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1541, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1111, Sec. 14, 15, eff. Sept. 1, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1310, Sec. 49, 50, eff. June 20, 2003.