1 HB278 2 216790-1 3 By Representative Sells 4 RFD: Ways and Means Education 5 First Read: 08-FEB-22 Page 0 1 216790-1:n:01/31/2022:KMS/cr LSA2021-2665 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, a retired public 9 employee is permitted to return to certain limited 10 compensated service with any employer participating 11 in the Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' 12 Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund 13 without suspension of his or her retirement 14 allowance. 15 This bill would lift these restrictions for 16 retirees who have drawn retirement benefits for 12 17 consecutive months without performing services for 18 compensation with participating employers. 19 20 A BILL 21 TO BE ENTITLED 22 AN ACT 23 24 Relating to the Retirement Systems of Alabama; to 25 amend Sections 16-25-14 and 36-27-16, as amended by Act 26 2021-270, 2021 Regular Session, to require an individual 27 retired under the Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Page 1 1 Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund to draw his or 2 her retirement benefits for 12 consecutive months before 3 returning to compensated work for a participating employer; 4 and to repeal Sections 16-25-26, 29-4-6, and 36-27-8.2, Code 5 of Alabama 1975, authorizing certain retired public employees 6 to return to work for participating employers. 7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: 8 Section 1. Sections 16-25-14 and 36-27-16, as 9 amended by Act 2021-270, 2021 Regular Session, are amended to 10 read as follows: 11 "§16-25-14. 12 "(a)(1) Any Tier I plan member who withdraws from 13 service upon or after attainment of age 60 and any Tier II 14 plan member who withdraws from service upon or after 15 attainment of age 62, or in the case of a Tier II plan member 16 who is a correctional officer, firefighter, or law enforcement 17 officer as defined in Section 36-27-59, who withdraws from 18 service upon or after attainment of age 56 with at least ten 19 10 years of creditable service as a correctional officer, 20 firefighter, or law enforcement officer may retire upon 21 written application to the Board of Control setting forth at 22 what time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days 23 subsequent to the execution and filing thereof, he or she 24 desires to be retired; provided, that any such member who 25 became a member on or after October 1, 1963, shall have 26 completed 10 or more years of creditable service. Page 2 1 "(2) Any Tier I plan member who has attained age 60 2 and any Tier II plan member who has attained age 62, or in the 3 case of a Tier II plan member who is a correctional officer, 4 firefighter, or law enforcement officer as defined in Section 5 36-27-59, who has attained age 56 with at least ten 10 years 6 of creditable service as a correctional officer, firefighter, 7 or law enforcement officer and has previously withdrawn from 8 service may retire upon written application to the Board of 9 Control setting forth at what time, not less than 30 days nor 10 more than 90 days subsequent to the execution and filing 11 thereof, he or she desires to be retired; provided, that the 12 member shall have completed at the time for his or her 13 withdrawal from service the requirements established by the 14 Board of Control for eligibility for deferred benefits 15 pursuant to Section 16-25-3. 16 "(3) Any person who is presently covered or is 17 eligible to be covered under the Employees' Retirement System 18 of Alabama or the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama and 19 who, prior to such coverage or eligibility for coverage, 20 served as head of any Alabama county's public library service 21 department shall have credited to him or her one year of 22 creditable service for each year served as such head, not to 23 exceed 12 years; provided, that such person shall pay into the 24 retirement system the employee's part of the cost or 25 contribution based on the salary paid to such person during 26 the time of his or her service in the above capacity, with Page 3 1 such cost or contribution to be calculated at the percent or 2 rate in effect on October 1, 1973. 3 "(4) Any Tier I plan member of the Teachers' 4 Retirement System of Alabama, who withdraws from service after 5 the completion of at least 25 years of creditable service, may 6 retire upon written application to the Board of Control of the 7 Teachers' Retirement System setting forth at what time, not 8 less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the 9 execution and filing thereof, he or she desires to be retired; 10 provided, that any such member who became a Tier I plan member 11 on or after October 1, 1963, shall have completed 10 or more 12 years of creditable service. 13 "(b) Upon retirement from service, a Tier I plan 14 member shall receive a service retirement allowance which 15 shall consist of: 16 "(1) An annuity which shall be the actuarial 17 equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at the time 18 of his or her retirement; 19 "(2) A pension which shall be equal to the annuity 20 allowable at the age of retirement, but not to exceed an 21 annuity allowable at age 65 computed on the basis of 22 contributions made prior to the attainment of age 65; and 23 "(3) If he or she has a prior service certificate in 24 full force and effect, an additional pension which shall be 25 equal to the annuity which would have been provided at age of 26 retirement, but not to exceed an annuity allowable at age 65 27 by twice the contributions which he or she would have made Page 4 1 during the period of prior service with which he or she is 2 credited had the system been in operation and had he or she 3 contributed thereunder. In lieu of a determination of the 4 actual compensation of the members that was received during 5 such prior service, the Board of Control may use for the 6 purposes of this chapter the compensation rates which, if they 7 had progressed with the rates of salary increase shown in the 8 tables as prescribed in subsection (o) of Section 16-25-19, 9 would have resulted in the same average salary of the member 10 for the five years immediately preceding the date of 11 establishment as the records show the member actually 12 received. 13 "(c) The annual service retirement pension payable 14 to a Tier I plan member retiring on or after October 1, 1975, 15 shall not be less than an amount which when added to his or 16 her annuity is equal to the greater of the following two 17 amounts: 18 "(1) Two and one-eightieth percent of the member's 19 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 20 of his or her creditable service; or 21 "(2) If he or she became a member before October 1, 22 1971, $72 seventy-two dollars ($72) multiplied by the number 23 of years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 25 24 years. 25 "Notwithstanding, a member who retired prior to 26 October 1, 1971, under service retirement shall receive $120 27 one hundred twenty dollars ($120) multiplied by the number of Page 5 1 years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 25 2 years. 3 "(d) Upon retirement from service, a Tier II plan 4 member shall receive a service retirement allowance which 5 shall consist of an annuity which shall be the actuarial 6 equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions at the 7 time of retirement and a pension which, when added to the 8 member's annuity, shall be equal to one and sixty-five 9 hundredths percent (1.65%) of the member's average final 10 compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable 11 service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the service retirement 12 allowance shall not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the 13 member's average final compensation. 14 "(e) Upon the application of a Tier I plan member in 15 service or of his or her employer, any member who has had 10 16 or more years of creditable service may be retired by the 17 Board of Control on a disability retirement allowance not less 18 than 30 nor more than 90 days next following the date of 19 filing such an application; provided, that the medical board, 20 after a medical examination of such member, shall certify that 21 such member is mentally or physically incapacitated for 22 further performance of duty, that such incapacity is likely to 23 be permanent, and that such member should be retired. Upon the 24 application of a Tier II plan member in service or of his or 25 her employer, any member who has had 10 or more years of 26 creditable service may be retired by the Board of Control on a 27 disability retirement allowance not less than 30 nor more than Page 6 1 90 days next following the date of filing such an application; 2 provided, that the medical board, after a medical examination 3 of such member, shall certify that the member is totally and 4 permanently mentally or physically incapacitated from regular 5 and substantial gainful employment, and that such member 6 should be retired. 7 "(f) Upon retirement for disability, a Tier I plan 8 member shall receive a service retirement allowance if he or 9 she has attained age 60 or if any law or part of any law 10 pertaining to retirement under the Teachers' Retirement System 11 of Alabama provides for service retirement after the 12 completion of 25 years of creditable service and the member 13 has completed 25 years of creditable service; otherwise, he or 14 she shall receive a disability retirement allowance which 15 shall consist of: 16 "(1) An annuity which shall be the actuarial 17 equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at the time 18 of retirement; and 19 "(2) A pension which shall be equal to the pension 20 that would have been payable under subdivisions (2) and (3) of 21 subsection (b) of this section upon service retirement at age 22 60 had the member continued in service to that age without 23 change in compensation. 24 "The annual disability retirement pension shall not 25 be less than an amount which when added to his or her annuity 26 is equal to the greater of the following amounts: Page 7 1 "a. Two and one-eightieth percent of the member's 2 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 3 of creditable service. 4 "b. If he or she became a member before October 1, 5 1971, $54 fifty-four dollars ($54) multiplied by the number of 6 years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 25 7 years. 8 "Notwithstanding, a member who retired prior to 9 October 1, 1971, for disability shall receive $90 ninety 10 dollars ($90) multiplied by the number of years of his or her 11 creditable service not in excess of 25 years. 12 "(g) Upon retirement for disability, a Tier II plan 13 member shall receive a service retirement allowance if the 14 member has attained age 62, or in the case of a Tier II plan 15 member who is a correctional officer, firefighter, or law 16 enforcement officer as defined in Section 36-27-59, if the 17 member has attained age 56 with at least ten 10 years of 18 creditable service as a correctional officer, firefighter, or 19 law enforcement officer, otherwise, the member shall receive a 20 disability retirement allowance which shall be equal to one 21 and sixty-five hundredths percent (1.65%) of the member's 22 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 23 of creditable service. 24 "(h)(1) Once each year during the first five years 25 following the retirement of a member on a disability 26 retirement allowance and once in every three-year period 27 thereafter, the Board of Control may and upon his or her Page 8 1 application shall require any disability beneficiary who has 2 not yet attained age 60 for a Tier I plan member or age 62 for 3 a Tier II plan member to undergo a medical examination, such 4 examination to be made at the place of residence of such 5 beneficiary or other place mutually agreed upon by a physician 6 of or designated by the medical board. Should any disability 7 beneficiary who has not yet attained age 60 for a Tier I plan 8 member or age 62 for a Tier II plan member refuse to submit to 9 such medical examination, his or her pension may be 10 discontinued until his or her withdrawal of such refusal, and 11 should his refusal continue for one year, all his or her 12 rights in and to his or her pension may be revoked by the 13 Board of Control; provided, that these requirements relative 14 to the medical examination shall not apply in the case of a 15 Tier II plan member who is a correctional officer, 16 firefighter, or law enforcement officer as defined in Section 17 36-27-59 retired for disability and who has attained age 56 18 with at least ten 10 years of creditable service as a 19 correctional officer, firefighter, or law enforcement officer. 20 "(2) Should the medical board report and certify to 21 the Board of Control that a disability beneficiary who is a 22 Tier I plan member is engaged in or is able to engage in a 23 gainful occupation paying more than the difference between his 24 or her retirement allowance and his average final compensation 25 and should the Board of Control concur in such report, then 26 the amount of his or her pension shall be reduced to an amount 27 which, together with his or her annuity and the amount Page 9 1 earnable by him or her, shall equal the amount of his or her 2 average final compensation. Should his or her earning capacity 3 be later changed, the amount of his or her pension may be 4 further modified; provided, that the new pension shall not 5 exceed the amount of the pension originally granted nor an 6 amount which, when added to the amount earnable by the 7 beneficiary together with his or her annuity, equals the 8 amount of his or her average final compensation. 9 "(3) Should the medical board report and certify to 10 the Board of Control that a disability beneficiary who is a 11 Tier II plan member has the capacity to engage in regular and 12 substantial gainful employment, the Board of Control shall 13 discontinue the beneficiary's retirement allowance until the 14 beneficiary is otherwise eligible for service retirement. 15 "(i)(1) Should a member cease to be a teacher, 16 except by death or by retirement under the provisions of this 17 chapter, the contributions standing to the credit of his or 18 her individual account in the Annuity Savings Fund shall be 19 paid to him or her upon demand, and in addition to such 20 payment there shall be paid five-tenths of the interest 21 accumulations standing to the credit of his or her individual 22 account if he or she shall have not less than three but less 23 than 16 years of membership service, six-tenths of such 24 interest accumulations if he or she shall have not less than 25 16 but less than 21 years of membership service, seven-tenths 26 of such interest accumulations if he or she shall have not 27 less than 21 but less than 26 years of membership service, and Page 10 1 eight-tenths of such interest accumulations if he or she shall 2 have not less than 26 years of membership service. 3 "(2) In case of the death of a member eligible for 4 service retirement pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, 5 an allowance shall be paid to the surviving spouse, or to such 6 other person who the member shall have designated, in an 7 amount that would have been payable if the member had retired 8 immediately prior to his or her death and had elected Option 9 3, as set forth in subsection (j) or, alternatively, if the 10 surviving spouse or other designee desires, he or she may 11 choose to receive, in lieu of the allowance provided under 12 Option 3, the accumulated contributions of the member plus an 13 amount equal to the accumulated contributions of the member 14 not to exceed $5,000 five thousand dollars ($5,000) or the 15 accumulated contributions of the member plus the benefit 16 provided by Section 36-27B-3 if a benefit is payable under 17 such section. For purposes of this subsection only, hazardous 18 duty time, as set forth in subdivision (b)(1) of Section 19 36-27-59, may be used in calculating the requisite years of 20 service for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and 21 correctional officers even if the member has not otherwise 22 attained 25 years of creditable service. 23 "(3) Upon the death of a member on account of whom 24 no survivor allowance is payable under subdivision (2) of this 25 subsection, the accumulated contributions of the member plus 26 an amount equal to the accumulated contributions not to exceed 27 $5,000 five thousand dollars ($5,000) or the accumulated Page 11 1 contributions of the member plus the benefit provided by 2 Section 36-27B-3 if a benefit is payable under such section 3 shall be paid to his or her estate or to such person as he or 4 she shall have nominated by written designation duly executed 5 and filed with the Board of Control. 6 "(j) With the provision the election of an option 7 shall be effective on the effective date of retirement, any 8 member may elect prior to retirement to receive, in lieu of 9 his or her retirement allowance payable throughout life, the 10 actuarial equivalent at that time of his or her retirement 11 allowance in a reduced retirement allowance payable throughout 12 life with the provision that: 13 "(1) OPTION 1. If he or she dies before he or she 14 has received in annuity payments the present value of his or 15 her annuity as it was at the time of his or her retirement, 16 the balance shall be paid to his or her legal representatives 17 or to the person as he or she shall nominate by written 18 designation duly acknowledged and filed with the Board of 19 Control; 20 "(2) OPTION 2. Upon his or her death, his or her 21 reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the 22 life of and paid to the person as he or she shall nominate by 23 written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the Board 24 of Control at the time of his or her retirement; 25 "(3) OPTION 3. Upon his or her death, one half of 26 his or her reduced retirement allowance shall be continued 27 throughout the life of and paid to the person as he or she Page 12 1 shall nominate by written designation duly acknowledged and 2 filed with the Board of Control at the time of his or her 3 retirement; or 4 "(4) OPTION 4. Some other benefit or benefits shall 5 be paid either to the member or to the person or persons as he 6 or she shall nominate; provided, that such other benefit or 7 benefits, together with the reduced retirement allowance, 8 shall be certified by the actuary to be of equivalent 9 actuarial value to his or her retirement allowance and shall 10 be approved by the Board of Control. 11 "(5) OPTION 5. At the time of retirement, he or she 12 shall receive a partial lump sum distribution as a single 13 payment not to exceed the sum of 24 months of the maximum 14 monthly retirement allowance the member could receive. This 15 option may be elected in addition to the election of another 16 option under this subsection and the further reduced monthly 17 retirement allowance shall be calculated in accordance with 18 the selected option. This option shall not be available to a 19 member who is receiving a disability retirement. 20 "(k) Should any beneficiary be restored to active 21 service, his or her retirement allowance shall be suspended 22 until he or she again withdraws from service and, he or she 23 shall not again become a member, nor shall he or she make 24 contributions; except, that should such beneficiary who has 25 been restored to active service continue in service for a 26 period of two or more years from the date of his or her 27 reentry into active service, he or she may request the Board Page 13 1 of Control to allow him or her to again become a member of the 2 retirement system. The Board of Control may grant the request 3 for restoration to membership; provided, that such beneficiary 4 whose retirement allowance has been suspended shall repay to 5 the system all moneys received by him or her as benefits 6 during any period subsequent to the date of his or her reentry 7 into active service; provided further, that he or she shall 8 make a contribution equal to the amount he or she would have 9 contributed had he or she been a member during the period of 10 his or her restoration to active service on a suspended 11 allowance basis, together with the interest which would have 12 been credited to the contributions on account of such period 13 of restoration up to the date such contribution is made. 14 "(l)(k)(1) All retirement allowance payments due on 15 or after October 1, 1975, to members who retired prior to 16 October 1, 1975, shall be redetermined as if the provisions of 17 subsections (b) and (e) of this section which became effective 18 on said date were in effect at the time the member retired; 19 provided, that the annual retirement allowance of any member 20 who retired on or before January 1, 1956, shall be not less 21 than $132 one hundred thirty-two dollars ($132) multiplied by 22 the number of years of his or her creditable service not in 23 excess of 30 years in the case of service retirement or $99 24 ninety-nine dollars ($99) multiplied by the number of years of 25 creditable service not in excess of 30 years in the case of 26 disability retirements. Any increase provided in the 27 retirement allowance payment under this subsection for a Page 14 1 member who retired under the provisions of any optional 2 benefit elected pursuant to subsection (j) of this section 3 shall accrue only to the retired member, and no person 4 designated to receive any payments after the death of a 5 retired member under the provisions of any such optional 6 benefit shall receive any increase in such payments under this 7 subsection. 8 "(2) Any person who served at least 30 years as a 9 teacher in the public schools of Alabama and was never a 10 member of the system and who, prior to October 1, 1963, was in 11 receipt of a benefit for old age assistance pursuant to 12 subsections (1) and (2) of Section 1 of Act 116, approved 13 August 24, 1959, shall be entitled to receive an annual 14 retirement allowance of $3,960 three thousand nine hundred 15 sixty dollars ($3,960) from the system, effective as of 16 October 1, 1973. 17 "(3) Prior to October 31, 1975, any beneficiary may 18 elect to leave on deposit with the system all or a specified 19 part of any increase in his or her monthly retirement 20 allowance payments arising in accordance with subdivision (1) 21 or (2) of this subsection. The portion of each monthly payment 22 left in the system in accordance with such election shall be 23 credited, together with regular interest thereon, to the 24 individual account of such beneficiary. Upon the death of such 25 beneficiary, the total amount standing to his or her credit, 26 including regular interest to the date of death, shall be paid 27 in a lump sum to his or her legal representative or to such Page 15 1 person as he or she shall have nominated by written 2 designation duly acknowledged and filed with the Board of 3 Control. 4 "(m)(l) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this 5 section to the contrary, when a designated beneficiary for a 6 member predeceases the member who is receiving a monthly 7 benefit allowance provided under Option 2, 3, or 4, the member 8 may designate a replacement beneficiary for the deceased 9 beneficiary to become effective two years after the date of 10 designation of the replacement beneficiary and an actuarial 11 adjustment in the monthly benefit allowance of the member to 12 cover any cost associated with designating a replacement 13 beneficiary shall be reflected thereafter in the monthly 14 benefit allowance received by the member, commencing with the 15 first benefit allowance check received by the member following 16 the date of designation of the replacement beneficiary. 17 "(n)(m) Notwithstanding any provision of this 18 section to the contrary, if a retired member who is receiving 19 a monthly benefit allowance provided under Option 2, 3, or 4 20 divorces his or her designated beneficiary, the member may 21 designate a replacement beneficiary for the beneficiary to 22 become effective two years after the date of designation of 23 the replacement beneficiary and an actuarial adjustment in the 24 monthly benefit allowance of the member to cover any cost 25 associated with designating a replacement beneficiary shall be 26 reflected thereafter in the monthly benefit allowance received 27 by the member, commencing with the first benefit allowance Page 16 1 check received by the member following the date of designation 2 of the replacement beneficiary. 3 "(o)(n) Any future act to increase the retirement 4 age for Tier II plan members above the age of 62 shall require 5 a two-thirds vote of the elected membership of each house of 6 the Legislature. 7 "§36-27-16. 8 "(a)(1) RETIREMENT, ETC., OF EMPLOYEES GENERALLY; 9 ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE RETIREMENT BENEFITS. 10 "a. Any Tier I plan member who withdraws from 11 service upon or after attainment of age 60 and any Tier II 12 plan member who withdraws from service upon or after 13 attainment of age 62 may retire upon written application to 14 the Board of Control setting forth at what time, not less than 15 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the execution and 16 filing thereof, he or she desires to be retired; provided, 17 that any such member who became a member on or after October 18 1, 1963, shall have completed 10 or more years of creditable 19 service; provided further, that a Tier I plan member employed 20 as a state policeman shall be eligible to file application for 21 service retirement upon attaining age 52 and a Tier II plan 22 member employed as a state policeman or employed as a 23 correctional officer, firefighter, or law enforcement officer 24 as defined in Section 36-27-59 with at least ten 10 years of 25 creditable service as a correctional officer, firefighter, or 26 law enforcement officer shall be eligible to file application 27 for service retirement upon attaining age 56. Page 17 1 "b. Any Tier I plan member who has attained age 60, 2 or age 52 in the case of a state policeman and any Tier II 3 plan member who has attained age 62, or age 56 in the case of 4 a state policeman or in the case of a correctional officer, 5 firefighter, or law enforcement officer as defined in Section 6 36-27-59 who has at least ten 10 years of creditable service 7 as a correctional officer, firefighter, or law enforcement 8 officer, and has previously withdrawn from service may retire 9 upon written application to the Board of Control setting forth 10 at what time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days 11 subsequent to the execution and filing thereof, he or she 12 desires to be retired; provided, the member shall have at the 13 time of his or her withdrawal from service completed the age 14 and service requirements established by the Board of Control 15 for eligibility for deferred benefits; provided, that such 16 minimum number of years of creditable service shall not be 17 less than 10 years nor more than 25 years. 18 "c. In addition to any law or part of law relating 19 to service retirement under the Employees' Retirement System 20 of Alabama, any Tier I plan member of the Employees' 21 Retirement System who withdraws from service after completion 22 of not less than 25 years of creditable service may retire 23 without a reduction in retirement allowance upon written 24 application to the Board of Control of the Employees' 25 Retirement System setting forth the first day of which month, 26 not less than 30 days or more than 90 days subsequent to the 27 execution and filing thereof, he or she desires to be retired, Page 18 1 provided that no person whose employer participates in the 2 Employees' Retirement System under Section 36-27-6 shall be 3 entitled to the benefits provided in this paragraph unless 4 such employer elects to come under the provisions of the 5 paragraph. Any employer making such election must bear the 6 cost of such benefit. 7 "(2) AMOUNT OF SERVICE RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE. 8 "a. Upon retirement from service a Tier I plan 9 member shall receive a service retirement allowance which 10 shall consist of: 11 "1. An annuity which shall be the actuarial 12 equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at the time 13 of his or her retirement; except, that in the case of a state 14 policeman who has completed 20 years of creditable service as 15 a state policeman who retires after age 56 but prior to age 16 60, the annuity shall be equal to the annuity that would have 17 been payable upon service retirement at age 60 had the member 18 continued in service to age 60 without change in compensation; 19 "2. A pension which shall be equal to the annuity 20 allowance at age of retirement, but not to exceed an annuity 21 allowable at age 65, computed on the basis of contributions 22 made prior to attainment of age 65; except, that in the case 23 of a state policeman who has completed 20 years of creditable 24 service as a state policeman who retires after age 56 but 25 prior to age 60, the pension shall be equal to the annuity 26 that he or she would have received had he or she contributed 27 to age 60 without change in compensation; and Page 19 1 "3. An additional pension, if he or she has a prior 2 service certificate in full force and effect, which shall be 3 equal to the annuity which would have been provided at the age 4 of retirement, but which shall not exceed an annuity allowable 5 at age 65 by twice the contributions which he or she would 6 have made during the period of prior service with which he or 7 she is credited had the system been in operation and had he or 8 she contributed thereunder; except, that in case of a state 9 policeman who has completed 20 years of creditable service as 10 a state policeman who retired after age 56 but prior to age 11 60, an additional pension, if he or she has a prior service 12 certificate in full force and effect, which shall be equal to 13 the annuity which would have been provided at age 60, but 14 which shall not exceed an annuity allowable at age 60 by twice 15 the contributions which he or she would have made during the 16 period of prior service with which he or she is credited had 17 the system been in operation and had he or she contributed 18 thereunder. 19 "b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs 20 1., 2., and 3. of paragraph a. of this subdivision, a state 21 policeman who is a Tier I plan member and who has completed 20 22 years of service as a state policeman who retires after age 52 23 but prior to age 56 shall receive: 24 "1. An annuity which shall be equal to the annuity 25 that would have been payable had the member continued in 26 service for four years without change in compensation; Page 20 1 "2. A pension which shall be equal to the annuity 2 that he or she would have received had he or she contributed 3 for four years without change in compensation; and 4 "3. An additional pension, if he or she has a prior 5 service certificate in full force and effect, which shall be 6 equal to the annuity which would have been provided at the age 7 of retirement, but which shall not exceed an annuity allowable 8 at the age of retirement plus four years by twice the 9 contributions which he or she would have made during the 10 period of prior service with which he or she is credited had 11 the system been in operation and had he or she contributed 12 thereunder. In lieu of a determination of the actual 13 compensation of a member that was received during such prior 14 service, the Board of Control may use for the purpose of this 15 article the compensation rate which, if it had progressed with 16 the rates of salary increase shown in the tables as prescribed 17 in subsection (n) of Section 36-27-23, would have resulted in 18 the same average salary of the member for the five years 19 immediately preceding the date of establishment as the records 20 show the member actually received. 21 "c. The annual service retirement pension payable to 22 a Tier I plan member not employed as a state policeman 23 retiring on or after October 1, 1975, shall not be less than 24 an amount which, when added to his or her annuity, is equal to 25 the greater of the following two amounts: Page 21 1 "1. Two and one-eightieth percent of the member's 2 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 3 of his or her creditable service; or 4 "2. If he or she became a member before October 1, 5 1965, $72.00 seventy-two dollars ($72) multiplied by the 6 number of years of his or her creditable service not in excess 7 of 25 years. 8 "d. The annual service retirement pension payable to 9 a Tier I plan member employed as a state policeman retiring on 10 or after October 1, 1975, shall not be less than an amount 11 which, when added to his or her annuity is equal to the 12 greater of the following two amounts: 13 "1. Two and seven-eighths percent of the member's 14 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 15 of his or her creditable service. Creditable service for any 16 state policeman under the age of 56 years who has completed 20 17 years of creditable service as a state policeman shall include 18 a bonus equal to four additional years. Creditable service for 19 a state policeman 56 years or older shall include a bonus 20 equal to the years or portion thereof remaining until the 21 member reaches age 60; or 22 "2. If he or she became a member before October 1, 23 1965, $86.40 eighty-six dollars forty cents ($86.40) 24 multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable 25 service not in excess of 25 years; provided, however, that if 26 such member has completed 20 years of creditable service as a 27 state policeman and has not attained age 60 at the time of Page 22 1 retirement, the pension shall be determined as provided in 2 this subparagraph on the basis of the number of years of 3 creditable service which he or she would have had if he or she 4 had remained in service for four years, except that, in the 5 case of those state policemen retiring at age 56 or after, the 6 number of years in determining the pension shall not exceed 7 the number of years of creditable service which he or she 8 would have had if he or she had remained in service to age 60. 9 "e. Upon retirement from service, a Tier II plan 10 member who is not employed as a state policeman shall receive 11 a service retirement allowance which shall consist of an 12 annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of the 13 member's accumulated contributions at the time of retirement 14 and a pension which, when added to the member's annuity, shall 15 be equal to one and sixty-five hundredths percent (1.65%) of 16 the member's average final compensation multiplied by the 17 number of years of creditable service. Notwithstanding the 18 foregoing, the service retirement allowance shall not exceed 19 eighty percent (80%) of the member's average final 20 compensation. 21 "f. Upon retirement from service, a Tier II plan 22 member who is employed as a state policeman shall receive a 23 service retirement allowance which shall consist of an annuity 24 which shall be the actuarial equivalent of the member's 25 accumulated contributions at the time of retirement and a 26 pension which, when added to the member's annuity, shall be 27 equal to two and three-eighths percent (2.375%) of the Page 23 1 member's average final compensation multiplied by the member's 2 number of years of creditable service. Notwithstanding the 3 foregoing, the service retirement allowance shall not exceed 4 eighty percent (80%) of the member's average final 5 compensation. 6 "g. Anything in this article to the contrary 7 notwithstanding, in the application of the foregoing 8 provisions of this subdivision to a member whose creditable 9 service includes a period of service as a state policeman and 10 a period of service in another employment classification, the 11 benefit rates applicable to a member employed as a state 12 policeman shall apply to all creditable service as a state 13 policeman, and the benefit rates applicable to a member not 14 employed as a state policeman shall apply to all creditable 15 service, but in all other respects the pension under this 16 subdivision shall be determined on the basis of the member's 17 employment classification at the time of his or her withdrawal 18 from service. 19 "h. The annual service retirement pension payable to 20 any state employee who had attained age 60 on or before 21 October 1, 1945, who declined membership in the Employees' 22 Retirement System of Alabama in the manner prescribed in 23 Section 36-27-4 and who retires as a state employee after 24 completing a minimum of 15 years' service shall be $72.00 25 seventy-two dollars ($72) multiplied by the number of years of 26 his or her service not in excess of 25 years. Page 24 1 "(b)(1) RETIREMENT OF DISABLED EMPLOYEES; 2 ELIGIBILITY FOR DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS. 3 "a. Upon application of a Tier I plan member in 4 service or of his or her employer, any member who has had 10 5 or more years of creditable service who becomes disabled may 6 be retired on a disability retirement allowance by the Board 7 of Control not less than 30 nor more than 90 days next 8 following the date of filing of such application; provided, 9 that the medical board, after a medical examination of such 10 member, shall certify that such member is mentally or 11 physically incapacitated for the further performance of duty, 12 that such incapacity is likely to be permanent and that such 13 member should be retired. Upon the application of a Tier II 14 plan member in service or his or her employer, any member who 15 has had 10 or more years of creditable service may be retired 16 by the Board of Control on a disability retirement allowance 17 not less than 30 nor more than 90 days next following the date 18 of filing such application; provided, that the medical board, 19 after a medical examination of such member, shall certify that 20 the member is totally and permanently mentally or physically 21 incapacitated from regular and substantial gainful employment, 22 and that member should be retired. 23 "b. Without regard to the number of years of 24 creditable service, a member employed as a state policeman, a 25 municipal police officer or a deputy sheriff, or a member 26 employed as a state, municipal, or county firefighter who is 27 not covered through his or her current employer under the Page 25 1 United States Social Security Act, who as a result of his or 2 her employment, in the line of duty and not as a result of his 3 or her own misconduct, shall become permanently and totally 4 disabled to the extent that he or she cannot perform his or 5 her duties or duties of a less strenuous nature, as an 6 employee of the State of Alabama or as an employee of an 7 employer participating under the provisions of Section 8 36-27-6, shall be retired on a disability retirement 9 allowance, not less than 30 nor more than 90 days next 10 following the date of filing of such application, provided 11 that the medical board, after a medical examination of such 12 member shall certify that such member is mentally or 13 physically incapacitated for the further performance of duty, 14 that such incapacity is likely to be permanent, and that such 15 member should be retired. 16 "(2) AMOUNT OF DISABILITY RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE. 17 "a. Upon retirement for disability a member shall 18 receive a service retirement allowance if he or she is a Tier 19 I plan member and he or she has attained age 60 or if he or 20 she is a Tier II plan member and he or she has attained age 21 62, or if any law or part of any law pertaining to retirement 22 under the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama provides for 23 service retirement after the completion of 25 years of 24 creditable service without a reduction in the retirement 25 allowance and the member has completed 25 years of creditable 26 service, or, in the case of a state policeman, if he or she is 27 a Tier I plan member and he or she has attained age 52 or, in Page 26 1 the case of a state policeman or a correctional officer, 2 firefighter, or law enforcement officer as defined in Section 3 36-27-59 with at least ten 10 years of creditable service as a 4 correctional officer, firefighter, or law enforcement officer, 5 if he or she is a Tier II plan member and he or she has 6 attained age 56; otherwise, he or she shall receive a 7 disability retirement allowance which shall consist of: 8 "1. An annuity which shall be the actuarial 9 equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at the time 10 of his or her retirement; 11 "2. A pension which shall be equal to the pension 12 that would have been payable under subparagraphs 2 and 3 of 13 paragraph a. of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this 14 section upon service retirement at age 65 had the member 15 continued in service to that age without change in 16 compensation. 17 "b. The annual disability retirement pension payable 18 to a Tier I plan member not employed as a state policeman 19 retiring on or after October 1, 1975, shall not be less than 20 an amount which when added to his or her annuity is equal to 21 the greatest of the following two amounts: 22 "1. Two and one-eightieth percent of the member's 23 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 24 of creditable service. 25 "2. If he or she became a member before October 1, 26 1965, $54.00 fifty-four dollars ($54) multiplied by the number Page 27 1 of years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 25 2 years. 3 "c. The annual disability retirement pension payable 4 to a Tier I plan member employed as a state policeman retiring 5 on or after October 1, 1975, shall not be less than an amount 6 which when added to his or her annuity is equal to the greater 7 of the following two amounts: 8 "1. Two and seven-eighths percent of the member's 9 average final compensation multiplied by the number of years 10 of his or her creditable service. Creditable service for any 11 state policeman under the age of 56 years who has completed 20 12 years of creditable service as a state policeman shall include 13 a bonus equal to four additional years. Creditable service for 14 a state policeman 56 years or older shall include a bonus 15 equal to the years or portion thereof remaining until the 16 member reaches age 60; or 17 "2. If he or she became a member before October 1, 18 1965, $64.80 sixty-four dollars eighty cents ($64.80) 19 multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable 20 service not in excess of 25 years. 21 "d. The annual disability retirement allowance 22 payable to a Tier II plan member not employed as a state 23 policeman shall be equal to one and sixty-five hundredths 24 percent (1.65%) of the member's average final compensation 25 multiplied by the number of years of creditable service. 26 "e. The annual disability retirement allowance 27 payable to a Tier II plan member employed as a state policeman Page 28 1 shall be equal to two and three-eighths percent (2.375%) of 2 the member's average final compensation multiplied by the 3 number of years of creditable service. 4 "f. Anything in this chapter to the contrary 5 notwithstanding in the application of the provisions of this 6 subdivision to a member whose creditable service includes a 7 period of service as a state policeman and a period of service 8 in another employment classification the benefit rates 9 applicable to a member employed as a state policeman shall 10 apply to all creditable service as a state policeman, and the 11 benefit rates applicable to a member not employed as a state 12 policeman shall apply to all other creditable service, but in 13 all other respects the pension under this subdivision shall be 14 determined on the basis of the member's employment 15 classification at the time of his or her withdrawal from 16 service. 17 "(3) REEXAMINATION OF BENEFICIARIES RETIRED ON 18 ACCOUNT OF DISABILITY. Once each year during the first five 19 years following the retirement of a member on a disability 20 retirement allowance and once every three-year period 21 thereafter, the Board of Control may, and upon his or her 22 application shall, require any disability beneficiary who has 23 not yet attained age 60 if the beneficiary is a Tier I plan 24 member or age 62 if the beneficiary is a Tier II plan member 25 to undergo a medical examination, such examination to be made 26 at the place of residence of such beneficiary or other place 27 mutually agreed upon by a physician or physicians of or Page 29 1 designated by the medical board. Should any disability 2 beneficiary who has not yet attained age 60 if the beneficiary 3 is a Tier I plan member or age 62 if the beneficiary is a Tier 4 II plan member refuse to submit to such medical examination, 5 his or her allowance may be discontinued until his or her 6 withdrawal of such refusal, and, should his or her refusal 7 continue for one year, all his or her rights in and to his or 8 her pension may be revoked by the Board of Control; provided, 9 that these requirements relative to the medical examination 10 shall not apply in the case of a state policeman retired for 11 disability and who has attained age 52 if he or she is a Tier 12 I plan member or in the case of a state policeman or a 13 correctional officer, firefighter, or law enforcement officer 14 as defined in Section 36-27-59 with at least ten 10 years of 15 creditable service as a correctional officer, firefighter, or 16 law enforcement officer retired for disability who has 17 attained age 56 if he or she is a Tier II plan member. Should 18 the medical board report and certify to the Board of Control 19 that a disability beneficiary who is a Tier I plan member is 20 engaged in or is able to engage in a gainful occupation paying 21 more than the difference between his or her retirement 22 allowance and his or her average final compensation and should 23 the Board of Control concur in such report, then the amount of 24 his or her pension shall be reduced to an amount which, 25 together with his or her annuity and the amount earnable by 26 him or her shall equal the amount of his or her average final 27 compensation. Should his or her earning capacity be later Page 30 1 changed, the amount of his or her pension may be further 2 modified; provided, that the new pension shall not exceed the 3 amount of the pension originally granted nor an amount which, 4 when added to the amount earnable by the beneficiary, together 5 with this annuity exceeds the amount of his or her average 6 final compensation. 7 "Should the medical board report and certify to the 8 Board of Control that a disability beneficiary who is a Tier 9 II plan member has the capacity to engage in regular and 10 substantial gainful employment, the Board of Control shall 11 discontinue the beneficiary's retirement allowance until the 12 beneficiary is otherwise eligible for service retirement. 13 "(c) Disposition of contributions and allowances 14 upon death, etc., of member. 15 "(1) Should a member cease to be an employee except 16 by death or by retirement under the provisions of this 17 article, the contributions standing to the credit of his or 18 her individual account in the Annuity Savings Fund shall be 19 paid to him or her upon demand and, in addition to such 20 payment, there shall be paid five-tenths of the interest 21 accumulations standing to the credit of his or her individual 22 account if he or she shall have not less than three but less 23 than 16 years of membership service, six-tenths of such 24 interest accumulations if he or she shall have not less than 25 16 but less than 21 years of membership service, seven-tenths 26 of such interest accumulations if he or she shall have not 27 less than 21 but less than 26 years of membership service and Page 31 1 eight-tenths of such interest accumulations if he or she shall 2 have not less than 26 years of membership service. 3 "(2) In case of the death of a member eligible for 4 service retirement pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, 5 an allowance shall be paid to the surviving spouse, or to such 6 other person who the member shall have designated, in an 7 amount that would have been payable if the member had retired 8 immediately prior to his or her death and had elected Option 9 3, as set forth in subsection (d) of this section or, 10 alternatively, if the surviving spouse or other designee 11 desires, he or she may choose to receive, in lieu of the 12 allowance provided under Option 3, the accumulated 13 contributions of the member plus an amount equal to the 14 accumulated contributions of the member not to exceed 15 $5,000.00 five thousand dollars ($5,000) or the accumulated 16 contributions of the member plus the benefit provided by 17 Section 36-27B-3 if a benefit is payable under such section; 18 "(3) In case of the death of a Tier I plan member 19 not eligible for service retirement, after completion of 25 20 years of creditable service, an allowance shall be paid to the 21 surviving spouse, or to such other person who the member shall 22 have designated, in an amount that would have been payable if 23 the member had retired for disability immediately prior to his 24 or her death and had elected Option 3 as set forth in 25 subsection (d) of this section or, alternatively, if the 26 surviving spouse or other designee desires, he or she may 27 choose to receive, in lieu of the allowance provided under Page 32 1 Option 3, the accumulated contributions of the member plus an 2 amount equal to the accumulated contributions of the member 3 not to exceed $5,000.00 five thousand dollars ($5,000) or the 4 accumulated contributions of the member plus the benefit 5 provided by Section 36-27B-3 if a benefit is payable under 6 such section. For purposes of this subsection only, hazardous 7 duty time, as set forth in subdivision (b)(1) of Section 8 36-27-59, may be used in calculating the requisite years of 9 service for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and 10 correctional officers even if the member has not otherwise 11 attained 25 years of creditable service; 12 "(4) Upon the death of a member on account of whom 13 no survivor allowance is payable under subdivisions (2) or (3) 14 of this subsection, the accumulated contributions of the 15 member plus an amount equal to the accumulated contributions 16 not to exceed $5,000 five thousand dollars ($5,000) or the 17 accumulated contributions of the member plus the benefit 18 provided by Section 36-27B-3 if a benefit is payable under 19 such section shall be paid to his or her estate or to such 20 person as he or she shall have nominated by written 21 designation duly executed and filed with the Board of Control. 22 "(d) Optional allowances. With the provision that 23 the election of an option shall be effective on the effective 24 date of retirement, any member may elect prior to retirement 25 to receive, in lieu of his or her retirement allowance payable 26 throughout life, the actuarial equivalent, at that time, of Page 33 1 his or her retirement allowance in a reduced retirement 2 allowance payable throughout life with the provisions that: 3 "(1) OPTION 1. If he or she dies before he or she 4 has received in annuity payments the present value of his or 5 her annuity as it was at the time of his or her retirement, 6 the balance shall be paid to his or her legal representatives 7 or to the person as he or she shall nominate by written 8 designation duly acknowledged and filed with the Board of 9 Control; 10 "(2) OPTION 2. Upon his or her death, his or her 11 reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the 12 life of and paid to the person as he or she shall nominate by 13 written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the Board 14 of Control at the time of his or her retirement; 15 "(3) OPTION 3. Upon his or her death, one half of 16 his or her reduced allowance shall be continued throughout the 17 life of and paid to the person as he or she shall nominate by 18 written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the Board 19 of Control at the time of his or her retirement; or 20 "(4) OPTION 4. Some other benefit or benefits shall 21 be paid either to the member or to the person or persons as he 22 or she shall nominate; provided, that such other benefits, 23 together with the reduced retirement allowance, shall be 24 certified by the actuary to be of equivalent actuarial value 25 to his or her retirement allowance and shall be approved by 26 the Board of Control. Page 34 1 "(5) OPTION 5. At the time of retirement, he or she 2 shall receive a partial lump sum distribution as a single 3 payment not to exceed the sum of 24 months of the maximum 4 monthly retirement allowance the member could receive. This 5 option may be elected in addition to the election of another 6 option under this subsection and the further reduced monthly 7 retirement allowance shall be calculated in accordance with 8 the selected option. This option shall not be available to a 9 member who is receiving a disability retirement. 10 "(e) Effect of return to active service. Should any 11 beneficiary be restored to active service, his or her 12 retirement allowance shall be suspended until he or she again 13 withdraws from service and he or she shall not again become a 14 member of the retirement system nor shall he or she make 15 contributions; except, that should such beneficiary who has 16 been restored to active service continue in service for a 17 period of two or more years from the date of his or her 18 reentry into active service, he or she may request the Board 19 of Control to allow him or her to again become a member of the 20 retirement system. The Board of Control may grant the request 21 for restoration to membership; provided, that such beneficiary 22 whose retirement allowance has been suspended shall repay to 23 the system all moneys received by him or her as benefits 24 during any periods subsequent to the date of his or her 25 reentry into active service and shall make a contribution 26 equal to the amount he or she would have contributed had he or 27 she been a member during the period of his or her restoration Page 35 1 to active service on a suspended allowance basis together with 2 the interest which would have been credited to the 3 contributions on account of such period of restoration up to 4 the date such contribution is made. 5 "(f)(e)(1) REDETERMINATION, ETC., OF CERTAIN 6 ALLOWANCES. All retirement allowance payments due on or after 7 October 1, 1975, to members who retired prior to that date 8 shall be redetermined as if the provisions of this section in 9 effect on October 1, 1975, were in effect at the time the 10 member retired. Anything in this article to the contrary 11 notwithstanding, the annual retirement allowance of any member 12 not employed as a state policeman who retired on or before 13 January 1, 1956, shall not be less than $79.20 seventy-nine 14 dollars twenty cents ($79.20) multiplied by the number of 15 years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 30 16 years in the case of service retirement of $59.40 fifty-nine 17 dollars forty cents ($59.40) multiplied by the number of years 18 of his or her creditable service not in excess of 30 years in 19 the case of disability retirement. Any increase provided in 20 the retirement allowance payment under this subdivision for a 21 member who retired under the provisions of any optional 22 benefit elected pursuant to subsection (d) of this section 23 shall accrue only to the retired member, and no person 24 designated to receive any payments after the death of a 25 retired member under the provisions of any such optional 26 benefit shall receive any increase in such payments under this 27 subdivision. Notwithstanding, any member who retired prior to Page 36 1 October 1, 1975, and who chose either Option 2 or Option 3 may 2 elect to receive a reduced allowance and to stipulate that the 3 actuarial equivalent of the increase in his or her retirement 4 allowance, which became effective on that date, be ascribed to 5 his or her designated beneficiary; provided, that such member 6 shall clearly express this intention by filing a written 7 application to the effect with the Secretary-Treasurer of the 8 Employees' Retirement System of Alabama prior to October 1, 9 1976. 10 "(2) Any person who, prior to October 1, 1963, was 11 in receipt of a benefit pursuant to Act No. 376, approved 12 November 6, 1959, but was not a member of the system at the 13 time of retirement shall not be entitled to receive an annual 14 retirement allowance from the system, effective October 1, 15 1971, as follows: 16 "a. If such person was retired on or before January 17 1, 1956, an amount equal to $79.20 seventy-nine dollars twenty 18 cents ($79.20) multiplied by the number of years of his or her 19 creditable service not in excess of 30 years. 20 "b. If such person was retired after January 1, 21 1956, an amount equal to $72.00 seventy-two dollars ($72) 22 multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable 23 service not in excess of 25 years. 24 "(3) Prior to October 31, 1975, any beneficiary may 25 elect to leave on deposit with the system all or a specified 26 part of any increase in his or her monthly retirement 27 allowance payments arising in accordance with subdivisions (1) Page 37 1 or (2) of this subsection over the monthly allowance which he 2 or she was receiving prior to October 1, 1975. The portion of 3 each monthly payment left in the system in accordance with 4 such election shall be credited, together with regular 5 interest thereon, to the individual account of such 6 beneficiary. Upon the death of such beneficiary the total 7 amount standing to his or her credit, including regular 8 interest to the date of death, shall be paid in a lump sum to 9 his or her legal representatives or to such person as he or 10 she shall have nominated by written designation duly 11 acknowledged and filed with the Board of Control. 12 "(g)(f) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this 13 section to the contrary, when a designated beneficiary for a 14 member predeceases the member who is receiving a monthly 15 benefit allowance provided under Option 2, 3, or 4, the member 16 may designate a replacement beneficiary for the deceased 17 beneficiary to become effective two years after the date of 18 designation of the replacement beneficiary and an actuarial 19 adjustment in the monthly benefit allowance of the member to 20 cover any cost associated with designating a replacement 21 beneficiary shall be reflected thereafter in the monthly 22 benefit allowance received by the member, commencing with the 23 first benefit allowance check received by the member following 24 the date of designation of the replacement beneficiary. 25 "(h)(g) Notwithstanding any provision of this 26 section to the contrary, if a retired member who is receiving 27 a monthly benefit allowance provided under Option 2, 3, or 4 Page 38 1 divorces his or her designated beneficiary, the member may 2 designate a replacement beneficiary for the beneficiary to 3 become effective two years after the date of designation of 4 the replacement beneficiary and an actuarial adjustment in the 5 monthly benefit allowance of the member to cover any cost 6 associated with designating a replacement beneficiary shall be 7 reflected thereafter in the monthly benefit allowance received 8 by the member, commencing with the first benefit allowance 9 check received by the member following the date of designation 10 of the replacement beneficiary. 11 "(i)(h) Any future act to increase the retirement 12 age for Tier II plan members above the age of 62 shall require 13 a two-thirds vote of the elected membership of each house of 14 the Legislature." 15 Section 2. (a) If any person retired under the 16 Teachers' Retirement System performs duties in any capacity 17 for compensation for an employer participating in the 18 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 19 Judicial Retirement Fund, his or her retirement allowance 20 shall be suspended until termination of employment or 21 contract, unless he or she has drawn his or her retirement 22 benefit for 12 consecutive months and has not performed 23 services for compensation with any employer participating in 24 the Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, 25 or Judicial Retirement Fund during that period. The person may 26 not contribute to the retirement system and may not earn any Page 39 1 additional service credit during the period of employment or 2 contract. 3 (b) Any person retired under the Teachers’ 4 Retirement System who is serving as an elected official may 5 serve for compensation without suspension of benefits so long 6 as the position is otherwise prohibited from participating in 7 the Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, 8 or Judicial Retirement Fund. 9 (c) An employer shall pay employer contributions, as 10 provided by Section 16-25-21, Code of Alabama 1975, on all 11 earnable compensation of an employee who is retired under the 12 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 13 Judicial Retirement Fund, regardless of membership status. 14 (d) Any person retired under the Teachers' 15 Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial 16 Retirement Fund who is employed with an employer may become a 17 member by suspending his or her retirement allowance and 18 contributing to the retirement system as provided by Section 19 16-25-21, Code of Alabama 1975. 20 (e) Any person retired under the Teachers' 21 Retirement System as of the effective date of this act shall 22 be presumed to have drawn his or her retirement benefit for 12 23 consecutive months without performing services for 24 compensation for any employer participating in the Teachers' 25 Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial 26 Retirement Fund during that period. Page 40 1 (f) This section shall not apply to any person who 2 retired under the Teachers' Retirement System before the 3 effective date of this act and is drawing his or her 4 retirement benefit and participating in the Judicial 5 Retirement Fund under Chapter 18, Title 12, Code of Alabama 6 1975. 7 Section 3. (a) If any person retired under the 8 Employees' Retirement System performs duties in any capacity 9 for compensation for an employer participating in the 10 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 11 Judicial Retirement Fund, his or her retirement allowance 12 shall be suspended until termination of employment or 13 contract, unless he or she has drawn his or her retirement 14 benefit for 12 consecutive months and has not performed 15 services for compensation with any employer participating in 16 the Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, 17 or Judicial Retirement Fund during that period. The person may 18 not contribute to the retirement system and may not earn any 19 additional service credit during the period of employment or 20 contract. 21 (b) Any person retired under the Employees' 22 Retirement System who is serving as an elected official may 23 serve for compensation without suspension of benefits so long 24 as the position is otherwise prohibited from participating in 25 the Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, 26 or Judicial Retirement Fund. Page 41 1 (c) An employer shall pay employer contributions, as 2 provided by Section 36-27-24, Code of Alabama 1975, on all 3 earnable compensation of an employee who is retired under the 4 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 5 Judicial Retirement Fund, regardless of membership status. 6 (d) Any person retired under the Teachers' 7 Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial 8 Retirement Fund who is employed with an employer may become a 9 member by suspending his or her retirement allowance and 10 contributing to the retirement system as provided by Section 11 36-27-24, Code of Alabama 1975. 12 (e) Any person retired under the Employees' 13 Retirement System as of the effective date of this act shall 14 be presumed to have drawn his or her retirement benefit for 12 15 consecutive months without performing services for 16 compensation for any employer participating in the Teachers' 17 Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial 18 Retirement Fund during that period. 19 (f) This section shall not apply to any person who 20 retired under the Employees' Retirement System before the 21 effective date of this act, is drawing his or her retirement 22 benefit, and is participating in the Judicial Retirement Fund 23 under Chapter 18, Title 12, Code of Alabama 1975. 24 Section 4. (a) If any person retired under the 25 Judges' and Clerks' Plan of the Judicial Retirement Fund 26 performs duties in any capacity for compensation for an 27 employer participating in the Teachers' Retirement System, Page 42 1 Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund, his 2 or her retirement allowance shall be suspended until 3 termination of employment or contract, unless he or she has 4 drawn his or her retirement benefit for 12 consecutive months 5 and has not performed services for compensation with any 6 employer participating in the Teachers' Retirement System, 7 Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund 8 during that period. The person may not contribute to the 9 retirement system and may not earn any additional service 10 credit during the period of employment or contract. 11 (b) Any person retired under the Judges' and Clerks' 12 Plan who is serving as an elected official may serve for 13 compensation without suspension of benefits so long as the 14 position is otherwise prohibited from participating in the 15 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 16 Judicial Retirement Fund. 17 (c) An employer shall pay employer contributions, as 18 provided by Section 12-18-152, Code of Alabama 1975, on all 19 earnable compensation of an employee who is retired under the 20 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 21 Judicial Retirement Fund, regardless of membership status. 22 (d) Any person retired under the Teachers' 23 Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial 24 Retirement Fund who is employed as a judge or clerk with an 25 employer may become a member by suspending his or her 26 retirement allowance and contributing to the retirement system 27 as provided by Section 12-18-152, Code of Alabama 1975. Page 43 1 (e) Any person retired under the Judges' and Clerks' 2 Plan as of the effective date of this act shall be presumed to 3 have drawn his or her retirement benefit for 12 consecutive 4 months without performing services for compensation for any 5 employer participating in the Teachers' Retirement System, 6 Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund 7 during that period. 8 Section 5. (a) If any person retired under the 9 District Attorneys' Plan of the Judicial Retirement Fund 10 performs duties in any capacity for compensation for an 11 employer participating in the Teachers' Retirement System, 12 Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund, his 13 or her retirement allowance shall be suspended until 14 termination of employment or contract, unless he or she has 15 drawn his or her retirement benefit for 12 consecutive months 16 and has not performed services for compensation with any 17 employer participating in the Teachers' Retirement System, 18 Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund 19 during that period. The person may not contribute to the 20 retirement system and may not earn any additional service 21 credit during the period of employment or contract. 22 (b) Any person retired under the District Attorneys' 23 Plan who is serving as an elected official may serve for 24 compensation without suspension of benefits so long as the 25 position is otherwise prohibited from participating in the 26 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 27 Judicial Retirement Fund. Page 44 1 (c) An employer shall pay employer contributions, as 2 provided by Section 12-17-227.2, Code of Alabama 1975, on all 3 earnable compensation of an employee who is retired under the 4 Teachers' Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or 5 Judicial Retirement Fund, regardless of membership status. 6 (d) Any person retired under the Teachers' 7 Retirement System, Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial 8 Retirement Fund who is employed with an employer may become a 9 member by suspending his or her retirement allowance and 10 contributing to the retirement system as provided by Section 11 12-17-227.2, Code of Alabama 1975. 12 (e) Any person retired under the District Attorneys' 13 Plan as of the effective date of this act shall be presumed to 14 have drawn his or her retirement benefit for 12 consecutive 15 months without performing services for compensation for any 16 employer participating in Teachers' Retirement System, 17 Employees' Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement Fund 18 during that period. 19 Section 6. Sections 16-25-26, 29-4-6, and 36-27-8.2 20 of the Code of Alabama 1975, authorizing certain retired state 21 employees to return to work for the state, are repealed. 22 Section 7. This act shall become effective on the 23 first day of the third month following its passage and 24 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law. Page 45