| (a) Applicable Law. (1) All questions pertaining to the validity, construction and administration of the Arrangement shall be determined in conformity with the laws of the State of Texas, except to the extent federal law preempts state law. (2) If any provision of the Arrangement or the application thereof to any circumstance or person is invalid, the remainder of the Arrangement and the application of such provision to other circumstances or persons shall not be affected thereby. (b) Indemnification. To the extent allowed by law, an Employer electing to participate in the Arrangement must agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the System, the employees of the System, the Board, and all other Employers participating in the Arrangement from and against any and all direct or indirect liabilities, demands, claims, losses, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, arising out of or resulting from the Employer's participation in the Arrangement and/or the Employer's voluntary or involuntary termination of participation in the Arrangement. The agreement of the Employer to indemnify, defend and hold harmless survives the termination of the Employer's participation in the Arrangement and the termination of the Arrangement. (c) Nonalienation. Benefits under this Arrangement shall not be subject to alienation or legal process, except to the extent permitted under Government Code, Chapter 804. (d) No Enlargement of Employment Rights. The establishment of the Arrangement shall not confer any legal rights upon any employee or other person for a continuation of employment, nor shall it interfere with the rights of the Employer to discharge any employee and to treat the employee without regard to the effect which that treatment might have upon the employee as a Participant in the Arrangement. (e) Information Required By Arrangement. Benefit Recipients, other individuals and Employers shall furnish to the Administrator such evidence, data and information as the Administrator considers necessary or desirable for the purpose of administering the Arrangement. (f) Paying Benefits, Costs and Expenses from TCDRS Assets is Prohibited. No assets of the System shall be used directly or indirectly to pay benefits under the Arrangement or to pay any costs or expenses of administering the Arrangement. Expenses of administering the Arrangement may include expenses for professional, legal, accounting, and other services, and other necessary or appropriate costs of administration. |
