SENATE BILL No. 547

 

 

May 25, 2007, Introduced by Senator KUIPERS and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

 

 

      A bill to amend 1980 PA 300, entitled

 

"The public school employees retirement act of 1979,"

 

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

 

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

 

38.1391, and 38.1408), sections 43a and 108 as amended by 2002 PA

 

94, sections 43b, 69, 69c, and 75 as amended and section 69f as

 

added by 1989 PA 194, and section 91 as amended by 2004 PA 117.

 

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

 

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

 

 5  investment plan is entitled to the benefits provided in sections

 

 6  43b and 43c.

 


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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 7  investment plan.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

11  contributions to the member investment plan, may irrevocably

 

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

 

13  addition to making the contributions required under subsection

 

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

 

15  investment plan under this subsection shall make a contribution

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

19  equal to the compound interest that would have accumulated on

 

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

 

21  equal to the net actuarial cost of the additional benefits

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

25  the retirement board. The contributions made under this

 

26  subsection shall be deposited into the reserve for employee

 

27  contributions.

 


 1        (4) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8) (9), a

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 6  contributions described in subsection (7).

 

 7        (5) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8) (9), a

 

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

 

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

 

10  subsection (7).

 

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

 

12  1, 1987 but before January 1, 1990 shall have 30 days from his or

 

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

 

14  contributions described in subsection (2).

 

15        (7) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8) (9), a

 

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

 

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

 

18  member investment plan:

 

 

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

20   year earned compensation             investment plan

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

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

23   $15,000.00                           excess over $5,000.00

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

25                                        excess over $15,000.00

 

 

26        (8) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (9), a member

 

27  who first became a member on or after July 1, 2008 shall


 

 1  contribute the following amounts to the member investment plan:

 

 

Member's annual school                 Amount payable to the member

fiscal year earned compensation        investment plan

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

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

6  $15,000.00                             over $5,000.00

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

8                                         excess over $15,000.00

 

 

 9        (9) (8) This section and sections 43b and 43c shall not

 

10  apply until the department receives notification from the United

 

11  States internal revenue service that contributions under this

 

12  section picked up by the employer pursuant to section 42 shall

 

13  not be included as gross income of the member until they are

 

14  distributed or made available to the member, retirant, retirement

 

15  allowance beneficiary, or refund beneficiary.

 

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

 

17  plan shall have the eligibility requirements of section 81 except

 

18  as follows:

 

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

 

20  apply.

 

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

 

22  2008, the 10 years of credited service requirement of section

 

23  81(1)(b) shall be 5 years if the member is working as a public

 

24  school employee and the member received credited service in each

 

25  of the 5 school fiscal years immediately preceding the retirement

 

26  allowance effective date.

 


 1        Sec. 69. (1) As a condition for granting membership or prior

 

 2  service credit under this act for out of system public education

 

 3  service, a member shall pay to the retirement system an amount

 

 4  equal to the amount the member would have contributed pursuant to

 

 5  the schedule governing member contributions in effect at the time

 

 6  of that service had the service been performed under this act or

 

 7  former Act No. 136 of the Public Acts of 1945 1945 PA 136,

 

 8  together with regular interest from the end of the school fiscal

 

 9  year in which service was performed to the semiannual anniversary

 

10  of the date following the payment, and shall have 5 years of

 

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

 

12  136 of the Public Acts of 1945 1945 PA 136, following the out of

 

13  system public education service.

 

14        (2) A member shall not be entitled to a retirement allowance

 

15  based on out of system public education service that was

 

16  performed after July 1, 1974, until the member pays into the

 

17  retirement system for that service an amount equal to 5% of the

 

18  member's full-time or equated full-time compensation earned in

 

19  the school fiscal year before the school fiscal year in which the

 

20  application to purchase and payment for the service credit is

 

21  made, multiplied by the years of that service the member elects

 

22  to purchase and unless, for a member who becomes a member before

 

23  July 1, 2008, that service is followed by 5 years of reporting

 

24  unit service credit under this act. A member who becomes a member

 

25  on or after July 1, 2008 and who purchases service credit under

 

26  this section shall follow the purchase of service credit by 10

 

27  years of reporting unit service under this act.

 


 1        (3) For the purposes of computing payment under this

 

 2  section, the compensation amount used shall not be less than the

 

 3  highest school fiscal year compensation previously earned by the

 

 4  member. If the compensation amount used for computing payment

 

 5  under this section exceeds the member's final average

 

 6  compensation determined at the time of retirement, the payment

 

 7  required under this section shall be recomputed using the

 

 8  member's final average compensation and a refund shall be made

 

 9  based upon the recomputation. Credit provided by this section

 

10  shall not be used in satisfying the minimum of 10 years of

 

11  service credit required under this act for a retirement

 

12  allowance. A person who had employment with a community mental

 

13  health service program as described in section 6(2) shall not be

 

14  subject to the minimum of 10 years of service credit, if the

 

15  other requirements of this section are met.

 

16        (4) A member shall not receive more than 15 years of out of

 

17  system public education service. A member shall not receive more

 

18  out of system public education service than service performed

 

19  under this act or former Act No. 136 of the Public Acts of 1945

 

20  1945 PA 136, unless, before July 1, 1974, the member applied for

 

21  out of system public education service credit based upon payment

 

22  of contributions for that service credit as required under former

 

23  Act No. 136 of the Public Acts of 1945 1945 PA 136. The total out

 

24  of system public education service credited shall be used to

 

25  compute the member's retirement allowance if the minimum service

 

26  requirements performed under this act or former Act No. 136 of

 

27  the Public Acts of 1945 1945 PA 136 are met.

 


 1        (5) If a member who made payment for out of system public

 

 2  education service dies and a retirement allowance beneficiary has

 

 3  not been designated, or if the member withdraws from service

 

 4  before his or her retirement becomes effective, the payment made

 

 5  by the member shall be refunded to the member or to the member's

 

 6  refund beneficiary upon request.

 

 7        (6) Out of system public education service shall not be

 

 8  creditable toward retirement under this act if the member is or

 

 9  will be receiving a retirement allowance for the same service

 

10  from another retirement system.

 

11        (7) Out of system public education service shall not be

 

12  creditable under this act unless similar service performed in a

 

13  reporting unit would be creditable.

 

14        (8) Before January 31, 1991, a member may elect to purchase

 

15  service credit as an elementary or secondary teacher at a United

 

16  States armed forces military base in the United States or a

 

17  foreign country upon payment to the retirement board of the

 

18  actuarial cost.

 

19        Sec. 69c. (1) A member may elect to purchase service credit

 

20  for service performed as an employee in a nonpublic elementary or

 

21  secondary educational institution or a nonpublic 2- or 4-year

 

22  institution of higher education in this state, in other states of

 

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

 

24  United States upon request and presentation of documentation of

 

25  the employment rendered that is verifiable from official

 

26  employment or payroll records or other acceptable documentation

 

27  as determined by the retirement board, and upon payment to the

 


 1  retirement system of the actuarial cost.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 5  the United States military or United States department of state

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

12  request and presentation of documentation of the employment

 

13  rendered that is verifiable from official employment or payroll

 

14  records or other acceptable documentation as determined by the

 

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

 

16  the actuarial cost.

 

17        (3) Service For a member who becomes a member before July 1,

 

18  2008, service shall not be credited under this section unless the

 

19  service being purchased is followed by at least 5 years of

 

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

 

21  136 of the Public Acts of 1945 1945 PA 136. For a member who

 

22  becomes a member on or after July 1, 2008, service shall not be

 

23  credited under this section unless the service being purchased is

 

24  followed by at least 10 years of reporting unit service under

 

25  this act. Service purchased under this section shall not be used

 

26  to satisfy the minimum of 10 years of service credit required to

 

27  receive a retirement allowance under this act. The total service

 


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

 

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

 

 3  section dies and a retirement allowance beneficiary has not been

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 7  beneficiary upon request.

 

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

 

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

 

10  service from another retirement system.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

14  credit for service performed as an employee in a nonpublic

 

15  elementary or secondary educational institution or a nonpublic 2-

 

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

 

17  section. Service credit purchased pursuant to this subsection

 

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

 

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

 

20  retirement allowance of a retirant entitled to purchase service

 

21  credit under this subsection shall be recomputed based upon the

 

22  additional service credit. The recomputed monthly amount shall be

 

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

 

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

 

25        (7) As used in this section:

 

26        (a) "Nonpublic elementary or secondary educational

 

27  institution" means an institution that offers or provides an

 


 1  organized course of academic study primarily oriented toward the

 

 2  awarding of high school diplomas. Nonpublic elementary or

 

 3  secondary educational institution does not include a proprietary

 

 4  school.

 

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

 

 6  means an institution that offers an organized course of academic

 

 7  study primarily oriented toward the awarding of associate,

 

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

 

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

 

10  include a proprietary school.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

15  school.

 

16        Sec. 69f. (1) A member may elect to purchase not more than 5

 

17  years of service credit less the number of years of service

 

18  credit purchased under sections 6(2)(c), (d), (e), and (f),

 

19  64(3), (4), and (5), 69a, 69b, 69c(2), 69d, 69e, 74a, 74b, 77,

 

20  and 78, upon request and payment to the retirement system of the

 

21  actuarial cost.

 

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

 

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

 

24  required to receive a retirement allowance under this act.

 

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

 

26  used to satisfy the service credit requirement set forth in

 

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

 


 1  as provided by section 43b(a).

 

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

 

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

 

 4  member withdraws from service and a retirement allowance is not

 

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

 

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

 

 7        (5) Service purchased under this section shall not be

 

 8  credited to a member who becomes a member on or after July 1,

 

 9  2008 unless the member follows the purchase of service credit

 

10  under this section with 10 years of reporting unit service under

 

11  this act.

 

12        Sec. 75. (1) A member who left or leaves service as a public

 

13  school employee for purposes of maternity or paternity or child

 

14  rearing, and returns to service as a public school employee, or a

 

15  person performing out of system public education service who

 

16  leaves that service for purposes of maternity, paternity, or

 

17  child rearing and who subsequently becomes a member of this

 

18  retirement system, without other intervening employment of more

 

19  than 20 hours per week for each week for which service credit is

 

20  claimed, may purchase service credit for the time period or

 

21  periods during which the person was separated from service as a

 

22  public school employee or during which the person was separated

 

23  from performing out of system public education service because of

 

24  maternity or paternity or child rearing, upon request and payment

 

25  to the retirement system of the actuarial cost. The total service

 

26  credited under this section shall not exceed 5 years. A member

 

27  requesting purchase of service credit under this section shall

 


 1  certify to the board the purpose for which the member took leave

 

 2  and was separated from service as a public school employee.

 

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

 

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

 

 5  required to receive a retirement allowance under this act.

 

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

 

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

 

 8  the member leaves reporting unit service before his or her

 

 9  retirement becomes effective, the payment made by the member

 

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

 

11  refund beneficiary.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

16  rearing and who subsequently becomes a member of this retirement

 

17  system may purchase service credit for those hours by which

 

18  employment was reduced if all other requirements of this section

 

19  are met.

 

20        (5) Service purchased under this section shall not be

 

21  credited to a member who becomes a member on or after July 1,

 

22  2008 unless the member has at least 10 years of reporting unit

 

23  service under this act.

 

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

 

25  monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for hospital,

 

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

 

27  retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary who elects coverage

 


 1  in the plan authorized by the retirement board and the

 

 2  department. This subsection does not apply to a retirant who

 

 3  first becomes a member after June 30, 2008.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 7  benefit of a retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary

 

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

 

 9  authorized by the retirement board and the department, if

 

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

 

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

 

12  premium.

 

13        (3) A retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary receiving

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

20  hearing benefits for the benefit of a retirant or retirement

 

21  allowance beneficiary who elects coverage in the plan authorized

 

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

 

23  under this subsection upon approval by the retirement board and

 

24  the department of plan coverage and a plan provider. This

 

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

 

26  member after June 30, 2008.

 

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

 


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

 

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

 

 3  surgical, and sick care benefits coverage described in

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 8  monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for dental,

 

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

 

10  benefit of each health insurance dependent of a retirant

 

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

 

12  benefits coverage for a health insurance dependent of a retirant

 

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

 

14  designated a retirement allowance beneficiary as provided in

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

21  1985 for health insurance dependents who on July 10, 1985 were

 

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

 

23  plan authorized by the retirement board and the department.

 

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

 

25  insurance dependents shall not begin before January 1, 1986. This

 

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

 

27  member after June 30, 2008.

 


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

 

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

 

 3  deceased duty disability retirant if a retirement allowance is

 

 4  being paid to a retirement allowance beneficiary because of the

 

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

 

 6  section 43c(c), 89, or 90 or as otherwise provided in this act.

 

 7  Payment for health benefits coverage for a health insurance

 

 8  dependent shall not be made after the retirement allowance

 

 9  beneficiary's death.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

13  years of attained credited service or the retiring deferred

 

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

 

15  on behalf of a retirement allowance beneficiary of a deferred

 

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

 

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

 

18  insurance dependent of a deferred member or a retirement

 

19  allowance beneficiary of a deceased deferred member, either of

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

26  1980.

 

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

 


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

 

 2  90% of the monthly premium or membership or subscription fee for

 

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

 

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

 

 5  the plans for the benefit of the retirant and his or her health

 

 6  insurance beneficiaries, or for the benefit of the retirant's or

 

 7  deceased member's retirement allowance beneficiary if the

 

 8  retirant or deceased member has 30 years or more of service

 

 9  credit or employment with a reporting unit or units under this

 

10  act, and the retirant or deceased member was at least 60 years of

 

11  age at the time of application for benefits under this section.

 

12  If a retirant or deceased member described in this subsection has

 

13  10 or more but less than 30 years of service credit or employment

 

14  with a reporting unit or units under this act and the retirant

 

15  was at least 60 years of age at the time of application for

 

16  benefits under this section, the retirement system shall pay a

 

17  portion of the monthly premium or membership or subscription fee

 

18  for the plans or combination of plans equal to the product of 3%

 

19  and the retirant's or deceased member's years of service.

 

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

 

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

 

22  retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary requests enrollment

 

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

 

24  prescribed by the retirement system. Subsection (8) does not

 

25  apply to a member who receives a disability retirement allowance

 

26  under section 86 or 87 or to a deceased member's retirement

 

27  allowance beneficiary under section 90.

 


 1        (10) (8) Any retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary

 

 2  excluded from payments under this section may participate in the

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 6  the retirement system at his or her own cost.

 

 7        (11) (9) The hospital, medical-surgical, and sick care

 

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

 

 9  covers retirants, retirement allowance beneficiaries, and health

 

10  insurance dependents pursuant to this section shall contain a

 

11  coordination of benefits provision that provides all of the

 

12  following:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

18  provided pursuant to this section.

 

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

 

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

 

21  coordination of benefits provision, the benefits shall be

 

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

 

23  PA 64, MCL 550.251 to 550.255.

 

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

 

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

 

26  contain a coordination of benefits provision, the benefits under

 

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

 


 1  plan provided pursuant to this section.

 

 2        (12) (10) For purposes of this section:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

10        (iii) 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 25 years of age, who is enrolled

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

16  revenue code.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

21  dependent of the retirant or deceased member as defined in

 

22  section 152 of the internal revenue code.

 

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

 

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

 

25  of the retirant or retirement allowance beneficiary.

 

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

 

27  adoption of the retirant or deceased member but who otherwise

 


 1  qualifies to be a health insurance dependent under subparagraph

 

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

 

 3  guardian of the unmarried child.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 7  to 1396r-6, and 1396r-8 to 1396v.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

11  1395b-6 to 1395b-7, 1395c to 1395i, 1395i-2 to 1395i-5, 1395j to

 

12  1395t, 1395u to 1395w, 1395w-2 to 1395w-4, 1395w-21 to 1395w-28,

 

13  1395x to 1395yy, and 1395bbb to 1395ggg.

 

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

 

15  law that imposes certain administrative requirements and benefit

 

16  limitations for qualified governmental plans. This state intends

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

20  revenue code. The department shall administer the retirement

 

21  system to fulfill this intent.

 

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

 

23  financed benefits provided by the retirement system under this

 

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

 

25  15 or more years of credited service at retirement.

 

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

 

27  system under this act shall not exceed the limitation under

 


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

 

 2  higher limitation. The higher limitation of this subsection

 

 3  applies to employer-financed benefits provided by the retirement

 

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

 

 5  revenue code, applies to aggregated benefits received from all

 

 6  qualified pension plans administered by the department of

 

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

 

 8  financed benefits provided by the retirement system shall not

 

 9  exceed the lesser of the following:

 

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

 

11  member:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

15  62, the actuarially reduced amount of the limitation prescribed

 

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

 

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

 

18  actuarial reduction in this subparagraph. However, the limitation

 

19  in this subparagraph shall not be actuarially reduced below

 

20  $75,000.00.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

24  per year compounded annually to calculate the actuarial reduction

 

25  in this subparagraph.

 

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

 

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

 


 1  code.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 7  shall be administered using the limitations applicable to each

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

12        (2) The retirement system shall be administered in

 

13  compliance with the provisions of section 415 of the internal

 

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

 

15  are applicable to governmental plans. Employer-financed benefits

 

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

 

17  the applicable limitations set forth in section 415 of the

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

21  increases, and the retirement system shall adjust the benefits

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

25  shall apply to aggregated benefits received from all qualified

 

26  pension plans for which the office of retirement services

 

27  coordinates administration of that limitation. If there is a

 


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

 

 2  this section prevails.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 8  deferred members, retirants, and retirement allowance

 

 9  beneficiaries.

 

10        (4) (6) The retirement system shall return post-tax member

 

11  contributions made by a member and received by the retirement

 

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

 

13  service regulations and approved internal revenue service

 

14  exclusion ratio tables.

 

15        (5) (7) The required beginning date for retirement

 

16  allowances and other distributions shall not be later than April

 

17  1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the

 

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

 

19  following the calendar year in which the employee retires.

 

20        (6) (8) If the retirement system is terminated, the interest

 

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

 

22  allowance beneficiaries in the retirement system is

 

23  nonforfeitable to the extent funded as described in section

 

24  411(d)(3) of the internal revenue code and the related internal

 

25  revenue service regulations applicable to governmental plans.

 

26        (7) (9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act to

 

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

 


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

 

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

 

 3  eligible rollover distribution paid directly to an eligible

 

 4  retirement plan specified by the distributee in a direct

 

 5  rollover. This subsection applies to distributions made on or

 

 6  after January 1, 1993.

 

 7        (8) (10) For purposes of determining actuarial equivalent

 

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

 

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

 

10  8% with utilization of the 1983 group annuity and mortality

 

11  table.

 

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

 

13  the retirement system shall be administered in compliance with

 

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

 

15  revenue service regulations under that section that are

 

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

 

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

 

18  state, this section prevails.

 

19        (9) (12) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act,

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

24  as adjusted by the commissioner of internal revenue. This

 

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

 

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

 

27        (10) (13) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act,

 


 1  contributions, benefits, and service credit with respect to

 

 2  qualified military service will be provided under the retirement

 

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

 

 4  code. This subsection applies to all qualified military service

 

 5  on or after December 12, 1994.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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