(a) The Tennessee County Services Association shall be a participating employer as of July 1, 1972, with respect to its employees and shall likewise be subject to all of the provisions of this part applicable to employers electing to participate subsequent to July 1, 1972.
Employer: means : (A) The state or any department, commission, institution, board or agency of the state government by which a member is paid, with respect to members in its employ. See Tennessee Code 8-34-101
Highway: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
Prior service: means service rendered prior to the date of membership in the retirement system for which credit was given under the terms of one (1) or more of the superseded systems as provided in part 6 of this chapter. See Tennessee Code 8-34-101
Retirement: means withdrawal from membership with a retirement allowance granted under chapters 34-37 of this title. See Tennessee Code 8-34-101
Retirement system: means the Tennessee consolidated retirement system as defined in §. See Tennessee Code 8-34-101
(b)(1) The Tennessee County Highway Officials Association shall be eligible to be a participating employer in the Tennessee consolidated retirement system upon passage of a resolution by the association’s board of directors authorizing and funding an actuarial study and passage by the association’s board of directors of a resolution authorizing participation and accepting liability incurred as a result of such participation.(2) The employees of the association shall make the same contributions, participate in the same manner, and shall be eligible for the same benefits as employees of the Tennessee County Services Association. Such employees shall be entitled to credit for such prior service as the board of directors of the association may authorize and accept the liability therefor.(3) In case of the withdrawal of the Tennessee County Highway Officials Association as a participating employer, the benefits of the association shall be determined in accordance with § 8-35-211.(4) The retirement system shall not be liable for the payment of retirement allowances or other benefits on account of employees or beneficiaries of such association for which reserves have not been previously created from funds contributed by the association and/or its employees.(5) It is the legislative intent that the state shall realize no increased cost as a result of this subsection (b). All costs associated with retirement coverage, including administrative costs, shall be the responsibility of the association.
