PAYING BENEFIT REPLACEMENT PAY IN EQUAL INSTALLMENTS.

(a) Unless prohibited by a state agency under Subsection (b), an eligible state employee or an eligible state-paid judge may choose for the benefit replacement pay that the employee or judge is eligible to receive in a calendar year to be paid in equal installments in that year. The employee or judge must exercise this option before the beginning of the year. This subsection applies only to an eligible state employee or an eligible state-paid judge whose benefit replacement pay under Section 659.123(a)(1) will be $965.25 during that year if the employee or judge remains in the position at the same compensation during the year.

(b) A state agency may prohibit an eligible state employee or an eligible state-paid judge from exercising the option described by Subsection (a) if the agency pays the employee's or judge's compensation.

(c) An eligible state employee or an eligible state-paid judge who exercises the option described by Subsection (a) for a calendar year and who terminates employment or leaves office before the end of that year is ineligible to be paid the difference between the benefit replacement pay received by the employee or judge and the benefit replacement pay the employee or judge would have received had the employee or judge not exercised the option described by Subsection (a).