Sec. 821.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subtitle:
(1)  "Accumulated contributions" means the total of amounts in a member's individual account in the member savings account, including:
(A)  amounts deducted from the compensation of the member;
(B)  other member deposits required to be placed in the member's individual account;  and
(C)  interest credited to amounts in the member's individual account.
(2)  "Actuarial equivalent" of a benefit means a benefit of equal monetary value computed on the basis of annuity or mortality tables and on an interest or discount rate that is adopted by the board of trustees for the purpose from time to time and that is in force on the effective date of the benefit.
(3)  "Actuarially reduced" means reduced to the actuarial equivalent.
(4)  "Annual compensation" means the compensation to a member of the retirement system for service during a 12-month period determined by the retirement system that is reportable and subject to contributions as provided by Section 822.201.
(5)  "Board of trustees" means the board appointed under this subtitle to administer the retirement system.
(6)  "Employee" means a person who is employed, as determined by the retirement system, on other than a temporary basis by a single employer for at least one-half time at a regular rate of pay comparable to that of other persons employed in similar positions.
(7)  "Employer" means any agents or agencies in the state responsible for public education, including the governing board of any school district created under the laws of this state, any county school board, the board of trustees, the board of regents of any college or university, or any other legally constituted board or agency of any public school, but excluding the State Board of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and the State Board for Educator Certification.
(8)  "Faculty member" means a person who is employed by an institution of higher education on a full-time basis as:
(A)  a member of the faculty whose duties include teaching or research;
(B)  an administrator responsible for teaching and research faculty;
(C)  a member of the administrative staff of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;  or
(D)  a professional librarian, a president, a chancellor, a vice-president, a vice-chancellor, or other professional staff person whose national mobility requirements are similar to those of faculty members and who fills a position that is the subject of nationwide searches in the academic community.
(9)  "Governing board" means the body responsible for policy direction of an institution of higher education.
(10)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning provided for that term in Section 61.003, Education Code.
(11)  "Membership service" means service during a time that a person is both an employee and a member of the retirement system.
(12)  "Public school" means an educational institution or organization in this state that is entitled by law to be supported in whole or in part by state, county, school district, or other municipal corporation funds.
(13)  "Retirement" means the withdrawal from service with a retirement benefit granted under this subtitle.
(14)  "Retirement system" means the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
(15)  "School year" means a 12-month period beginning September 1 and ending August 31 of the next calendar year.
(16)  "Service" means the time a person is an employee.
(17)  "Service credit" means the amount of prior, membership, military, or equivalent membership service credited to a person's account in the retirement system.
(18)  "Alternate payee" has the meaning assigned that term by Section 804.001.
(19)  "Beneficiary" means the person or entity who, under a valid written designation or by law, is entitled to receive benefits payable by the retirement system on the death of a member or annuitant.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1876, ch. 453, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.  Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 202, ch. 18, Sec. 18, eff. Nov. 10, 1981;  Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 556, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1985;  Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 832, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 1985;  Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 58, Sec. 1, eff. Oct. 20, 1987.  Renumbered from Vernon's Ann.Civ.St. Title 110B, Sec. 31.001 and amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 179, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 812, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 34, eff. May 30, 1995;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 555, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 8.15, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 80 (H.B. 2561), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1102 (H.B. 2974), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.