SB-0547, As Passed Senate, June 26, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

SENATE BILL NO. 547

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      A bill to amend 1980 PA 300, entitled

 

"The public school employees retirement act of 1979,"

 

by amending sections 43a, 43b, 69c, 69f, 75, 91, and 108 (MCL

 

38.1343a, 38.1343b, 38.1369c, 38.1369f, 38.1375, 38.1391, and

 

38.1408), sections 43a and 108 as amended by 2002 PA 94, sections

 

43b, 69c, and 75 as amended and section 69f as added by 1989 PA

 

194, and section 91 as amended by 2004 PA 117, and by adding

 

section 60.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

 1        Sec. 43a. (1) The contributions of a member who contributes

 

 2  to the member investment plan shall be deducted by the employer

 

 3  and remitted as employer contributions to the retirement system

 


 1  pursuant to section 42. A member who contributes to the member

 

 2  investment plan is entitled to the benefits provided in sections

 

 3  43b and 43c.

 

 4        (2) Until December 31, 1989, a member who first became a

 

 5  member on or before December 31, 1989, and who elected or elects

 

 6  on or before December 31, 1989 to contribute to the member

 

 7  investment plan shall contribute 4% of the member's compensation

 

 8  to the member investment plan and beginning January 1, 1990 shall

 

 9  contribute 3.9% of the member's compensation to the member

 

10  investment plan.

 

11        (3) On or before January 1, 1993, a member who first became

 

12  a member on or before December 31, 1989, except as otherwise

 

13  provided in subsection (4), and who did not elect to make

 

14  contributions to the member investment plan, may irrevocably

 

15  elect to make the contributions described in subsection (2). In

 

16  addition to making the contributions required under subsection

 

17  (2), a member who elects to make contributions to the member

 

18  investment plan under this subsection shall make a contribution

 

19  of 4% of the compensation received on or after January 1, 1987 to

 

20  December 31, 1989, and 3.9% of the compensation received on or

 

21  after January 1, 1990 to the date of the election, plus an amount

 

22  equal to the compound interest that would have accumulated on

 

23  those contributions as described in section 33, plus an amount

 

24  equal to the net actuarial cost of the additional benefits

 

25  attributable to service credited before January 1, 1987, as

 

26  determined by the retirement board. The method and timing of

 

27  payment by a member under this subsection shall be determined by

 


 1  the retirement board. The contributions made under this

 

 2  subsection shall be deposited into the reserve for employee

 

 3  contributions.

 

 4        (4) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), a A

 

 5  member who first became a member on or before December 31, 1986

 

 6  but did not perform membership service between December 31, 1986

 

 7  and January 1, 1990, and who returns to membership service on or

 

 8  after January 1, 1990 and before July 1, 2008 shall make the

 

 9  contributions described in subsection (7).

 

10        (5) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), a A

 

11  member who first became a member on or after January 1, 1990 and

 

12  before July 1, 2008 shall make the contributions described in

 

13  subsection (7).

 

14        (6) A member who first became a member on or after January

 

15  1, 1987 but before January 1, 1990 shall have 30 days from his or

 

16  her first date of employment to irrevocably elect to make the

 

17  contributions described in subsection (2).

 

18        (7) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), a A

 

19  member who first became a member on or after January 1, 1990 and

 

20  before July 1, 2008 shall contribute the following amounts to the

 

21  member investment plan:

 

 

22   Member's annual school fiscal        Amount payable to the member

23   year earned compensation             investment plan

24   Not over $5,000.00                   3% of member's compensation

25   Over $5,000.00 but not over          $150.00, plus 3.6% of the

26   $15,000.00                           excess over $5,000.00

27   Over $15,000.00                      $510.00, plus 4.3% of the


                                       excess over $15,000.00

 

 

 2        (8) This section and sections 43b and 43c shall not apply

 

 3  until the department receives notification from the United States

 

 4  internal revenue service that contributions under this section

 

 5  picked up by the employer pursuant to section 42 shall not be

 

 6  included as gross income of the member until they are distributed

 

 7  or made available to the member, retirant, retirement allowance

 

 8  beneficiary, or refund beneficiary.

 

 9        (8) A member who first became a member on or after July 1,

 

10  2008 shall contribute the following amounts to the member

 

11  investment plan:

 

 

12 Member's annual school                 Amount payable to the member

13 fiscal year earned compensation        investment plan

14 Not over $5,000.00                     3% of member's compensation

15 Over $5,000.00 but not over            $150.00, plus 3.6% of excess

16 $15,000.00                             over $5,000.00

17 Over $15,000.00                        $510.00, plus 6.4% of the

18                                        excess over $15,000.00

 

 

19        Sec. 43b. A member who contributes to the member investment

 

20  plan shall have the eligibility requirements of section 81 except

 

21  as follows:

 

22        (a) The age 55 requirement of section 81(1)(a) shall not

 

23  apply.

 

24        (b) The For members who became members on or before June 30,

 

25  2008, the 10 years of credited service requirement of section

 

26  81(1)(b) shall be 5 years if the member is working as a public


 

 1  school employee and the member received credited service in each

 

 2  of the 5 school fiscal years immediately preceding the retirement

 

 3  allowance effective date.

 

 4        Sec. 60. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this

 

 5  act, on and after July 1, 2008, a member shall not purchase

 

 6  service credit under this act unless the member has been granted

 

 7  at least 2 years of service credit under section 68.

 

 8        Sec. 69c. (1) A Except as otherwise provided in section 60,

 

 9  a member may elect to purchase service credit for service

 

10  performed as an employee in a nonpublic elementary or secondary

 

11  educational institution or a nonpublic 2- or 4-year institution

 

12  of higher education in this state, in other states of the United

 

13  States, or in the territorial possessions of the United States

 

14  upon request and presentation of documentation of the employment

 

15  rendered that is verifiable from official employment or payroll

 

16  records or other acceptable documentation as determined by the

 

17  retirement board, and upon payment to the retirement system of

 

18  the actuarial cost.

 

19        (2) Before January 31, 1991, a member may elect to purchase

 

20  service credit for service performed as an employee in a foreign

 

21  country at a school for United States personnel or dependents of

 

22  the United States military or United States department of state

 

23  personnel; service performed as a full-time teacher with the job

 

24  corps created pursuant to section 422 of part B of title IV of

 

25  the job training partnership act, Public Law 97-300, 29 U.S.C.

 

26  USC 1692; service performed as a teacher in a trust territory or

 

27  former trust territory of the United States; or service performed


 

 1  as a teacher on an Indian reservation in this country; upon

 

 2  request and presentation of documentation of the employment

 

 3  rendered that is verifiable from official employment or payroll

 

 4  records or other acceptable documentation as determined by the

 

 5  retirement board, and upon payment to the retirement system of

 

 6  the actuarial cost.

 

 7        (3) Service shall not be credited under this section unless

 

 8  the service being purchased is followed by at least 5 years of

 

 9  reporting unit service credit under this act or former Act No.

 

10  136 of the Public Acts of 1945 1945 PA 136. Service purchased

 

11  under this section shall not be used to satisfy the minimum of 10

 

12  years of service credit required to receive a retirement

 

13  allowance under this act. The total service credited under

 

14  subsections (1) and (2) shall not exceed 5 years.

 

15        (4) If a member who made payment for service under this

 

16  section dies and a retirement allowance beneficiary has not been

 

17  designated, or if the member withdraws from service before his or

 

18  her retirement becomes effective, the payment made by the member

 

19  shall be refunded to the member or to the member's refund

 

20  beneficiary upon request.

 

21        (5) Service shall not be credited under this section if the

 

22  member is or will be receiving a pension or annuity for the same

 

23  service from another retirement system.

 

24        (6) A person who became a retirant with a retirement

 

25  allowance effective date on or after January 1, 1988 and on or

 

26  before December 21, 1988 shall be entitled to purchase service

 

27  credit for service performed as an employee in a nonpublic


 

 1  elementary or secondary educational institution or a nonpublic 2-

 

 2  or 4-year institution of higher education as provided by this

 

 3  section. Service credit purchased pursuant to this subsection

 

 4  shall be purchased before July 1, 1989, or the expiration of 6

 

 5  months after December 21, 1988, whichever is later. The monthly

 

 6  retirement allowance of a retirant entitled to purchase service

 

 7  credit under this subsection shall be recomputed based upon the

 

 8  additional service credit. The recomputed monthly amount shall be

 

 9  payable beginning on the first day of the month following the

 

10  month in which payment is received by the retirement system.

 

11        (7) As used in this section:

 

12        (a) "Nonpublic elementary or secondary educational

 

13  institution" means an institution that offers or provides an

 

14  organized course of academic study primarily oriented toward the

 

15  awarding of high school diplomas. Nonpublic elementary or

 

16  secondary educational institution does not include a proprietary

 

17  school.

 

18        (b) "Nonpublic 2- or 4-year institution of higher education"

 

19  means an institution that offers an organized course of academic

 

20  study primarily oriented toward the awarding of associate,

 

21  baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, or other academic degrees.

 

22  Nonpublic 2- or 4-year institution of higher education does not

 

23  include a proprietary school.

 

24        (c) "Proprietary school" means a school that uses a certain

 

25  plan or method to teach a trade, occupation, or vocation for a

 

26  consideration, reward, or promise. Proprietary school includes,

 

27  but is not limited to, a private business, trade, or home study


 

 1  school.

 

 2        Sec. 69f. (1) A Except as otherwise provided in section 60,

 

 3  a member may elect to purchase not more than 5 years of service

 

 4  credit less the number of years of service credit purchased under

 

 5  sections 6(2)(c), (d), (e), and (f), 64(3), (4), and (5), 69a,

 

 6  69b, 69c(2), 69d, 69e, 74a, 74b, 77, and 78, upon request and

 

 7  payment to the retirement system of the actuarial cost.

 

 8        (2) Service credit purchased under this section may not be

 

 9  used to satisfy the minimum of 10 years of service credit

 

10  required to receive a retirement allowance under this act.

 

11        (3) Service credit purchased under this section shall not be

 

12  used to satisfy the service credit requirement set forth in

 

13  section 81(1)(a) for a retirement allowance paid prior to age 46

 

14  as provided by section 43b(a).

 

15        (4) If a member who made payment for service under this

 

16  section dies and a retirement allowance is not payable, or if the

 

17  member withdraws from service and a retirement allowance is not

 

18  payable, the payment made by the member shall be refunded to the

 

19  member or to the member's refund beneficiary upon request.

 

20        Sec. 75. (1) A Except as otherwise provided in section 60, a

 

21  member who left or leaves service as a public school employee for

 

22  purposes of maternity or paternity or child rearing, and returns

 

23  to service as a public school employee, or a person performing

 

24  out of system public education service who leaves that service

 

25  for purposes of maternity, paternity, or child rearing and who

 

26  subsequently becomes a member of this retirement system, without

 

27  other intervening employment of more than 20 hours per week for


 

 1  each week for which service credit is claimed, may purchase

 

 2  service credit for the time period or periods during which the

 

 3  person was separated from service as a public school employee or

 

 4  during which the person was separated from performing out of

 

 5  system public education service because of maternity or paternity

 

 6  or child rearing, upon request and payment to the retirement

 

 7  system of the actuarial cost. The total service credited under

 

 8  this section shall not exceed 5 years. A member requesting

 

 9  purchase of service credit under this section shall certify to

 

10  the board the purpose for which the member took leave and was

 

11  separated from service as a public school employee.

 

12        (2) Service credit purchased under this section may shall

 

13  not be used to satisfy the minimum of 10 years of service credit

 

14  required to receive a retirement allowance under this act.

 

15        (3) If a member who made payment under this section dies and

 

16  a retirement allowance beneficiary has not been designated, or if

 

17  the member leaves reporting unit service before his or her

 

18  retirement becomes effective, the payment made by the member

 

19  shall be refunded upon request to the member or to the member's

 

20  refund beneficiary.

 

21        (4) A member who reduces hours of employment with a

 

22  reporting unit for purposes of maternity, paternity, or child

 

23  rearing or a person who reduces hours of out of system public

 

24  education service for purposes of maternity, paternity, or child

 

25  rearing and who subsequently becomes a member of this retirement

 

26  system may purchase service credit for those hours by which

 

27  employment was reduced if all other requirements of this section


 

 1  are met.

 

 2        Sec. 91. (1) The retirement system shall pay the entire

 

 3  monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for hospital,

 

 4  medical-surgical, and sick care benefits for the benefit of a

 

 5  retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary who elects coverage

 

 6  in the plan authorized by the retirement board and the

 

 7  department. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), this

 

 8  subsection does not apply to a retirant who first becomes a

 

 9  member after June 30, 2008.

 

10        (2) The retirement system may pay up to the maximum of the

 

11  amount payable under subsection (1) toward the monthly premium

 

12  for hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care benefits for the

 

13  benefit of a retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary

 

14  enrolled in a group health insurance or prepaid service plan not

 

15  authorized by the retirement board and the department, if

 

16  enrolled before June 1, 1975, for whom the retirement system on

 

17  July 18, 1983 was making a payment towards his or her monthly

 

18  premium.

 

19        (3) A retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary receiving

 

20  hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care benefits coverage under

 

21  subsection (1) or (2), until eligible for medicare, shall have an

 

22  amount equal to the cost chargeable to a medicare recipient for

 

23  part B of medicare deducted from his or her retirement allowance.

 

24        (4) The retirement system shall pay 90% of the monthly

 

25  premium or membership or subscription fee for dental, vision, and

 

26  hearing benefits for the benefit of a retirant or retirement

 

27  allowance beneficiary who elects coverage in the plan authorized


 

 1  by the retirement board and the department. Payments shall begin

 

 2  under this subsection upon approval by the retirement board and

 

 3  the department of plan coverage and a plan provider. Except as

 

 4  otherwise provided in subsection (8), this subsection does not

 

 5  apply to a retirant who first becomes a member after June 30,

 

 6  2008.

 

 7        (5) The retirement system shall pay up to 90% of the maximum

 

 8  of the amount payable under subsection (1) toward the monthly

 

 9  premium or membership or subscription fee for hospital, medical-

 

10  surgical, and sick care benefits coverage described in

 

11  subsections (1) and (2) for each health insurance dependent of a

 

12  retirant receiving benefits under subsection (1) or (2). Payment

 

13  shall not exceed 90% of the actual monthly premium or membership

 

14  or subscription fee. The retirement system shall pay 90% of the

 

15  monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for dental,

 

16  vision, and hearing benefits described in subsection (4) for the

 

17  benefit of each health insurance dependent of a retirant

 

18  receiving benefits under subsection (4). Payment for health

 

19  benefits coverage for a health insurance dependent of a retirant

 

20  shall not be made after the retirant's death, unless the retirant

 

21  designated a retirement allowance beneficiary as provided in

 

22  section 85 and the dependent was covered or eligible for coverage

 

23  as a health insurance dependent of the retirant on the retirant's

 

24  date of death. Payment for health benefits coverage shall not be

 

25  made for a health insurance dependent after the later of the

 

26  retirant's death or the retirement allowance beneficiary's death.

 

27  Payment under this subsection and subsection (6) began October 1,


 

 1  1985 for health insurance dependents who on July 10, 1985 were

 

 2  covered by the hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care benefits

 

 3  plan authorized by the retirement board and the department.

 

 4  Payment under this subsection and subsection (6) for other health

 

 5  insurance dependents shall not begin before January 1, 1986.

 

 6  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), this subsection

 

 7  does not apply to a retirant who first becomes a member after

 

 8  June 30, 2008.

 

 9        (6) The payment described in subsection (5) shall also be

 

10  made for each health insurance dependent of a deceased member or

 

11  deceased duty disability retirant if a retirement allowance is

 

12  being paid to a retirement allowance beneficiary because of the

 

13  death of the member or duty disability retirant as provided in

 

14  section 43c(c), 89, or 90. Payment for health benefits coverage

 

15  for a health insurance dependent shall not be made after the

 

16  retirement allowance beneficiary's death.

 

17        (7) The payments provided by this section shall not be made

 

18  on behalf of a retiring section 82 deferred member or health

 

19  insurance dependent of a deferred member having less than 21 full

 

20  years of attained credited service or the retiring deferred

 

21  member's retirement allowance beneficiary, and shall not be made

 

22  on behalf of a retirement allowance beneficiary of a deferred

 

23  member who dies before retiring. The retirement system shall pay,

 

24  on behalf of a retiring section 82 deferred member or health

 

25  insurance dependent of a deferred member or a retirement

 

26  allowance beneficiary of a deceased deferred member, either of

 

27  whose allowance is based upon not less than 21 years of attained


    Senate Bill No. 547 as amended June 26, 2007

 1  credited service, 10% of the payments provided by this section,

 

 2  increased by 10% for each attained full year of credited service

 

 3  beyond 21 years, not to exceed 100%. This subsection applies to

 

 4  any member who first became a member on or before June 30, 2008

 

 5  and attains deferred status under section 82 after October 31,

 

 6  1980.

 

 7        (8) For a member or deferred member who first becomes a

 

 8  member after June 30, 2008, the retirement system shall pay up to

 

 9  90% of the monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for

 

10  the hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care benefits plan, the

 

11  dental plan, vision plan, and hearing plan, or any combination of

 

12  the plans for the benefit of the retirant and his or her

 

13  retirement allowance beneficiary and the retirant's health

 

14  insurance dependents, or for the benefit of the deceased member's

 

15  retirement allowance beneficiary if the retirant or deceased

 

16  member has 30 years or more of service credit under this act, and

 

17  the retirant, deceased retirant, or deceased member was at least

 

18  60 years of age at the time of application for benefits under

 

19  this section. <<If the retirant or deceased member is less than 60 years

    of age at the time of application for benefits under this section, the

    retirement system shall pay 90% of the monthly premium or membership or

    subscription fee for the hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care

    benefits plan, the dental plan, vision plan, and hearing plan, or any

    combination of the plans for the benefit of the retirant and his or her

    retirement allowance beneficiary and the retirant's health insurance

    dependents, or for the benefit of the deceased member's retirement

    allowance beneficiary if the retirant or deceased member has 30 or more

    years of service credit granted under section 68.>> If a retirant,

    deceased retirant, or deceased

20  member described in this subsection has 10 or more but less than

21  30 years of service credit under this act and the retirant was at

22  least 60 years of age at the time of application for benefits

23  under this section, the retirement system shall pay a portion of

 

24  the monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for the

 

25  plans or combination of plans equal to the product of 3% and the

 

26  retirant's, deceased retirant's, or deceased member's years of

 

27  service. This subsection does not apply to a member who receives


 

 1  a disability retirement allowance under section 86 or 87 or to a

 

 2  deceased member's retirement allowance beneficiary under section

 

 3  90.

 

 4        (9) The retirement system shall not pay the premiums or

 

 5  membership or subscription fees under subsection (8) until the

 

 6  retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary requests enrollment

 

 7  in the plans or combination of plans in writing in the manner

 

 8  prescribed by the retirement system.

 

 9        (10) A member who retires under section 43b or 81 and who

 

10  elects to purchase service credit on or after July 1, 2008 shall

 

11  not be eligible for health benefits under this section until the

 

12  first date that the member would have been eligible to retire

 

13  under section 43b or 81 if he or she had not purchased the

 

14  service credit and had accrued a sufficient amount of service

 

15  credit pursuant to section 68. A member who becomes a member on

 

16  or after July 1, 2008 shall not be eligible for health benefits

 

17  under this subsection until at least the time of application

 

18  under subsection (8). The retirement system shall apply a method

 

19  that enables it to make the determination under this subsection.

 

20        (11) Except for a member who retires under section 86 or 87

 

21  or a member who meets the requirements under subsection (7), the

 

22  retirement system shall not pay the benefits provided in

 

23  subsection (1) unless the member was employed and has received a

 

24  minimum total of 1/2 of a year of service credit granted pursuant

 

25  to section 68 during the 2 school fiscal years immediately

 

26  preceding the member's retirement allowance effective date or the

 

27  member has received a minimum of 1/10 of a year of service credit


 

 1  granted pursuant to section 68 during each of the 5 school fiscal

 

 2  years immediately preceding the member's retirement allowance

 

 3  effective date.

 

 4        (12) (8) Any retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary

 

 5  excluded from payments under this section may participate in the

 

 6  hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care benefits plan, the

 

 7  dental plan, vision plan, or hearing plan, or any combination of

 

 8  the plans described in this section in the manner prescribed by

 

 9  the retirement system at his or her own cost.

 

10        (13) (9) The hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care

 

11  benefits plan, dental plan, vision plan, and hearing plan that

 

12  covers retirants, retirement allowance beneficiaries, and health

 

13  insurance dependents pursuant to this section shall contain a

 

14  coordination of benefits provision that provides all of the

 

15  following:

 

16        (a) If the person covered under the hospital, medical-

 

17  surgical, and sick care benefits plan is also eligible for

 

18  medicare or medicaid, or both, then the benefits under medicare

 

19  or medicaid, or both, shall be determined before the benefits of

 

20  the hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care benefits plan

 

21  provided pursuant to this section.

 

22        (b) If the person covered under any of the plans provided by

 

23  this section is also covered under another plan that contains a

 

24  coordination of benefits provision, the benefits shall be

 

25  coordinated as provided by the coordination of benefits act, 1984

 

26  PA 64, MCL 550.251 to 550.255.

 

27        (c) If the person covered under any of the plans provided by


 

 1  this section is also covered under another plan that does not

 

 2  contain a coordination of benefits provision, the benefits under

 

 3  the other plan shall be determined before the benefits of the

 

 4  plan provided pursuant to this section.

 

 5        (14) (10) For purposes of this section:

 

 6        (a) "Health insurance dependent" means any of the following:

 

 7        (i) The spouse of the retirant or the surviving spouse to

 

 8  whom the retirant or deceased member was married at the time of

 

 9  the retirant's or deceased member's death.

 

10        (ii) An unmarried child, by birth or adoption, of the

 

11  retirant or deceased member, until December 31 of the calendar

 

12  year in which the child becomes 19 years of age.

 

13        (iii) An unmarried child, by birth or adoption, of the

 

14  retirant or deceased member, until December 31 of the calendar

 

15  year in which the child becomes 25 years of age, who is enrolled

 

16  as a full-time student, and who is or was at the time of the

 

17  retirant's or deceased member's death a dependent of the retirant

 

18  or deceased member as defined in section 152 of the internal

 

19  revenue code.

 

20        (iv) An unmarried child, by birth or adoption, of the

 

21  retirant or deceased member who is incapable of self-sustaining

 

22  employment because of mental or physical disability, and who is

 

23  or was at the time of the retirant's or deceased member's death a

 

24  dependent of the retirant or deceased member as defined in

 

25  section 152 of the internal revenue code.

 

26        (v) The parents of the retirant or deceased member, or the

 

27  parents of his or her spouse, who are residing in the household


 

 1  of the retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary.

 

 2        (vi) An unmarried child who is not the child by birth or

 

 3  adoption of the retirant or deceased member but who otherwise

 

 4  qualifies to be a health insurance dependent under subparagraph

 

 5  (ii), (iii), or (iv), if the retirant or deceased member is the legal

 

 6  guardian of the unmarried child.

 

 7        (b) "Medicaid" means benefits under the federal medicaid

 

 8  program established under title XIX of the social security act,

 

 9  chapter 531, 49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. USC 1396 to 1396f, 1396g-1

 

10  to 1396r-6, and 1396r-8 to 1396v.

 

11        (c) "Medicare" means benefits under the federal medicare

 

12  program established under title XVIII of the social security act,

 

13  chapter 531, 49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. USC 1395 to 1395b, 1395b-2,

 

14  1395b-6 to 1395b-7, 1395c to 1395i, 1395i-2 to 1395i-5, 1395j to

 

15  1395t, 1395u to 1395w, 1395w-2 to 1395w-4, 1395w-21 to 1395w-28,

 

16  1395x to 1395yy, and 1395bbb to 1395ggg.

 

17        Sec. 108. (1) This section is enacted pursuant to federal

 

18  law that imposes certain administrative requirements and benefit

 

19  limitations for qualified governmental plans. This state intends

 

20  that the retirement system be a qualified pension plan created in

 

21  trust under section 401 of the internal revenue code and that the

 

22  trust be an exempt organization under section 501 of the internal

 

23  revenue code. The department shall administer the retirement

 

24  system to fulfill this intent.

 

25        (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, employer-

 

26  financed benefits provided by the retirement system under this

 

27  act shall not exceed $10,000.00 per year for a retirant who has


 

 1  15 or more years of credited service at retirement.

 

 2        (3) Employer-financed benefits provided by the retirement

 

 3  system under this act shall not exceed the limitation under

 

 4  subsection (2) unless application of this subsection results in a

 

 5  higher limitation. The higher limitation of this subsection

 

 6  applies to employer-financed benefits provided by the retirement

 

 7  system and, for purposes of section 415(b) of the internal

 

 8  revenue code, applies to aggregated benefits received from all

 

 9  qualified pension plans administered by the department of

 

10  management and budget, office of retirement systems. Employer-

 

11  financed benefits provided by the retirement system shall not

 

12  exceed the lesser of the following:

 

13        (a) One of the following amounts that is applicable to the

 

14  member:

 

15        (i) If a member retires at age 62 or older, $90,000.00 or the

 

16  adjusted amount described in subsection (4) per year.

 

17        (ii) If a member retires at or after age 55 but before age

 

18  62, the actuarially reduced amount of the limitation prescribed

 

19  in subparagraph (i) per year. The retirement system shall use an

 

20  interest rate of 5% per year compounded annually to calculate the

 

21  actuarial reduction in this subparagraph. However, the limitation

 

22  in this subparagraph shall not be actuarially reduced below

 

23  $75,000.00.

 

24        (iii) If a member retires before age 55, the actuarially

 

25  reduced amount of the limitation prescribed in subparagraph (ii)

 

26  per year. The retirement system shall use an interest rate of 5%

 

27  per year compounded annually to calculate the actuarial reduction


 

 1  in this subparagraph.

 

 2        (b) 100% of the member's average compensation for high 3

 

 3  years as described in section 415(b)(3) of the internal revenue

 

 4  code.

 

 5        (4) Section 415(d) of the internal revenue code requires the

 

 6  secretary of the treasury or his or her delegate to annually

 

 7  adjust the $10,000.00 limitation described in subsection (2) and

 

 8  the $90,000.00 limitation described in subsection (3)(a)(i) for

 

 9  increases in cost of living, beginning in 1988. This section

 

10  shall be administered using the limitations applicable to each

 

11  calendar year as adjusted by the secretary of the treasury or his

 

12  or her delegate under section 415(d) of the internal revenue

 

13  code. The retirement system shall adjust the benefits subject to

 

14  the limitation each year to conform with the adjusted limitation.

 

15        (2) The retirement system shall be administered in

 

16  compliance with the provisions of section 415 of the internal

 

17  revenue code, 26 USC 415, and regulations under that section that

 

18  are applicable to governmental plans. Employer-financed benefits

 

19  provided by the retirement system under this act shall not exceed

 

20  the applicable limitations set forth in section 415 of the

 

21  internal revenue code, 26 USC 415, as adjusted by the

 

22  commissioner of internal revenue under section 415(d) of the

 

23  internal revenue code, 26 USC 415, to reflect cost-of-living

 

24  increases, and the retirement system shall adjust the benefits

 

25  subject to the limitation each calendar year to conform with the

 

26  adjusted limitation. For purposes of section 415(b) of the

 

27  internal revenue code, 26 USC 415, the applicable limitation


 

 1  shall apply to aggregated benefits received from all qualified

 

 2  pension plans for which the office of retirement services

 

 3  coordinates administration of that limitation. If there is a

 

 4  conflict between this section and another section of this act,

 

 5  this section prevails.

 

 6        (3) (5) The assets of the retirement system shall be held in

 

 7  trust and invested for the sole purpose of meeting the legitimate

 

 8  obligations of the retirement system and shall not be used for

 

 9  any other purpose. The assets shall not be used for or diverted

 

10  to a purpose other than for the exclusive benefit of the members,

 

11  deferred members, retirants, and retirement allowance

 

12  beneficiaries.

 

13        (4) (6) The retirement system shall return post-tax member

 

14  contributions made by a member and received by the retirement

 

15  system to a member upon retirement, pursuant to internal revenue

 

16  service regulations and approved internal revenue service

 

17  exclusion ratio tables.

 

18        (5) (7) The required beginning date for retirement

 

19  allowances and other distributions shall not be later than April

 

20  1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the

 

21  employee attains age 70-1/2 or April 1 of the calendar year

 

22  following the calendar year in which the employee retires.

 

23        (6) (8) If the retirement system is terminated, the interest

 

24  of the members, deferred members, retirants, and retirement

 

25  allowance beneficiaries in the retirement system is

 

26  nonforfeitable to the extent funded as described in section

 

27  411(d)(3) of the internal revenue code and the related internal


 

 1  revenue service regulations applicable to governmental plans.

 

 2        (7) (9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act to

 

 3  the contrary that would limit a distributee's election under this

 

 4  act, a distributee may elect, at the time and in the manner

 

 5  prescribed by the retirement board, to have any portion of an

 

 6  eligible rollover distribution paid directly to an eligible

 

 7  retirement plan specified by the distributee in a direct

 

 8  rollover. This subsection applies to distributions made on or

 

 9  after January 1, 1993.

 

10        (8) (10) For purposes of determining actuarial equivalent

 

11  retirement allowances under sections 45 and 85(1)(b), (1)(c),

 

12  (1)(d), and (2), the actuarially assumed interest rate shall be

 

13  8% with utilization of the 1983 group annuity and mortality

 

14  table.

 

15        (11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,

 

16  the retirement system shall be administered in compliance with

 

17  the provisions of section 415 of the internal revenue code and

 

18  revenue service regulations under that section that are

 

19  applicable to governmental plans. If there is a conflict between

 

20  this section and another section of this or any other act of this

 

21  state, this section prevails.

 

22        (9) (12) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act,

 

23  the compensation of a member of the retirement system shall be

 

24  taken into account for any year under the retirement system only

 

25  to the extent that it does not exceed the compensation limit

 

26  established in section 401(a)(17) of the internal revenue code,

 

27  as adjusted by the commissioner of internal revenue. This


 

 1  subsection applies to any person who first becomes a member of

 

 2  the retirement system on or after October 1, 1996.

 

 3        (10) (13) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act,

 

 4  contributions, benefits, and service credit with respect to

 

 5  qualified military service will be provided under the retirement

 

 6  system in accordance with section 414(u) of the internal revenue

 

 7  code. This subsection applies to all qualified military service

 

 8  on or after December 12, 1994.

 

 9        Enacting section 1. If any section or part of a section of

 

10  this act is for any reason held to be invalid or

 

11  unconstitutional, the holding does not affect the validity of the

 

12  remaining sections of this act or the act in its entirety.