OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TExhs
AUSTIN
flonorp&le Jo& 3. iiudd, Jr.
he~-&ator
-t Syrt6a or T6JLw
huotln, T640
m6rsQ-r O~lalon no. o-3917
ce: Authority of Boar& of True
to00 to P6QUiE6 06S’tstn
aaount or toebahiqOdurin(i
1937-S u b reQulolto to
Od6bUobllYnt 5r prior 06r-
~la60 amalt.
.
In four l6tt6v or hi@ut al, 1941, rou subat to
a0 the foll5vlng faaSs awl Qu6otiouo for 5ur oplnia, to-vit:
%6 t)oaFb 5s Truetees of th6 4-r Be-
tir mt SJo ten h u r eq lmo ted
Ia 6
to lee~w6 a n
o p lulwfr o ayao u& a r efp r zo
d t& 6authcmtg & Ixl
llwtaUow 6t wuat6eo ln r p p r o r -
5f th eB o a r d
ifle Or deu#.0& 4It@&eatiOAO iC@ 662d66 NtfX6-
Wt o lk wa a o &OO
f tUdWA-0 l6mi66 iJ&th6
ub o O*
publio 80bo0ld ef Td?tno in th6 l937-38 8ahool
yerc vu not of ours~6i6zlt 6xt6at to oluoLry
a uo bl6rPiQ6 M a ar64i.tau6 you of 06wia6
eaaord.Ug to repl8ti550 of t&6 beard of Two-
tees of a46 mo.o&6~zletirssrnt &yotom.
*hWw t0 @6tOtiOIl5 Of tkAC%8&&6~ i%6-
tlr6ra6at x&v, Y lmlub6r, m other Iwjmts,
must have C~l8tedtVBPty’OTo years of
or@U&lo remtao b6fcw6 b6Lq eli@bl6 for
ler via ret-t
s h lefSt0. la o ld6r SOP a
proon at th6 pmosnt time to hovs tvaaty or
W6 76&W@Of 6&‘6&tdd 063V%od, it io ObViOUO
th a t lueb -WA O&kOt h&V6 eotablloh& 6OdAt X0&’
p r io rl6r via 6.In o-tlon vith the ootabl%irh-
la6lxt of p2%or aeIw.w t3reat, 1 vidl to F6frrr
YOU t5 mtia 4 Of thn %S6h6S’B6tirer#at m
o&VI06rteh x%Llb@ pMo0d by the PlorrQ 0.f TPUS-
teas of t&a T6aaher Retir6?@aat Syrfea. I &a
ltwo h iohg
e r eto
a OOW Of& 16ttelF Vr ittento
the Attorney ChnCaI%&
under tit. Of ~OV6d36l' 12,
1937, r6quaotiag th6 opinion OS ttm Attoramy
O6~rdlo~6rnl.q owhrullq8 ~006dby th6
Boafd of Truetoea snd 6 oopy of th6 Attorney
Qen6Pal'# opulionglv6n uud6r d8t6 orD666mb6r
14, 1937. You vill obrerve th8t rullr@o ~$3
an r ela l
ti
p6alr168llyt0th6 -r in
E& a & t iOrF iOP l6Mi66 rasJ b6 6Otrb-
.
'In Pegaml to the nq ulPea6nto as to the
6xtent 88d n6tua-6 of oervloe r6qulred fm a
l6h661 y66E in order ror owh 06rvlae to b6
608Oider edU l a l’6ditdJl67'602 Of OcrmiO6,
th6%66h6rR6tL19116ot~t6mhfu oonaidered
the roll- r6$ulatloM u ninisnllll P6qulxe-
B6ato I
“A tether &&Xl be umdlted vlth
as.niamaf~oonthoonaoo.l-
ary bulo, 6seept a teaah6r in a oahool
VhOO6 filll O&Od 7Ul'dMO XlOt MloUllt
toyaa8tbl,vhoVlllb6aPedltedvith
hV-6 t806hoO1p6rlfh6t68Oh60
r0l. the tLsafha6o6ldsahoolioin
l600i~ f9P th6 Oobooi 76~.
“A fuU-6la6 t6tuWr ok&l - 6h6
teaoher vhoso rsguler oalorled aoajm-
ration ror 06i66 r6Mwwd 60 6 t6&h-
6r6Qualoor6x666dOhlor6ul6roalAr-
i6d ooPqpeM8tiOnfOP w 0 St. r 06rvloe
that al&h6 b6r6&6r6dinOtbr VO66-
t1QM l&i16 raid p6roon 10 6a@g6d in
It 16 flmh6r prwlml that
::~~OOiOtMtO sad p6OH6 t-
in higher eduaatlcmal i.mtLtutiona on a
oaholamh3.p ehau aat b6 aanrtdered
fUU-tiM t6Mh6PO. 466oh6ro In a night
r6hoolan6AMurx?yb66io a060 POt Qoll-
otltu66 eU.g%biUty for memlxbrtip.
'TbsR6t~tB~tsmnoohoa 6XumtbW
of tea6h6ro vhe aPe ylprying for a #emlee M-
tlr656nt allov?uvJ~ rho bid not r6zd6P 06rv106
i
m-b16 Jaha 5. RI&%, Jr. j pae6 3
in the l937-3& euhool year to the extent requfre&
for 6U6h S6PViao In 6wh yWU’to h6V6 been. eon-
sidered a oredltable year or oervlae. The em-
ployem of ouch persons in 1937-38 deduoted Pfve
per aant of the 06Ury vhich vas paid to euah
persona and remitted cuab deduct&one to the
Teaahsr Retirem6nt System. The T6aohe~ Ret--
mat Syot6m Pccepted such five per cent conixl-
butlona of ouah peroon8, op6n6d aocounte, al-
rI.@ed mgmberahlp numbera, and credited ouah
eontxlbutlaw reoelved to the accounta OS cuah
p6roono.
“I vould l.Lks to have your opinion inolude
anovere to the follovlng queotlono:
“1. Uould tho Borrd of Tmuteea t>a
mrrying out th6 intent of th6 Retlrembnt
Lav and vould it b6 leg6U.y proper if the
Bomd ruled that a pwron had not emtab-
li6hed arredlt for prior aervlae unlero ouch
p6roox.i r6nd6P6d rarrvioe in 1937-38 to th6
extent rsquimd for ouoh aervioe to be con-
o!idered ac a aMditabl6 year of 8ervlceP
m2. Uould the Beard oi !htote6o be
OIcfging OUt th6 i.Ut6Xlt Of th6 H6tmt
I&v and vould It be 16g6lly proper if the
Board ruled that 8 p6roon vho 6atual.Q r6n-
dOP6d 06PVb6 (LO 8 t6Wh6P in th6 1937-38
#Oh001 76OP t0 an. 6Xt6nt 1660 th6ll the 6X-
t6nt required for 8-h service to be oop-
lid6r 6d&d a w&.ltablet year of actrvlae had
6ot6blUhed oredit for prior service ev6n
though owh peraon~o 6ervlae ia 19X-38 ~66
not ooluridered 6 oreditable yoiw oi’ oer-
viost
“3. In the event your awver to Qu66-
tlon #2 is ‘yefiB, In it vlthia the povere
of the Board of Truoteee to set a minimum
extent of eerv2ae in 1937-38 whloh mwt
have been rendered by :E person before auah
psraon vi11 be grented i2red.i.t ior prior
cervioe?
~#wMblo Jehn 53. RUdd, Jr., p&6 4
*4. If your awwer to Queetion #3 10
'y60', ‘IOU&i it b6 X'68Oonab16 fOl’ th6 EMsrd
to rule that a p6ruon who aatunlly rendor-
ed 06rvieo es 6 t6aahor for et leart on6
month in 1937-38 vould be granted aretit
Sor prior 06rvioe?*
On Nor6mb6r 7, 1937, th9 Bq6rd 6dopted certaiu rallnge
inawdlng X00. 3 6nd 7 reading e-0 tollovar
“3. It vao mooad by Hr. #Lllo that a te6oh%r
ln order to 6ot6bUoh ar6dlt r0r prior-06rvloo
Mt f8&lVitbinOnO Of th6 t&66 fO~Ov+as&%W-
l.flartleno :
*(a) -Me VhOhU ‘iW@&t ill th0 Stat6
prior to the ~8tabUakment of the Syotxm,
b ut
vholo not tea o h iq
dur ing
th 6
l%h o o l
y6aP 1937-s 6h6ll* lf h6 leouroo 6lQ1Or-
a6nt berorc, July 1, 1939 ezrb ii h6 aontin-
~0 t6aahbg r0r a period 0r f1v6 (5),aan-
ooautlvs yoaro k ontltled to r6cefip6 opo-
dlt faP pPl6P-oecrle%.
l(b) mano vho 10 8 Mmb6P do t&6
wr or a16 00h00l ybsr 1937-38, 1.0.~
anyon vho lo rogubPly empby6d u 8 teaoh-
6r at 6h6 b6gLnni.q of the oohoolp66r 1937-
38 cab vho bq@o aontr%butLng and pays his
MUlb6POhip f66 t0 th% 8yOt6El tOP hi0 ril'Ot
oorqpbnratim ftw th6 year, r6gardl6ee of
vh6nh6vaolnot6mployedaoat6aahe~in
96X&U rfLoll b6 9lltitd9d
t0 P96OiVO UP6dit
for prior-oorviae .
*(a) Anyone vim YII 8 tclmhor at any
IAm%during 6h6 ticrh00lyeOrl99;$6-37 8&lLh0
becomoo amwiber during the oahooly66rl937-
38 &all b6 entitled to rbobive ccedit Sor
prior-rervlee. (Iotlo% th6t la modified by
x0* 7)
%0t10n yall oecond6d by nior Yood6 6nfJ OS*-
rl6d.”
wblm Jnhn 9. Rudd, Jr., p6@% 5
“7. Hr. Mills moved th6t a p6roon vho
taught for at 16aot 4* 5ontho or the full e6hool
tom durln& th6 la62 66hool y66z aould eot8bliah
his prlcw-aorvlo6 wedit ii ho taught. for
length of tim6 durl.q tho who01 ye6r 1937-J7 at
a roeular salmy on full-time employm6nt and mud6
ombe~ohip conttibutlono. Motion vaa reoandrrd by
Mine WOO&Iand aerriod."
“seu.3....
“(1) All poreon uho 6re towhero on th6
date w or vhlch t&6 RI- t Byoton is ootab-
lioh9d oholl boainw a65bbro 00 of that date u
6 oandltion or th9z.r 6qplope6nt unlooo Vlthlll
ti porlod of nirmty (PO) days aStar Soptomb6r 1,
1937, any ouah tea&m rhaU file vita tho 6tw.o
Board of Trwteeu on a formp~eo6slb6dby lu6h
Board, a nOtjn9 Of hi8 616atiOl3 not t0 be COVOP-
6d in th6 ~~5b8POhip Of th6 -atdun Sad a duly
oxomtod v6Av6r of 631 prooslrt and prorpootlvo
beAeJrit0 l?sob voad oth6rvloo inure to hLn on
a66ount 0r hi6 partl6tpatioIl ln th6 RotLmmoiat
ayotem.
.(2) Be- Sept6mb6r 1, 19% urd
sherafter any t6whor t666W.ng for tho Sirrt
time b To x u sh a ll b eo o me l umber of th6 Re-
tirem6nt SyatbPl 0.a a oonditlon of hir emlploy-
m6nt.
I. . . .
“(5) Anyon%vho hm tmght in the stoto of
‘26X&9 in M00~d6nCe vlth th6 tOPmaOf thi8 bat,
~~h$eh~t&~%-;O%~ %z:%if:
beooeuo a tea6hm 17Litbintvo 2f year6 of the
date on vhlokr t&la Aot becanea eSS6ctiv6, and
if he oantinues ua ewb Sor 6 p6riod OS Slve
(5) commwive yeaP&, be 6ntitlod to refmlv6
uredit act resultlag b%noflCe f’or p&o*-s6rvl6e
ac provided for in thla hct . *
“sec. 4.
“(1) Under auuh rules 6md regulations as
the State hard of Trusteea shall adopt eaoh
peraon vho valf a teacher, as deftid Ln thi8
Act, at any time during the year immediately
preaedhg the ectahlicthm8nt of the syrtem, and
vho becomes a meaber duriq the first year of
operation of the Retirement Syetom, or vho la
a memberat the be@mlng of the sahool year
1937-38, ahall file a dotailod atatenmnt of all
Texac service, w a teacher, rendered by him
prior to the date of eetabllahment. of the Rs-
tiremeat System for vhlch he alaIm credit.
‘(2) The stat0 Board of Trwteoc &all
fix aud detemnino by appropriate rules end regu-
latlona hov much eervioe in any year la equiva-
lent to one year of service, but in no oace
shall more than one year of aervioe be wedit-
able for all eervias in on0 sahool year.
“(3) Subject to tho above reatrictiow
and to such other rule8 and rogulatlona aa the
State Board oi Trwteoa may adopt, the State
Board or Trwteoa &mll verUy and adjwt, a8
80on M pra8tlcablO Wter the itUng or such
atatemente of eervioe, the aorvice therein
claksed.
aI. . . . I
In makhg ita rule8 and regulationa and in laming
or iflthholding prior-service crertlflaatea, the State Ward of
Tpwteee mwt stay within the boundarioo fixed by zhe et&two.
While a reading of Seotfon 4(l) by Staelf mLght Lndloate that
it dealt only vith the question of filing the etatomemt, vo
think it rather clear that vhen read in connection vlth other
parta of the Act thie section also deal8 with ths.fundemental
queatlon of vhat fa43t.e entitle a men to credit for prior-eervlte.
If he vaa a teacher at any time duxQ.ng1936-37 and became a
iuomberduring 1937-36, or vae a member at the beg5.m.Ug of the
echo01 gear 1937-36, he beoame entitled to uredit for prior aer-
vice. Me are of the opinion that it vat poeelblo aa a mattor
of lav for a nmn to become a member dur3.q 1937-38 vlthout act-
ually teaoting a8 m&h a@ four and a half months. Also ve
yIonoreble Jahn 8. Rudd, or.. yage 7
Wlieve t+at a man might have been a number at the begirU.ng
;,;gf;;T sod not have taki,&c four and e half montha durin&
. In other yarda, by requlriq four end a half mo~tha
of teeohhg in 1937-36 vould be LmpoaLnga burden heavier than
omtemplated by statute. On thic phase of the qwstlon the
Board may Squire only (1) vhether he beo.sme a memberdur-
~37-36, or (2) vhether he VIM a member st the be&nning of the
8ehool year 1937-36. Hovever, a “member” mwt be a ttier a8
*fined in Section l(3), and a oertala uaount of actual toeoh-
i,g ~~e~~qu5.red to be ehovn in eatabllahing a pereon ae be-
. But, no more actual teauhing OM be required to
be ehovn than vould tend reaaowbbly to lend credence to the
&aim that ewh pereon vas a bona fide teaohm et the beginnbg
of s37-36 or for ease time during the perr. where ie no rola-
tubwhip betveon tho 4m0unt of wtual to4uhbg nooeeaary to
aowtltute a year’s oreditable eervioe and tiho eaeount uiiloh
awt have been rendered in 1937-36 to eetaUeh oruUt for prior
80rv100.
x0113 firat quetei02i i8 tamr0r0 sns~0rsd in the mgr-
tive and your eeoond in the afflrmatlvo~
Your third qwrtioa ie anewred in the tisirmative.
Mvever, tho time 80 fixed am tho minimumin our opinian met
be of ehort duration. In reply to your fourth queetion, ve are
lwliwd to the belies that lf a peraon ehould oatablieh t&et
he hOku2d a bOntrWt t0 tOWh t&0 year 1937-s & onbarked qp0n
hle eervIeo, but vae forced to quit beoswe ai come lllneae.
ewh 88 tsbereuloelr, ten day8 after oomsmnaiiagto teaah, he
oould claim orodit for prior ecrvloo. Honoe ve doubt that tho
&abimw oould be flxed at a month, or for a fonger porlod than
8 day.
Your8 very truly
COMMIREL
Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion
Combined Opinion