Opinion No.

Office of the Attorney General — State of Texas John Cornyn The Honorable Jack M. Skeen, Jr. Smith County Criminal District Attorney 100 North Broadway, 400 Tyler, Texas 75702

Re: Whether, without violating article III, section 53 of the Texas Constitution, a county may pay group-health-insurance premiums for retirees for whom, at the time they retired, the county did not provide such benefits, and related questions (RQ-0334-JC)

Dear Mr. Skeen:

Under article III, section 53 of the Texas Constitution, a retired county employee generally may not receive a new or increased benefit from the county…