Final answer:
Texas legislators can retire at age 50 after 12 years of service, with their salary being significantly lower compared to professional legislators. The other options provided are incorrect regarding the retirement age and pension provisions for legislators in Texas.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding retirement from the Texas Legislature, option a is true: Texas legislators can retire at age 50 after 12 years of service. This statement provides members of the legislature with a retirement plan after a dedicated period of service, despite their lower annual salary compared to professional legislators. Texas legislators, generally part of a nonprofessional or citizen legislature, earn a salary of $7,200 per year plus a per diem when in Austin.
In contrast, statement b is incorrect as there is not enough information given to confirm the retirement income calculation. Statement c is also incorrect since there is no mandatory retirement age of 75 for Texas legislators. The last statement, option d, is false because Texas does provide a retirement pension to legislators, as evidenced by the truth of option a.
As additional context, it's important to understand that term limits may also influence how long a legislator can serve; these vary by state and can be either consecutive term limits or lifetime bans. Texas does impose term limits, which may affect the retirement benefits a legislator is eligible for, depending on their years of service. Additionally, because Texas has a nonprofessional legislature that meets for a limited time, legislators often supplement their income with other employment outside the legislative sessions.