99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB6021

 

Introduced , by Rep. Sam Yingling

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
40 ILCS 5/7-154  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-154
40 ILCS 5/7-159  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-159
40 ILCS 5/15-145  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-145
40 ILCS 5/15-154  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-154
40 ILCS 5/16-143.2  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-143.2

    Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), State Universities, and Downstate Teacher Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that certain annuitants who received a refund of contributions for survivor benefits may elect to repay the refund, with interest, and have their survivor benefit rights reinstated. Specifies the required time and manner of repayment. In the IMRF and State Universities Articles, requires that the annuitant (1) retired prior to June 1, 2011, and (2) is a party to a civil union, marriage, or other legal relationship that is recognized as a civil union or marriage under the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act or the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act on or after certain specified dates. Also, in the IMRF Article, extends application of a provision added by Public Act 87-850 to spouses of annuitants who die on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
PENSION IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB6021LRB099 19304 EFG 43696 b

1    AN ACT concerning public employee benefits.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing
5Sections 7-154, 7-159, 15-145, 15-154, and 16-143.2 as follows:
 
6    (40 ILCS 5/7-154)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-154)
7    Sec. 7-154. Surviving spouse annuities - Eligibility.
8    (a) A surviving spouse annuity shall be payable to the
9eligible surviving spouse of a participating employee, an
10employee annuitant, or a person who on the date of death would
11have been entitled to a retirement annuity, had he applied for
12such annuity, and who dies at any time when a surviving spouse
13annuity equals at least $5 per month, provided:
14        (1) The surviving spouse (i) was married to the
15    participating employee for at least one year on the date of
16    death, or (ii) was married to the annuitant or person
17    entitled to a retirement annuity for at least one year
18    prior to the date of termination of service, or (iii) was
19    married to the deceased annuitant for at least one year on
20    the date of the deceased annuitant's death, if at the time
21    of termination of service the deceased annuitant was
22    married for at least one year to a spouse who does not
23    survive the deceased annuitant. (Item (iii) applies to the

 

 

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1    spouses of annuitants who die on or after the effective
2    date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly,
3    notwithstanding whether the annuitant was in service on or
4    after that effective date or the effective date of Public
5    Act 87-850.)
6        (2) The male deceased employee annuitant or such other
7    person entitled to a retirement annuity had contributed to
8    this fund for surviving spouse annuity purposes for at
9    least 1 year or continuously since the effective date of
10    the participating municipality or participating
11    instrumentality.
12        (3) The female deceased employee annuitant or such
13    other person entitled to a retirement annuity was in
14    service on or after July 27, 1972, provided that the
15    annuity shall not be computed on the basis of any
16    retirement annuity effective before that date.
17        (4) If the employee dies before termination of service,
18    the employee did not exclude the spouse from any death
19    benefit or surviving spouse annuity pursuant to subsection
20    (b) of Section 7-118. A designation of beneficiary naming a
21    spouse and children jointly or a trust pursuant to
22    subsection (b) of Section 7-118 shall preclude payment of a
23    surviving spouse annuity.
24    (b) If a person is the spouse of a retiring participating
25employee on the date of the initial payment of a retirement
26annuity and is qualified to receive a surviving spouse annuity

 

 

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1upon the death of the employee and the surviving spouse
2contributions are not refunded to the employee, then a
3surviving spouse annuity shall be payable to that person even
4if the marriage to the employee is dissolved after that date.
5    (c) Eligibility of a surviving spouse shall be determined
6as of the date of death. Only one surviving spouse annuity
7shall be paid on account of the death of any employee.
8(Source: P.A. 87-740; 87-850.)
 
9    (40 ILCS 5/7-159)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-159)
10    Sec. 7-159. Surviving spouse annuity - refund of survivor
11credits.
12    (a) Any employee annuitant who (1) upon the date a
13retirement annuity begins is not then married, or (2) is
14married to a person who would not qualify for surviving spouse
15annuity if the person died on such date, is entitled to a
16refund of the survivor credits including interest accumulated
17on the date the annuity begins, excluding survivor credits and
18interest thereon credited during periods of disability, and no
19spouse shall have a right to any surviving spouse annuity from
20this Fund. If the employee annuitant reenters service and upon
21subsequent retirement has a spouse who would qualify for a
22surviving spouse annuity, the employee annuitant may pay the
23fund the amount of the refund plus interest at the effective
24rate at the date of payment. The payment shall qualify the
25spouse for a surviving spouse annuity and the amount paid shall

 

 

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1be considered as survivor contributions.
2    (b) Instead of a refund under subsection (a), the retiring
3employee may elect to convert the amount of the refund into an
4annuity, payable separately from the retirement annuity. If the
5annuitant dies before the guaranteed amount has been
6distributed, the remainder shall be paid in a lump sum to the
7designated beneficiary of the annuitant. The Board shall adopt
8any rules necessary for the implementation of this subsection.
9    (c) An annuitant who retired prior to June 1, 2011 and
10received a refund of survivor credits under subsection (a), and
11who thereafter became, and remains, either (i) a party to a
12civil union or a party to a legal relationship that is
13recognized as a civil union or marriage under the Illinois
14Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act on or after
15June 1, 2011 or (ii) a party to a marriage under the Illinois
16Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act on or after February
1726, 2014, may, within one year after the effective date of this
18amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, make an election
19to re-establish rights to a surviving spouse annuity under
20Sections 7-154 through 7-158 (notwithstanding the eligibility
21requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of Section 7-154), by paying
22to the Fund: (1) the total amount of the refund received for
23survivor credits; and (2) interest thereon at the effective
24rate from the date of the refund to the date of payment. Such
25election must be made prior to the date of death of the
26annuitant.

 

 

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1    The Fund may allow the annuitant to repay this refund over
2a period of not more than 24 months. For federal and State tax
3purposes, if a member pays in monthly installments by reducing
4the monthly benefit by the amount of the otherwise applicable
5contribution, the monthly amount by which the annuitant's
6benefit is reduced shall not be treated as a contribution by
7the annuitant but rather as a reduction of the annuitant's
8monthly benefit.
9    If an annuitant makes an election under this subsection (c)
10and the contributions required are not paid in full, an
11otherwise qualifying spouse shall be given the option to make
12an additional lump sum payment of the remaining contributions
13and qualify for a surviving spouse annuity. Otherwise, an
14additional refund representing contributions made hereunder
15shall be paid at the annuitant's death and there shall be no
16surviving spouse annuity paid.
17(Source: P.A. 90-766, eff. 8-14-98.)
 
18    (40 ILCS 5/15-145)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-145)
19    Sec. 15-145. Survivors insurance benefits; conditions and
20amounts.
21    (a) The survivors insurance benefits provided under this
22Section shall be payable to the eligible survivors of a Tier 1
23member covered under the traditional benefit package upon the
24death of (1) a participating employee with at least 1 1/2 years
25of service, (2) a participant who terminated employment with at

 

 

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1least 10 years of service, and (3) an annuitant in receipt of a
2retirement annuity or disability retirement annuity under this
3Article.
4    Service under the State Employees' Retirement System of
5Illinois, the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of
6Illinois and the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement
7Fund of Chicago shall be considered in determining eligibility
8for survivors benefits under this Section.
9    If by law, a function of a governmental unit, as defined by
10Section 20-107, is transferred in whole or in part to an
11employer, and an employee transfers employment from this
12governmental unit to such employer within 6 months after the
13transfer of this function, the service credits in the
14governmental unit's retirement system which have been
15validated under Section 20-109 shall be considered in
16determining eligibility for survivors benefits under this
17Section.
18    (b) A surviving spouse of a deceased participant, or of a
19deceased annuitant who did not take a refund or additional
20annuity consisting of accumulated survivors insurance
21contributions or who repaid the refund or additional annuity,
22shall receive a survivors annuity of 30% of the final rate of
23earnings. Payments shall begin on the day following the
24participant's or annuitant's death or the date the surviving
25spouse attains age 50, whichever is later, and continue until
26the death of the surviving spouse. The annuity shall be payable

 

 

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1to the surviving spouse prior to attainment of age 50 if the
2surviving spouse has in his or her care a deceased
3participant's or annuitant's dependent unmarried child under
4age 18 (under age 22 if a full-time student) who is eligible
5for a survivors annuity.
6    Remarriage of a surviving spouse prior to attainment of age
755 that occurs before the effective date of this amendatory Act
8of the 91st General Assembly shall disqualify him or her for
9the receipt of a survivors annuity until July 6, 2000.
10    A surviving spouse whose survivors annuity has been
11terminated due to remarriage may apply for reinstatement of
12that annuity. The reinstated annuity shall begin to accrue on
13July 6, 2000, except that if, on July 6, 2000, the annuity is
14payable to an eligible surviving child or parent, payment of
15the annuity to the surviving spouse shall not be reinstated
16until the annuity is no longer payable to any eligible
17surviving child or parent. The reinstated annuity shall include
18any one-time or annual increases received prior to the date of
19termination, as well as any increases that would otherwise have
20accrued from the date of termination to the date of
21reinstatement. An eligible surviving spouse whose expectation
22of receiving a survivors annuity was lost due to remarriage
23before attainment of age 50 shall also be entitled to
24reinstatement under this subsection, but the resulting
25survivors annuity shall not begin to accrue sooner than upon
26the surviving spouse's attainment of age 50.

 

 

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1    The changes made to this subsection by this amendatory Act
2of the 92nd General Assembly (pertaining to remarriage prior to
3age 55 or 50) apply without regard to whether the deceased
4participant or annuitant was in service on or after the
5effective date of this amendatory Act.
6    (c) Each dependent unmarried child under age 18 (under age
722 if a full-time student) of a deceased participant, or of a
8deceased annuitant who did not take a refund or additional
9annuity consisting of accumulated survivors insurance
10contributions or who repaid the refund or additional annuity,
11shall receive a survivors annuity equal to the sum of (1) 20%
12of the final rate of earnings, and (2) 10% of the final rate of
13earnings divided by the number of children entitled to this
14benefit. Payments shall begin on the day following the
15participant's or annuitant's death and continue until the child
16marries, dies, or attains age 18 (age 22 if a full-time
17student). If the child is in the care of a surviving spouse who
18is eligible for survivors insurance benefits, the child's
19benefit shall be paid to the surviving spouse.
20    Each unmarried child over age 18 of a deceased participant
21or of a deceased annuitant who had a survivor's insurance
22beneficiary at the time of his or her retirement, and who was
23dependent upon the participant or annuitant by reason of a
24physical or mental disability which began prior to the date the
25child attained age 18 (age 22 if a full-time student), shall
26receive a survivor's annuity equal to the sum of (1) 20% of the

 

 

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1final rate of earnings, and (2) 10% of the final rate of
2earnings divided by the number of children entitled to
3survivors benefits. Payments shall begin on the day following
4the participant's or annuitant's death and continue until the
5child marries, dies, or is no longer disabled. If the child is
6in the care of a surviving spouse who is eligible for survivors
7insurance benefits, the child's benefit may be paid to the
8surviving spouse. For the purposes of this Section, disability
9means inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity
10by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental
11impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has
12lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of at
13least one year.
14    (d) Each dependent parent of a deceased participant, or of
15a deceased annuitant who did not take a refund or additional
16annuity consisting of accumulated survivors insurance
17contributions or who repaid the refund or additional annuity,
18shall receive a survivors annuity equal to the sum of (1) 20%
19of final rate of earnings, and (2) 10% of final rate of
20earnings divided by the number of parents who qualify for the
21benefit. Payments shall begin when the parent reaches age 55 or
22the day following the participant's or annuitant's death,
23whichever is later, and continue until the parent dies.
24Remarriage of a parent prior to attainment of age 55 shall
25disqualify the parent for the receipt of a survivors annuity.
26    (e) In addition to the survivors annuity provided above,

 

 

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1each survivors insurance beneficiary shall, upon death of the
2participant or annuitant, receive a lump sum payment of $1,000
3divided by the number of such beneficiaries.
4    (f) The changes made in this Section by Public Act 81-712
5pertaining to survivors annuities in cases of remarriage prior
6to age 55 shall apply to each survivors insurance beneficiary
7who remarries after June 30, 1979, regardless of the date that
8the participant or annuitant terminated his employment or died.
9    The change made to this Section by this amendatory Act of
10the 91st General Assembly, pertaining to remarriage prior to
11age 55, applies without regard to whether the deceased
12participant or annuitant was in service on or after the
13effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General
14Assembly.
15    (g) On January 1, 1981, any person who was receiving a
16survivors annuity on or before January 1, 1971 shall have the
17survivors annuity then being paid increased by 1% for each full
18year which has elapsed from the date the annuity began. On
19January 1, 1982, any survivor whose annuity began after January
201, 1971, but before January 1, 1981, shall have the survivor's
21annuity then being paid increased by 1% for each year which has
22elapsed from the date the survivor's annuity began. On January
231, 1987, any survivor who began receiving a survivor's annuity
24on or before January 1, 1977, shall have the monthly survivor's
25annuity increased by $1 for each full year which has elapsed
26since the date the survivor's annuity began.

 

 

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1    (h) If the sum of the lump sum and total monthly survivor
2benefits payable under this Section upon the death of a
3participant amounts to less than the sum of the death benefits
4payable under items (2) and (3) of Section 15-141, the
5difference shall be paid in a lump sum to the beneficiary of
6the participant who is living on the date that this additional
7amount becomes payable.
8    (i) If the sum of the lump sum and total monthly survivor
9benefits payable under this Section upon the death of an
10annuitant receiving a retirement annuity or disability
11retirement annuity amounts to less than the death benefit
12payable under Section 15-142, the difference shall be paid to
13the beneficiary of the annuitant who is living on the date that
14this additional amount becomes payable.
15    (j) Effective on the later of (1) January 1, 1990, or (2)
16the January 1 on or next after the date on which the survivor
17annuity begins, if the deceased member died while receiving a
18retirement annuity, or in all other cases the January 1 nearest
19the first anniversary of the date the survivor annuity payments
20begin, every survivors insurance beneficiary shall receive an
21increase in his or her monthly survivors annuity of 3%. On each
22January 1 after the initial increase, the monthly survivors
23annuity shall be increased by 3% of the total survivors annuity
24provided under this Article, including previous increases
25provided by this subsection. Such increases shall apply to the
26survivors insurance beneficiaries of each participant and

 

 

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1annuitant, whether or not the employment status of the
2participant or annuitant terminates before the effective date
3of this amendatory Act of 1990. This subsection (j) also
4applies to persons receiving a survivor annuity under the
5portable benefit package.
6    (k) If the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
7requires that the survivors benefits be payable at an age
8earlier than that specified in this Section the benefits shall
9begin at the earlier age, in which event, the survivor's
10beneficiary shall be entitled only to that amount which is
11equal to the actuarial equivalent of the benefits provided by
12this Section.
13    (l) The changes made to this Section and Section 15-131 by
14this amendatory Act of 1997, relating to benefits for certain
15unmarried children who are full-time students under age 22,
16apply without regard to whether the deceased member was in
17service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act
18of 1997. These changes do not authorize the repayment of a
19refund or a re-election of benefits, and any benefit or
20increase in benefits resulting from these changes is not
21payable retroactively for any period before the effective date
22of this amendatory Act of 1997.
23(Source: P.A. 98-92, eff. 7-16-13.)
 
24    (40 ILCS 5/15-154)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-154)
25    Sec. 15-154. Refunds.

 

 

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1    (a) A participant whose status as an employee is
2terminated, regardless of cause, or who has been on lay off
3status for more than 120 days, and who is not on leave of
4absence, is entitled to a refund of contributions upon
5application; except that not more than one such refund
6application may be made during any academic year.
7    Except as set forth in subsections (a-1) and (a-2), the
8refund shall be the sum of the accumulated normal, additional,
9and survivors insurance contributions, plus the entire
10contribution made by the participant under Section 15-113.3,
11less the amount of interest credited on these contributions
12each year in excess of 4 1/2% of the amount on which interest
13was calculated.
14    (a-1) A person who elects, in accordance with the
15requirements of Section 15-134.5, to participate in the
16portable benefit package and who becomes a participating
17employee under that retirement program upon the conclusion of
18the one-year waiting period applicable to the portable benefit
19package election shall have his or her refund calculated in
20accordance with the provisions of subsection (a-2).
21    (a-2) The refund payable to a participant described in
22subsection (a-1) shall be the sum of the participant's
23accumulated normal and additional contributions, as defined in
24Sections 15-116 and 15-117, plus the entire contribution made
25by the participant under Section 15-113.3. If the participant
26terminates with 5 or more years of service for employment as

 

 

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1defined in Section 15-113.1, he or she shall also be entitled
2to a distribution of employer contributions in an amount equal
3to the sum of the accumulated normal and additional
4contributions, as defined in Sections 15-116 and 15-117.
5    (b) Upon acceptance of a refund, the participant forfeits
6all accrued rights and credits in the System, and if
7subsequently reemployed, the participant shall be considered a
8new employee subject to all the qualifying conditions for
9participation and eligibility for benefits applicable to new
10employees. If such person again becomes a participating
11employee and continues as such for 2 years, or is employed by
12an employer and participates for at least 2 years in the
13Federal Civil Service Retirement System, all such rights,
14credits, and previous status as a participant shall be restored
15upon repayment of the amount of the refund, together with
16compound interest thereon from the date the refund was issued
17to the date of repayment at the rate of 6% per annum through
18August 31, 1982, and at the effective rates after that date.
19When a participant in the portable benefit package who received
20a refund which included a distribution of employer
21contributions repays a refund pursuant to this Section,
22one-half of the amount repaid shall be deemed the member's
23reinstated accumulated normal and additional contributions and
24the other half shall be allocated as an employer contribution
25to the System, except that any amount repaid for previously
26purchased military service credit under Section 15-113.3 shall

 

 

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1be accounted for as such.
2    (c) Except as otherwise provided under subsection (c-5), if
3If a participant covered under the traditional benefit package
4has made survivors insurance contributions, but has no
5survivors insurance beneficiary upon retirement, he or she
6shall be entitled to elect a refund of the accumulated
7survivors insurance contributions, or to elect an additional
8annuity the value of which is equal to the accumulated
9survivors insurance contributions. This election must be made
10prior to the date the person's retirement annuity is approved
11by the System.
12    (c-5) Notwithstanding subsection (c), an annuitant who
13retired prior to June 1, 2011 and made the election under
14subsection (c), and who is either:
15        (1) a party to a civil union or a party to a legal
16    relationship that is recognized as a civil union or
17    marriage under the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection
18    and Civil Union Act on or after June 1, 2011; or
19        (2) a party to a marriage under the Illinois Marriage
20    and Dissolution of Marriage Act on or after February 26,
21    2014; or
22        (3) a party to a marriage, civil union or other legal
23    relationship that, at the time it was formed, was not
24    legally recognized in Illinois but was subsequently
25    recognized as a civil union or marriage under the Illinois
26    Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act on or

 

 

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1    after June 1, 2011, a marriage under the Illinois Marriage
2    and Dissolution of Marriage Act on or after February 26,
3    2014, or both;
4may make an election to repay the refund or additional annuity
5payments received, together with compound interest thereon at
6the actuarially assumed rate of return from the date the refund
7was issued or the date each additional annuity payment was
8issued to the date of repayment. Proof of the party status
9requirement in item (1), (2), or (3) shall be furnished to the
10System in the form of a valid marriage certificate or a civil
11union certificate with any additional requirements the Board
12prescribes by rulemaking. The election to repay must be
13received by the System within one year after the effective date
14of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly. The
15repayment shall be made as a lump sum payment prior to the date
16of the annuitant's death.
17    Upon such repayment, all forfeited survivors insurance
18benefit rights and credits under Section 15-145 shall be
19restored. This repayment right shall not alter or modify any
20eligibility requirement for survivors insurance beneficiaries
21under this Article applicable upon the annuitant's death. The
22repayment shall be irrevocable upon the date of repayment. No
23person shall have a claim or right to the repaid amounts in a
24manner not otherwise provided for under this Article in the
25event that: the marriage or civil union existing at the time of
26the repayment is dissolved, annulled, or declared invalid by a

 

 

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1court of competent jurisdiction; or the other party to the
2marriage or civil union predeceases the annuitant or otherwise
3fails to qualify as a survivors insurance beneficiary upon the
4annuitant's death.
5    (d) A participant, upon application, is entitled to a
6refund of his or her accumulated additional contributions
7attributable to the additional contributions described in the
8last sentence of subsection (c) of Section 15-157. Upon the
9acceptance of such a refund of accumulated additional
10contributions, the participant forfeits all rights and credits
11which may have accrued because of such contributions.
12    (e) A participant who terminates his or her employee status
13and elects to waive service credit under Section 15-154.2, is
14entitled to a refund of the accumulated normal, additional and
15survivors insurance contributions, if any, which were credited
16the participant for this service, or to an additional annuity
17the value of which is equal to the accumulated normal,
18additional and survivors insurance contributions, if any;
19except that not more than one such refund application may be
20made during any academic year. Upon acceptance of this refund,
21the participant forfeits all rights and credits accrued because
22of this service.
23    (f) If a police officer or firefighter receives a
24retirement annuity under Rule 1 or 3 of Section 15-136, he or
25she shall be entitled at retirement to a refund of the
26difference between his or her accumulated normal contributions

 

 

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1and the normal contributions which would have accumulated had
2such person filed a waiver of the retirement formula provided
3by Rule 4 of Section 15-136.
4    (g) If, at the time of retirement, a participant would be
5entitled to a retirement annuity under Rule 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 of
6Section 15-136, or under Section 15-136.4, that exceeds the
7maximum specified in clause (1) of subsection (c) of Section
815-136, he or she shall be entitled to a refund of the employee
9contributions, if any, paid under Section 15-157 after the date
10upon which continuance of such contributions would have
11otherwise caused the retirement annuity to exceed this maximum,
12plus compound interest at the effective rates.
13(Source: P.A. 99-450, eff. 8-24-15.)
 
14    (40 ILCS 5/16-143.2)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-143.2)
15    Sec. 16-143.2. Refund of contributions for survivor
16benefits at retirement.
17    (a) If at the time of applying for a retirement annuity
18under Section 16-132, or while in receipt of such a retirement
19annuity, a member does not have a dependent beneficiary as
20defined in paragraph (3) of Section 16-140, such member may be
21granted, upon written request, a refund of actual contributions
22for survivor benefits, without interest. Members will be
23eligible for a refund of contributions for survivor benefits as
24provided in the previous sentence notwithstanding the fact that
25they began receiving retirement benefits prior to this

 

 

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1amendatory Act of 1985. Acceptance of the refund will forfeit
2all rights to survivor benefits under Sections 16-140 through
316-143.
4    (b) Except as provided under subsection (c), an An
5annuitant who reestablishes membership following acceptance of
6refund of contributions for survivor benefits under subsection
7(a) of this Section may reinstate eligibility for benefits
8provided under Sections 16-140 through 16-143 only through: (1)
9repayment of such refund together with regular interest thereon
10from the date of the refund to the date of repayment, and (2)
11completion of one year of creditable service following
12acceptance of such refund. If membership is reestablished and
13the above conditions (1) and (2) are not met, an additional
14refund, representing contributions made following the previous
15refund will be provided upon the member's death or retirement,
16whichever is applicable.
17    (c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), an annuitant who has
18received a refund under subsection (a) may, within one year
19after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th
20General Assembly, make an election to reestablish rights to
21survivor benefits under Sections 16-140 through 16-143 by
22paying to the System:
23        (1) the total amount of the refund received for actual
24    contributions; and
25        (2) interest on the amount of the refund at a rate
26    deemed by the System to be equal to the actual rate of

 

 

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1    return experienced by the System during the period starting
2    at the receipt of the refund and ending when the annuitant
3    has made an election under this subsection (c).
4    The System may allow an individual to repay this refund
5through: a tax-deferred lump sum payment in full; substantially
6equal monthly installments over a 24-month period by reducing
7the annuitant's monthly benefit over a 24-month period by the
8amount of the otherwise applicable contribution; or a
9combination thereof. For federal and State tax purposes, the
10monthly amount by which the annuitant's benefit is reduced
11shall not be treated as a contribution by the annuitant, but
12rather as a reduction of the annuitant's monthly benefit.
13    If a member makes an election under this subsection (c) and
14the contributions required in items (1) and (2) of this
15subsection (c) are not paid in full, an additional refund
16representing contributions made following the previous refund
17shall be provided when the member dies.
18(Source: P.A. 87-794.)
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20becoming law.