Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB448 Latest Draft

Bill / Engrossed Version Filed 04/26/2023

                            RBH No. 8175 
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ENGROSSED HOUSE AMENDME NT 
 TO 
ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO . 448 By: Montgomery of the Senate 
 
  and 
 
  Lepak of the House 
 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to retirement benefits payment; 
amending 20 O.S. 2021, Section 110 2C, which relates 
to payment to members of the Un iform Retirement 
System for Justices and Judges; conforming language; 
amending 74 O.S. 2021, Section 918, which rela tes to 
payment to members of the Oklahoma Public Employees 
Retirement System; conforming language; and providing 
an effective date. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AMENDMENT NO. 1.  Strike the title, enacting clause, and entire bill 
and insert: 
 
 
"An Act relating to retirement benefits payment; 
amending 20 O.S. 2021, Section 110 2C, which relates 
to the Uniform Retirement System for Justices and 
Judges; conforming language; providing that spousal 
consent is not required for certain election; 
amending 74 O.S. 2021, Sections 918 and 935.7, which 
relate to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement 
System; conforming language; providing that spousal 
consent is not required for certain election; 
authorizing that certain contributions be used as 
permitted by federal l aw; and providing an effective 
date. 
 
 
  RBH No. 8175 
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY    20 O.S. 2021, Section 1102C, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 1102C. A.  Except as otherwi se provided for in this 
section and Section 1104.2 of this title, members who join the 
Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges on September 1, 
2005, or thereafter, may elect to have the retirement benefit paid 
under one of the options provided in this section in lieu of having 
it paid in the form stated in Section 1104 of this title. The 
election of an option must be made prior to the member ’s retirement 
date or to receipt of a benefit after termination of service with a 
vested benefit.  A specif ic person must be designated as joint 
annuitant at the time of the election of Option A or B. Election of 
an option is available with respect to the vested benefit.  All 
retirement benefits of a married member shall be paid pursuant to 
the Option A plan or Option B plan as provided for in this section 
unless the spouse of a member consents in writing for the unreduced 
benefits to be paid as provided for in S ection 1104 of this t itle. 
The spouse of the member is not required to consent in writing to 
the election of the Option B plan by the member. 
B.  The amount of retirement benefit payable under an option 
shall be based on the age and sex of the member and the age and sex 
of the joint annuitant at the reti rement date, and sha ll be such  RBH No. 8175 
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amount as to be the actuarial equivalent of the retirement benefit 
otherwise payable under Section 1104 of this title. 
C.  The retirement options are: 
Option A.  Joint and one -half to joint annuit ant survivor.  A 
reduced retirement benefit is pa yable to the retiree during h is or 
her lifetime with one-half (1/2) of that amount continued to the 
joint annuitant during such joint annuitant’s remaining lifetime, if 
any, after the death of the retiree.  If the named joint annuitant 
dies at any time aft er the member’s retirement date, but before the 
death of the retiree, the retiree shall return to the unreduced 
retirement benefit, including any postretirement post-retirement 
benefit increases, the member would have received had the member not 
selected Option A.  The benefit shall be det ermined at the date of 
death of the named joint annuitant.  This increase shall become 
effective the first day of the month following the date of death of 
the named joint annuitant, and shall be payable for the retiree ’s 
remaining lifetime.  The retiree sh all notify the Uniform Retirement 
System for Justices and Judges of the death of the named joint 
annuitant in writing.  In the absence of the written no tice being 
filed by the member notifying the Uniform Retirement Sy stem for 
Justices and Judges of the de ath of the named joint annuitant within 
six (6) months of the date of death, nothing in this subsection 
shall require the Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges 
to pay more than six (6) months of retrospecti ve benefits increase.  RBH No. 8175 
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Option B.  Joint and survivor.  A reduced retirement benefit is 
payable to the retiree during his or her lifetime with that amount 
continued to the joint annuitant duri ng the joint annuitan t’s 
remaining lifetime, if any, after the dea th of the retiree.  If the 
named joint annuitant dies at any time after the member’s retirement 
date, but before the death of the retiree, the retiree shall return 
to the unreduced retiremen t benefit, including any postretirement 
post-retirement benefit increases, the member would have receive d 
had the member not selected Option B. The benefit shall be 
determined at the date of death of the named joint annuitant.  This 
increase shall become effective the first d ay of the month following 
the date of death of th e named joint annuitant, and shall be payable 
for the retiree’s remaining lifetime.  The retiree shall notify the 
Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges of the death of 
the named joint annuitant i n writing.  In the absence of such 
written notice being filed by the member notifyi ng the Uniform 
Retirement System for Justices and Judges of the death of the named 
joint annuitant within six (6) months of the date of death, nothing 
in this subsection sha ll require the Uniform Retirement System for 
Justices and Judges to pay more than s ix (6) months of retrospective 
benefits increase. 
D.  If a member who is eligible to retire in accordance with the 
provisions of this section or Section 1104 of this title b ut is not 
actually retired or is eligible to vest or has elected a vested  RBH No. 8175 
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benefit dies, the member’s spouse may elect to receive benefits as a 
joint annuitant under Option B, calculated as if the member retired 
on the date of death, in lieu of receiving th e member’s accumulated 
contributions.  However, n o benefits shall be payable before the 
date the deceased member would have met the requirements for a 
normal or early retirement.  The provisions of this paragraph shall 
be applicable to a surviving spouse o f a deceased member who died 
prior to the effective date of this act September 1, 2005, but only 
if no benefits or distributions have been previously paid. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     74 O.S. 2021, Section 918, is 
amended to read as fol lows: 
Section 918. (1)  Except as otherwise prov ided for in this 
section and Section 918.1 of this title, a member may elect to have 
the retirement benefit paid under one of the options provided in 
this section in lieu of having it paid in the form stated in Section 
915 of this title.  The election of a n option must be made at any 
time prior to retirement or prior to termination of service with a 
vested benefit.  A specific person must be designated as joint 
annuitant at the time of election of Option A or B.  Election of an 
option is available with resp ect to the vested benefit.  Al l 
retirement benefits of a married member shall be paid pursuant to 
the Option A plan or Option B plan as provided for in this section 
unless the spouse of a member consents in writing for the benefits 
to be paid as provided f or in Section 915 of this titl e or pursuant  RBH No. 8175 
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to Option C as provided for in this section. The spouse of the 
member is not required to consent in writing to the election of the 
Option B plan by the member. 
(2)  The amount of retirement benefit payable under an option 
shall be based on the age and sex of the member and the age and sex 
of the joint annuitant, and shall be such amount as to be the 
actuarial equivalent of the retirement benefi t otherwise payable 
under Section 915 of this title. 
(3)  The retirement options are: 
Option A.  Joint and one-half to joint annuitant survivor.  A 
reduced retirement benefit is payable to the retiree during his or 
her lifetime with one -half (1/2) of that amount continued to t he 
joint annuitant during such joint annuitant ’s remaining lifetime, if 
any, after the death of the retiree.  If the named joint annuitant 
dies at any time after the member’s retirement date, but before the 
death of the retiree, the re tiree shall return to the retirement 
benefit, including any post -retirement benefit increases the m ember 
would have received had the member not selected Option A.  The 
benefit shall be determined at the date of death of the named joint 
annuitant or July 1, 1994, whichever is l ater.  This increase shall 
become effective the f irst day of the month followi ng the date of 
death of the named joint annuitant or July 1, 1994, whichever is 
later, and shall be payable for the retiree’s remaining lifetime.  
The retiree shall notify the Ok lahoma Public Employees Retirement  RBH No. 8175 
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System of the death of the named joint annu itant in writing. In the 
absence of the written notice being filed by the member notifying 
the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System of the death of t he 
named joint annuitant within six (6) months of the date of death, 
nothing in this subsection sha ll require the Oklahoma Public 
Employees Retirement System to pay more than six (6) months of 
retrospective benefits increase. 
Option B.  Joint and survivor.  A reduced retirement benefit is 
payable to the retiree during his or her lifetime with that amoun t 
continued to the joint annuitant during the joint annuitant’s 
remaining lifetime, if any, after the death of the retiree.  If the 
named joint annuitant die s at any time after t he member’s retirement 
date, but before the death of the retiree, the retiree shall return 
to the retirement benefit, including any post retirement post-
retirement benefit increases the member would have received had the 
member not selected Option B.  The benefit shall be determined at 
the date of death of the named joint annuitant or Ju ly 1, 1994, 
whichever is later.  This increase shall become effective the first 
day of the month following the date of death of the named joint 
annuitant or July 1, 1994, wh ichever is later, and shall be payable 
for the retiree’s remaining lifetime.  The r etiree shall notify the 
Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System of the death of the 
named joint annuitant in writing.  In the absence of such writte n 
notice being filed by the member notifying the Oklahoma Public  RBH No. 8175 
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Employees Retirement System of the deat h of the named joint 
annuitant within six (6) months of the date of death, nothing in 
this subsection shall require the Oklahoma Public Employees 
Retirement System to pay mo re than six (6) months of retrospective 
benefits increase. 
Option C.  Life with ten (10) years certain.  A reduced 
retirement benefit is payable to the retiree during his or her 
lifetime and if the retiree dies within the ten -year certain period, 
measured from the commencement of retirement benefits paym ents, such 
payments will be contin ued to the beneficiary during the balance of 
the ten-year certain period.  If the retiree dies within the ten-
year certain period, and there are no livi ng designated 
beneficiaries, the person responsible for the estate of the retiree 
may elect for the esta te to be paid the benefits for the remainder 
of the term or to receive the present value of the remaining benefit 
payments according to rules adopted by the Board of Trustee s of the 
System.  If the retiree predeceases a de signated beneficiary within 
the ten-year certain period, and the beneficiary dies after the 
beneficiary has begun to receive benefits, the person responsible 
for the estate of the benefi ciary may elect for t he estate to be 
paid the benefits for the remaind er of the term or to receive the 
present value of the remaining benefit payments according to rules 
adopted by the Board of Trustees of the System.  RBH No. 8175 
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(4)  If the selection of a joint annui tant would violate th e 
distribution requirements contained in Section 918.1 of this title, 
such selection will not be permitted. 
(5) If a member who is eligible to retire in accordance with 
the provisions of Section 914 of this title but is not actually 
retired or is eligible to vest or has elected a vested benefit dies, 
the member’s spouse may elect to rec eive benefits as a joint 
annuitant under Option B calculated as if the member retired on the 
date of death, in lieu of receiving the member ’s accumulated 
contributions.  However, no benefits shall be payable before the 
date the deceased member would have m et the requirements for a 
normal or early retirement.  The provisions of this paragraph shall 
be applicable to a surviving spouse of a deceased member w ho died 
prior to the effective date of this act July 1, 2002, but only if no 
benefits or distributions h ave been previously paid. 
(6)  Benefits payable to a joint annuitant shall accrue from the 
first day of the month following the death of a member or ret iree 
and, in the case of Option A and Option B, shall end on the last day 
of the month in which the join t annuitant dies. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     74 O.S. 2021, Section 935.7, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 935.7 A.  Participating employees shal l at all times be 
vested at one hundred percent ( 100%) of their accounts containing 
solely their employee contributions, and the gains or losses on  RBH No. 8175 
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these contributions.  Pa rticipating employees will have investment 
discretion over thes e accounts within the available options offered 
by the Board. 
B.  Participating employees shall be vested with respe ct to the 
employer matching amounts, and the gains or losses on these funds, 
deposited into their defined contribution system account or acc ounts 
according to the following schedule based on years of participat ing 
service: 
Year 1 	20%  
Year 2 	40%  
Year 3 	60%  
Year 4 	80%  
Year 5 and thereafter 100% 
C. Participating employees will ha ve investment discretion over 
all employer contributions. 
D.  For purposes of determ ining a participating employee's right 
to withdraw employer matching contributions and any inve stment gains 
upon such employer contribution matching amounts, the vesting 
percentages apply at the end of each full year of service as 
described in subsection B of this section. 
E.  For participating employees who do not select any investment 
options, the OPERS Board will establish default investment options 
for the contributions received from participating employees and 
default investment op tions for matching em ployer contributions.  RBH No. 8175 
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F.  To the extent that part icipants leave employment and have 
not vested in all of the employer contributions, the nonvested 
employer contributions, i ncluding any gains or losses, shall be 
immediately forfeited to the 401(a) plan and may be used to offset 
costs of administering the plan or as permitted by federal law .  
Upon reemployment with an employer and satisfying the eligibility 
requirements to become a participant , the reemployed participant 
shall receive credit for previous serv ice and be vested at the same 
percentage the participant was vested when service was previously 
terminated.  However, under no circumstances shall the participant 
be entitled to any previou sly forfeited employer contributions. 
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effe ctive November 1, 2023." 
Passed the House of Representatives the 25th day of April, 2023. 
 
 
 
 
  
Presiding Officer of the House of 
 	Representatives 
 
 
Passed the Senate the ____ day of _______ ___, 2023. 
 
 
 
 
  
Presiding Officer of the Senate 
   
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE 
BILL NO. 448 	By: Montgomery of the Senate 
 
  and 
 
  Lepak of the House 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to retirement benefits payment; 
amending 20 O.S. 2021, Section 110 2C, which relates 
to payment to members of the Unif orm Retirement 
System for Justices and Judges; conforming language; 
amending 74 O.S. 2021, Section 918, which rela tes to 
payment to members of the Oklahoma Public Employees 
Retirement System; conforming language; and providing 
an effective date. 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 5.     AMENDATORY     20 O.S. 2021, Section 1102C, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 1102C. A.  Except as otherwi se provided for in this 
section and Section 1104.2 of t his title, members wh o join the 
Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges on September 1, 
2005, or thereafter, may elect to have th e retirement benefit paid 
under one of the options provided in this section in lieu of having 
it paid in the form sta ted in Section 1104 o f this title. The 
election of an option must be made prior to the member ’s retirement 
date or to receipt of a benefit after termination of service with a 
vested benefit.  A specif ic person must be designated as joint 
annuitant at the time of the election of Option A or B. Election of   
 
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an option is available with respect to the vested benefit.  All 
retirement benefits of a married member shall be paid pursuant to 
the Option A plan or Option B plan as provided for in this section 
unless the spouse of a membe r consents in writing for the unreduced 
benefits to be paid as provided for in Section 1104 of this title.  
The spouse of the member is not required to consent in writing to 
the election of the Option B plan by t he member. 
B.  The amount of retirement bene fit payable under an option 
shall be based on the age and sex of the member and the age and sex 
of the joint annuitant at the reti rement date, and shall be such 
amount as to be the actuarial equivalent of the ret irement benefit 
otherwise payable under Sect ion 1104 of this title. 
C.  The retirement options are: 
Option A.  Joint and one -half to joint annuitant survivor.  A 
reduced retirement benefit is payable to the retiree during h is or 
her lifetime with one -half (1/2) of that amount c ontinued to the 
joint annuitant during such joint annuitant ’s remaining lifetime, if 
any, after the death of the retiree.  If the named joint annuitant 
dies at any time after the member ’s retirement date, but before the 
death of the retiree, the retiree sh all return to the unre duced 
retirement benefit, including any postretirement post-retirement 
benefit increases, the member would have received had the member not 
selected Option A.  The benefit shall be det ermined at the date of 
death of the named joint annuitant.  This increase shall become   
 
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effective the first day of the month following the date of death of 
the named joint annuitant, and shall be payable for the retiree ’s 
remaining lifetime.  The retiree sh all notify the Uniform Retirement 
System for Justices and Judges of the death of the named joint 
annuitant in writing.  In the absence of the written notice being 
filed by the member notifying the Uniform Retirement Sy stem for 
Justices and Judges of the de ath of the named joint annuitant within 
six (6) months of the date of death, nothing in this subsection 
shall require the Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges 
to pay more than six (6) months of retrospecti ve benefits increase. 
Option B.  Joint and survivor.  A reduced retirement benefit is 
payable to the retiree during his or her lifetime with that amount 
continued to the joint annuitant during the joint annuitant ’s 
remaining lifetime, if any, after the dea th of the retiree.  If the 
named joint annuitant dies at any time after the member’s retirement 
date, but before the death of the retiree, the retiree shall return 
to the unreduced retirement benefit, including any postretirement 
post-retirement benefit increases, the mem ber would have receive d 
had the member not select ed Option B.  The benefi t shall be 
determined at the date of death of the named joint annuitant.  This 
increase shall become effective the first day of the month following 
the date of death of the named join t annuitant, and shall be payable 
for the retiree’s remaining lifetime.  The retiree shall notify the 
Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges of the death of   
 
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the named joint annuitant in writing.  In the absence of such 
written notice being filed by the member notifyi ng the Uniform 
Retirement System for Justices and J udges of the death of the named 
joint annuitant within six (6) months of the date of death, nothing 
in this subsection shall require the Uniform Retirement System for 
Justices and Judges to pay more than s ix (6) months of retrospect ive 
benefits increase. 
D.  If a member who is eligible to retire in accordance with the 
provisions of this section or Section 1104 of this title but is not 
actually retired or is eligible to vest or has elec ted a vested 
benefit dies, the member’s spouse may elect to receive benef its as a 
joint annuitant under Option B, calculated as if the member retired 
on the date of death, in lieu of receiving the member ’s accumulated 
contributions.  However, no benefits s hall be payable before the 
date the deceased memb er would have met the re quirements for a 
normal or early retirement.  The provisions of this paragraph shall 
be applicable to a surviving spouse of a deceased member who died 
prior to the effective date of t his act September 1, 2005, but only 
if no benefits or distributions have been previously paid. 
SECTION 6.     AMENDATORY     74 O.S. 2021, Section 918, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 918. (1)  Except as otherwise provided for in this 
section and Section 918.1 of this title, a me mber may elect to have 
the retirement benefit paid under one of the options provided in   
 
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this section in lieu of having it paid in the form stated in Section 
915 of this title.  The election of an option must be made at any 
time prior to retirement or prior to termination of service with a 
vested benefit.  A specific person must be designated as joint 
annuitant at the time of election of Option A or B.  Election of an 
option is available with respect to the vested benefit.  Al l 
retirement benefits of a marri ed member shall be paid pursuant to 
the Option A plan or Option B plan as provided for in this section 
unless the spouse of a member consents in writing for the benefits 
to be paid as provided for in Section 915 of this titl e or pursuant 
to Option C as provided for in this section. The spouse of the 
member is not required to consent in writing to the election of the 
Option B plan by the member. 
(2)  The amount of retirement benefit payable under an option 
shall be based on the age and sex of the member and the age and sex 
of the joint annuitant, and shall be such amount as to be the 
actuarial equivalent of the retirement benefit otherwise payable 
under Section 915 of this title. 
(3)  The retirement options are: 
Option A.  Joint and one-half to joint annuita nt survivor.  A 
reduced retirement benefit is payable to the retiree during his or 
her lifetime with one -half (1/2) of that amount continued to the 
joint annuitant during such joint annuitant ’s remaining lifetime, if 
any, after the death of the retiree.  I f the named joint annuitant   
 
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dies at any time after the member’s retirement date, but before the 
death of the retiree, the retiree shall return to the retirement 
benefit, including any post -retirement benefit increases the m ember 
would have received had the member not selected Option A.  The 
benefit shall be determined at the date of death of the named joint 
annuitant or July 1, 1994, whichever is later.  This increase shall 
become effective the first day of the month followi ng the date of 
death of the named joint annuitant or July 1, 1994, whichever is 
later, and shall be payable for the retiree ’s remaining lifetime.  
The retiree shall notify the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement 
System of the death of the named joint annu itant in writing.  In the 
absence of the written notice being filed by the member notifying 
the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System of the death of the 
named joint annuitant within six (6) months of the date of death, 
nothing in this subsection sha ll require the Oklahoma Public 
Employees Retirement System to pay more than six (6) months of 
retrospective benefits increase. 
Option B.  Joint and survivor.  A reduced retirement benefit is 
payable to the retiree during his or her lifetime with that amoun t 
continued to the joint annuitan t during the joint annuitant’s 
remaining lifetime, if any, after the death of the retiree.  If the 
named joint annuitant dies at any time after the member ’s retirement 
date, but before the death of the retiree, the retiree shall return 
to the retirement be nefit, including any post retirement post-  
 
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retirement benefit increases the member would have received had the 
member not selected Option B.  The benefit shall be determined at 
the date of death of the named joint annuitant or Ju ly 1, 1994, 
whichever is later.  This increase shal l become effective the first 
day of the month following the date of death of the named joint 
annuitant or July 1, 1994, whichever is later, and shall be payable 
for the retiree’s remaining lifetime.  The r etiree shall notify the 
Oklahoma Public Employees R etirement System of the death of the 
named joint annuitant in writing.  In the absence of such written 
notice being filed by the member notifying the Oklahoma Public 
Employees Retirement System of the deat h of the named joint 
annuitant within six (6) month s of the date of death, nothing in 
this subsection shall require the Oklahoma Public Employees 
Retirement System to pay more than six (6) months of retrospective 
benefits increase. 
Option C.  Life with ten (10) years certain.  A reduced 
retirement benefit is payable to the retiree during his or her 
lifetime and if the retiree dies within the ten -year certain period, 
measured from the commencement of retirement benefits payments, such 
payments will be contin ued to the beneficiary during the balance of 
the ten-year certain period.  If the retiree dies within the ten-
year certain period, and there are no living designated 
beneficiaries, the person responsible for the estate of the retiree 
may elect for the esta te to be paid the benefits for the remainder   
 
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of the term or to receive the present value of the remaining benefit 
payments according to rules adopted by the Board of Trustees of the 
System.  If the retiree predeceases a designated beneficiary within 
the ten-year certain period, and the beneficiary dies aft er the 
beneficiary has begun to receive benefits, the person responsible 
for the estate of the beneficiary may elect for the estate to be 
paid the benefits for the remainder of the term or to receive the 
present value of the remaining benefit payments acco rding to rules 
adopted by the Board of Trustees of the System. 
(4)  If the selection of a joint annuitant would violate the 
distribution requirements contained in Section 918.1 of this title, 
such selection will not be permitted. 
(5) If a member who is el igible to retire in accordance with 
the provisions of Section 914 of this title but is not actually 
retired or is eligible to vest or has elected a vested benefit dies, 
the member’s spouse may elect to rec eive benefits as a joint 
annuitant under Option B c alculated as if the member retired on the 
date of death, in lieu of receiving the member ’s accumulated 
contributions.  However, no benefits shall be payable before the 
date the deceased member would have m et the requirements for a 
normal or early retiremen t.  The provisions of this paragraph shall 
be applicable to a surviving spouse of a deceased member who died 
prior to the effective date of this act July 1, 2002, but only if no 
benefits or distributions h ave been previously paid .   
 
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(6)  Benefits payable to a joint annuitant sha ll accrue from the 
first day of the month following the death of a member or retiree 
and, in the case of Option A and Option B, shall end on the last day 
of the month in which the join t annuitant dies. 
SECTION 7.  This act shall become effe ctive November 1, 2023. 
Passed the Senate the 14th day of March, 2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 
2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives