1. (a) Any person participating in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) on September 1, 1979, was eligible to elect to become a member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas between September 1, 1979, and September 1, 1980, inclusive, by filing a written application in a form prescribed by the retirement system. The form shall be submitted to the employer who shall transmit it to the retirement system. The election shall be effective on the first day of the month following the month in which the change is received by the employer.
2. (b) ORP participants who elect to return to membership in the retirement system between September 1, 1979, and September 1, 1980, under subsection (a) of this section, are eligible to reinstate all previously held TRS credit, except student employment credit, under the provisions of this section only. Reinstatement may occur at any time after resumption of membership in the retirement system. All eligible credit must be reinstated at one time. If the member's account was withdrawn, the member must pay the accumulated contributions plus a reinstatement fee of 10% per year of the amount due compounded annually from the date of withdrawal to the date of repayment. Reinstatement fees will be credited to the state contribution account. Credit will be reinstated upon application by the member on a form prescribed by the retirement system and the deposit of all required payments. No credit may be established for service in public education while an ORP participant.
3. (c) Former ORP participants who return or have returned to TRS membership in the retirement system other than by an election under this section must make reinstatement under §27.6 of this title (relating to Reinstatement of an Account) or §27.7 of this title (relating to Retired Members), if applicable.

Source Note:The provisions of this §27.8 adopted to be effective September 26, 1979, 4 TexReg 3307; amended to be effective March 12, 2003, 28 TexReg 2102.