Senate Bill sb1258c2

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    Florida Senate - 2003                    CS for CS for SB 1258

    By the Committees on Appropriations; Governmental Oversight
    and Productivity; and Senator Bennett




    309-2551-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to agency reorganization;

  3         transferring the Division of Retirement and its

  4         powers, duties, functions, components, and

  5         assets from the Department of Management

  6         Services to the State Board of Administration;

  7         amending s. 110.205, F.S.; providing status of

  8         division personnel under the Career Service

  9         System; amending ss. 20.22, 20.28, 112.05,

10         112.3173, 112.352, 112.354, 112.356, 112.358,

11         112.361, 112.362, 112.363, 112.625, 112.63,

12         112.64, 112.658, 112.661, 112.665, 121.021,

13         121.025, 121.031, 121.051, 121.0511, 121.0515,

14         121.052, 121.055, 121.081, 121.085, 121.091,

15         121.095, 121.101, 121.111, 121.133, 121.135,

16         121.136, 121.1815, 121.1905, 121.192, 121.193,

17         121.22, 121.23, 121.24, 121.30, 121.35, 121.40,

18         121.45, 121.4501, 121.403, 121.591, 121.5911,

19         121.72, 121.73, 121.74, 175.032, 175.121,

20         175.1215, 175.341, 185.02, 185.10, 185.105,

21         185.23, 215.20, 215.28, 215.44, 215.50, 215.52,

22         238.01, 238.02, 238.03, 238.05, 238.07, 238.08,

23         238.09, 238.10, 238.11, 238.12, 238.14, 238.15,

24         238.171, 238.181, 238.32, 650.02, 650.06,

25         122.02, 122.03, 122.05, 122.06, 122.07, 122.08,

26         122.09, 122.10, 122.12, 122.13, 122.15, 122.16,

27         122.23, 122.30, 122.34, 122.351, F.S., to

28         conform to such transfer; providing duties of

29         the Department of Financial Services with

30         respect to issuing benefit payments under

31         retirement plans; providing an effective date.

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 1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

 2  

 3         Section 1.  The Division of Retirement of the

 4  Department of Management Services is transferred to the State

 5  Board of Administration. All powers, duties, functions,

 6  records, personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

 7  appropriations, allocations, and other funds relating to the

 8  Division of Retirement are transferred by a type one transfer,

 9  as defined in section 20.06, Florida Statutes, to the State

10  Board of Administration. This act does not alter or amend the

11  powers, operations, or functioning of the State Board of

12  Administration with respect to its duties, responsibilities,

13  and authority existing prior to the enactment of this

14  legislation.

15         Section 2.  Paragraphs (g) and (h) of subsection (2) of

16  section 20.22, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

17         20.22  Department of Management Services.--There is

18  created a Department of Management Services.

19         (2)  The following divisions and programs within the

20  Department of Management Services are established:

21         (g)  Division of Retirement.

22         (g)(h)  Division of State Group Insurance.

23         Section 3.  Section 20.28, Florida Statutes, is amended

24  to read:

25         20.28  State Board of Administration.--The State Board

26  of Administration, continued by s. 4(e), Art. IV s. 9, Art.

27  XII of the State Constitution, retains all of its powers,

28  duties, and functions as prescribed by law. There is

29  established under the State Board of Administration a Division

30  of Retirement, which shall be subject to the direction of the

31  

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 1  executive director of the board who is the agency head of the

 2  division for purposes of chapter 120.

 3         Section 4.  Paragraph (u) of subsection (2) of section

 4  110.205, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         110.205  Career service; exemptions.--

 6         (2)  EXEMPT POSITIONS.--The exempt positions that are

 7  not covered by this part include the following:

 8         (u)  All officers and employees of the State Board of

 9  Administration, including its Division of Retirement. The

10  State Board of Administration shall set the salaries and

11  benefits of these positions.

12         Section 5.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section

13  112.05, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

14         112.05  Retirement; cost-of-living adjustment;

15  employment after retirement.--

16         (4)

17         (b)  Any person to whom the limitation in paragraph (a)

18  applies who violates such reemployment limitation and is

19  reemployed with any agency participating in the Florida

20  Retirement System prior to completion of the 12-month

21  limitation period shall give timely notice of this fact in

22  writing to the employer and to the Department of Management

23  Services Division; and the person's retirement benefits shall

24  be suspended for the balance of the 12-month limitation

25  period. Any person employed in violation of this subsection

26  and any employing agency which knowingly employs or appoints

27  such person without notifying the Department of Management

28  Services to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

29  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

30  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

31  period. To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have a

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 1  written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

 2  retired from a state-administered retirement system. Any

 3  retirement benefits received by such person while reemployed

 4  during this limitation period shall be repaid to the

 5  retirement trust fund, and the retirement benefits shall

 6  remain suspended until such repayment has been made. Any

 7  benefits suspended beyond the reemployment limitation period

 8  shall apply toward the repayment of benefits received in

 9  violation of the reemployment limitation.

10         Section 6.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of section

11  112.3173, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

12         112.3173  Felonies involving breach of public trust and

13  other specified offenses by public officers and employees;

14  forfeiture of retirement benefits.--

15         (4)  NOTICE.--

16         (d)  The Commission on Ethics shall forward any notice

17  and any other document received by it pursuant to this

18  subsection to the governing body of the public retirement

19  system of which the public officer or employee is a member or

20  from which the public officer or employee may be entitled to

21  receive a benefit. When called on by the Commission on Ethics,

22  the Division of Retirement of the State Board of

23  Administration Department of Management Services shall assist

24  the commission in identifying the appropriate public

25  retirement system.

26         Section 7.  Subsections (2), (4), (5), (7), and (8) of

27  section 112.363, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

28         112.363  Retiree health insurance subsidy.--

29         (2)  ELIGIBILITY FOR RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE

30  SUBSIDY.--

31  

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 1         (a)  A person who is retired under a state-administered

 2  retirement system, or a beneficiary who is a spouse or

 3  financial dependent entitled to receive benefits under a

 4  state-administered retirement system, is eligible for health

 5  insurance subsidy payments provided under this section; except

 6  that pension recipients under ss. 121.40, 238.07(16)(a), and

 7  250.22, recipients of health insurance coverage under s.

 8  110.1232, or any other special pension or relief act shall not

 9  be eligible for such payments.

10         (b)  For purposes of this section, a person is deemed

11  retired from a state-administered retirement system when he or

12  she terminates employment with all employers participating in

13  the Florida Retirement System as described in s. 121.021(39)

14  and:

15         1.  For a participant of the Public Employee Optional

16  Retirement Program established under part II of chapter 121,

17  the participant meets the age or service requirements to

18  qualify for normal retirement as set forth in s. 121.021(29).

19         2.  For a member of the Florida Retirement System

20  defined benefit program, or any employee who maintains

21  creditable service under both the defined benefit program and

22  the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program, the member

23  begins drawing retirement benefits from the defined benefit

24  program of the Florida Retirement System.

25         (c)1.  Effective July 1, 2001, any person retiring on

26  or after such date as a member of the Florida Retirement

27  System, including any participant of the defined contribution

28  program administered pursuant to part II of chapter 121, must

29  have satisfied the vesting requirements for his or her

30  membership class under the Florida Retirement System defined

31  benefit program as administered under part I of chapter 121.

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 1         2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph 1.,

 2  a person retiring due to disability must either qualify for a

 3  regular or in-line-of-duty disability benefit as provided in

 4  s. 121.091(4) or qualify for a disability benefit under a

 5  disability plan established under part II of chapter 121, as

 6  appropriate.

 7         (d)  Payment of the retiree health insurance subsidy

 8  shall be made only after coverage for health insurance for the

 9  retiree or beneficiary has been certified in writing to the

10  Division of Retirement of the State Board of Administration

11  Department of Management Services. Participation in a former

12  employer's group health insurance program is not a requirement

13  for eligibility under this section.

14         (e)  Participants in the Senior Management Service

15  Optional Annuity Program as provided in s. 121.055(6) and the

16  State University System Optional Retirement Program as

17  provided in s. 121.35 shall not receive the retiree health

18  insurance subsidy provided in this section. The employer of

19  such participant shall pay the contributions required in

20  subsection (8) to the annuity program provided in s.

21  121.055(6)(d) or s. 121.35(4)(a), as applicable.

22         (4)  PAYMENT OF RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE

23  SUBSIDY.--Beginning January 1, 1988, any monthly retiree

24  health insurance subsidy amount due and payable under this

25  section shall be paid to retired members by the Division of

26  Retirement of the State Board of Administration Department of

27  Management Services or under the direction and control of the

28  division department.

29         (5)  TRUST FUND ESTABLISHED.--There is hereby

30  established a trust fund in the state treasury to be entitled

31  the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund, which shall

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 1  be administered by the State Board of Administration. Said

 2  trust fund shall be used to account for all moneys received

 3  and disbursed pursuant to this section.  Should funding for

 4  the retiree health insurance subsidy program fail to provide

 5  full benefits for all participants, the benefits may be

 6  reduced or canceled at any time.

 7         (7)  ADMINISTRATION OF SYSTEM.--The Division of

 8  Retirement of the State Board of Administration Department of

 9  Management Services may adopt such rules and regulations as

10  are necessary for the effective and efficient administration

11  of this section. The cost of administration is shall be

12  appropriated from the trust fund.

13         (8)  CONTRIBUTIONS.--For purposes of funding the

14  insurance subsidy provided by this section:

15         (a)  Beginning October 1, 1987, the employer of each

16  member of a state-administered retirement plan shall

17  contribute 0.24 percent of gross compensation each pay period.

18         (b)  Beginning January 1, 1989, the employer of each

19  member of a state-administered retirement plan shall

20  contribute 0.48 percent of gross compensation each pay period.

21         (c)  Beginning January 1, 1994, the employer of each

22  member of a state-administered retirement plan shall

23  contribute 0.56 percent of gross compensation each pay period.

24         (d)  Beginning January 1, 1995, the employer of each

25  member of a state-administered retirement plan shall

26  contribute 0.66 percent of gross compensation each pay period.

27         (e)  Beginning July 1, 1998, the employer of each

28  member of a state-administered retirement plan shall

29  contribute 0.94 percent of gross compensation each pay period.

30  

31  

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 1         (f)  Beginning July 1, 2001, the employer of each

 2  member of a state-administered plan shall contribute 1.11

 3  percent of gross compensation each pay period.

 4  

 5  Such contributions shall be submitted to the Division of

 6  Retirement of the State Board of Administration Department of

 7  Management Services and deposited in the Retiree Health

 8  Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund.

 9         Section 8.  Subsection (10) is added to section

10  112.625, Florida Statutes, to read:

11         112.625  Definitions.--As used in this act:

12         (10)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of

13  the State Board of Administration.

14         Section 9.  Subsections (2) and (4) of section 112.63,

15  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

16         112.63  Actuarial reports and statements of actuarial

17  impact; review.--

18         (2)  The frequency of actuarial reports must be at

19  least every 3 years commencing from the last actuarial report

20  of the plan or system or October 1, 1980, if no actuarial

21  report has been issued within the 3-year period prior to

22  October 1, 1979. The results of each actuarial report shall be

23  filed with the plan administrator within 60 days of

24  certification. Thereafter, the results of each actuarial

25  report shall be made available for inspection upon request.

26  Additionally, each retirement system or plan covered by this

27  act which is not administered directly by the division

28  Department of Management Services shall furnish a copy of each

29  actuarial report to the division Department of Management

30  Services within 60 days after receipt from the actuary. The

31  requirements of this section are supplemental to actuarial

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 1  valuations necessary to comply with the requirements of ss.

 2  218.321 and 218.39.

 3         (4)  Upon receipt, pursuant to subsection (2), of an

 4  actuarial report, or upon receipt, pursuant to subsection (3),

 5  of a statement of actuarial impact, the division Department of

 6  Management Services shall acknowledge such receipt, but shall

 7  only review and comment on each retirement system's or plan's

 8  actuarial valuations at least on a triennial basis. If the

 9  division department finds that the actuarial valuation is not

10  complete, accurate, or based on reasonable assumptions, or if

11  the division department does not receive the actuarial report

12  or statement of actuarial impact, the division department

13  shall notify the local government and request appropriate

14  adjustment. If, after a reasonable period of time, a

15  satisfactory adjustment is not made, the affected local

16  government or the division department may petition for a

17  hearing under the provisions of ss. 120.569 and 120.57. If the

18  administrative law judge recommends in favor of the division

19  department, the division department shall perform an actuarial

20  review or prepare the statement of actuarial impact. The cost

21  to the division department of performing such actuarial review

22  or preparing such statement shall be charged to the

23  governmental entity of which the employees are covered by the

24  retirement system or plan. If payment of such costs is not

25  received by the division department within 60 days after

26  receipt by the governmental entity of the request for payment,

27  the division department shall certify to the Comptroller the

28  amount due, and the Comptroller shall pay such amount to the

29  division department from any funds payable to the governmental

30  entity of which the employees are covered by the retirement

31  system or plan. If the administrative law judge recommends in

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 1  favor of the local retirement system and the division

 2  department performs an actuarial review, the cost to the

 3  division department of performing the actuarial review shall

 4  be paid by the division department .

 5         Section 10.  Subsection (1) of section 112.64, Florida

 6  Statutes, is amended to read:

 7         112.64  Administration of funds; amortization of

 8  unfunded liability.--

 9         (1)  Employee contributions shall be deposited in the

10  retirement system or plan at least monthly. Employer

11  contributions shall be deposited at least quarterly; however,

12  any revenues received from any source by an employer which are

13  specifically collected for the purpose of allocation for

14  deposit into a retirement system or plan shall be so deposited

15  within 30 days of receipt by the employer. All employers and

16  employees participating in the Florida Retirement System and

17  other existing retirement systems which are administered by

18  the division Department of Management Services shall continue

19  to make contributions at least monthly.

20         Section 11.  Subsections (1) and (3) of section

21  112.658, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

22         112.658  Office of Program Policy Analysis and

23  Government Accountability to determine compliance of the

24  Florida Retirement System.--

25         (1)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and

26  Government Accountability shall determine, through the

27  examination of actuarial reviews, financial statements, and

28  the practices and procedures of the Division of Retirement

29  Department of Management Services, the compliance of the

30  Florida Retirement System with the provisions of this act.

31  

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 1         (3)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and

 2  Government Accountability shall employ the same actuarial

 3  standards to monitor the division Department of Management

 4  Services as the division Department of Management Services

 5  uses to monitor local governments.

 6         Section 12.  Subsections (9), (16), and (17) of section

 7  112.661, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 8         112.661  Investment policies.--Investment of the assets

 9  of any local retirement system or plan must be consistent with

10  a written investment policy adopted by the board. Such

11  policies shall be structured to maximize the financial return

12  to the retirement system or plan consistent with the risks

13  incumbent in each investment and shall be structured to

14  establish and maintain an appropriate diversification of the

15  retirement system or plan's assets.

16         (9)  EXPECTED ANNUAL RATE OF RETURN.--The investment

17  policy shall require that, for each actuarial valuation, the

18  board determine the total expected annual rate of return for

19  the current year, for each of the next several years, and for

20  the long term thereafter. This determination must be filed

21  promptly with the division Department of Management Services

22  and with the plan's sponsor and the consulting actuary. The

23  division department shall use this determination only to

24  notify the board, the plan's sponsor, and consulting actuary

25  of material differences between the total expected annual rate

26  of return and the actuarial assumed rate of return.

27         (16)  FILING OF INVESTMENT POLICY.--Upon adoption by

28  the board, the investment policy shall be promptly filed with

29  the division Department of Management Services and the plan's

30  sponsor and consulting actuary. The effective date of the

31  investment policy, and any amendment thereto, shall be the

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 1  31st calendar day following the filing date with the plan

 2  sponsor.

 3         (17)  VALUATION OF ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS.--The

 4  investment policy shall provide for the valuation of illiquid

 5  investments for which a generally recognized market is not

 6  available or for which there is no consistent or generally

 7  accepted pricing mechanism. If those investments are utilized,

 8  the investment policy must include the criteria set forth in

 9  s. 215.47(6), except that submission to the Investment

10  Advisory Council is not required. The investment policy shall

11  require that, for each actuarial valuation, the board must

12  verify the determination of the fair market value for those

13  investments and ascertain that the determination complies with

14  all applicable state and federal requirements. The investment

15  policy shall require that the board disclose to the division

16  Department of Management Services and the plan's sponsor each

17  such investment for which the fair market value is not

18  provided.

19         Section 13.  Section 112.665, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         112.665  Duties of Division of Retirement Department of

22  Management Services.--

23         (1)  The Division of Retirement Department of

24  Management Services shall:

25         (a)  Gather, catalog, and maintain complete,

26  computerized data information on all public employee

27  retirement systems or plans in the state, based upon a review

28  of audits, reports, and other data pertaining to the systems

29  or plans;

30  

31  

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 1         (b)  Receive and comment upon all actuarial reviews of

 2  retirement systems or plans maintained by units of local

 3  government;

 4         (c)  Cooperate with local retirement systems or plans

 5  on matters of mutual concern and provide technical assistance

 6  to units of local government in the assessment and revision of

 7  retirement systems or plans;

 8         (d)  Issue, by January 1 annually, a report to the

 9  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of

10  Representatives, which report details division activities,

11  findings, and recommendations concerning all governmental

12  retirement systems. The report may include legislation

13  proposed to carry out such recommendations;

14         (e)  Issue, by January 1 annually, a report to the

15  Special District Information Program of the Department of

16  Community Affairs that includes the participation in and

17  compliance of special districts with the local government

18  retirement system provisions in s. 112.63 and the

19  state-administered retirement system provisions as specified

20  in part I of chapter 121; and

21         (f)  Adopt reasonable rules to administer the

22  provisions of this part.

23         (2)  The division department may subpoena actuarial

24  witnesses, review books and records, hold hearings, and take

25  testimony. A witness shall have the right to be accompanied by

26  counsel.

27         Section 14.  Subsections (4), (5), (32), and (36) and

28  paragraph (a) of subsection (39) of section 121.021, Florida

29  Statutes, are amended, and subsection (62) is added to that

30  section, to read:

31  

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 1         121.021  Definitions.--The following words and phrases

 2  as used in this chapter have the respective meanings set forth

 3  unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:

 4         (4)  "Division Department" means the Division of

 5  Retirement of the State Board of Administration Department of

 6  Management Services.

 7         (5)  "Administrator" means the executive director of

 8  the State Board of Administration secretary of the Department

 9  of Management Services.

10         (32)  "State agency" means the Division of Retirement

11  Department of Management Services within the provisions and

12  contemplation of chapter 650.

13         (36)  "System Trust Fund" means the trust fund

14  established in the State Treasury by this chapter and

15  administered by the State Board of Administration for the

16  purpose of holding and investing the contributions paid by

17  members and employers and paying the benefits to which members

18  or their beneficiaries may become entitled.  Other trust funds

19  may be established in the State Treasury to administer the

20  "System Trust Fund."

21         (39)(a)  "Termination" occurs, except as provided in

22  paragraph (b), when a member ceases all employment

23  relationships with employers under this system, as defined in

24  subsection (10), but in the event a member should be employed

25  by any such employer within the next calendar month,

26  termination shall be deemed not to have occurred. A leave of

27  absence shall constitute a continuation of the employment

28  relationship, except that a leave of absence without pay due

29  to disability may constitute termination for a member, if such

30  member makes application for and is approved for disability

31  retirement in accordance with s. 121.091(4). The division

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 1  department may require other evidence of termination as it

 2  deems necessary.

 3         (62)  "Board" means the State Board of Administration.

 4         Section 15.  Section 121.025, Florida Statutes, is

 5  amended to read:

 6         121.025  Administrator; powers and duties.--The

 7  executive director of the State Board of Administration

 8  secretary of the Department of Management Services shall be

 9  the administrator of the retirement and pension systems

10  assigned or transferred to the division Department of

11  Management Services by law. The executive director of the

12  State Board of Administration is the trustee of the System

13  Trust Fund and shall have the authority to sign the contracts

14  necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities

15  assigned by law to the division Department of Management

16  Services.

17         Section 16.  Subsections (1), (2), and (5) and

18  paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section 121.031, Florida

19  Statutes, are amended to read:

20         121.031  Administration of system; appropriation;

21  oaths; actuarial studies; public records.--

22         (1)  The division Department of Management Services has

23  the authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and

24  120.54 to implement the provisions of law conferring duties

25  upon the division department and to adopt rules as are

26  necessary for the effective and efficient administration of

27  this system. The funds to pay the expenses for administration

28  of the system are hereby appropriated from the interest earned

29  on investments made for the retirement and social security

30  trust funds and the assessments allowed under chapter 650.

31  

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 1         (2)  The division Department of Management Services is

 2  authorized to require oaths, by affidavit or otherwise, and

 3  acknowledgments from persons in connection with the

 4  administration of its duties and responsibilities under this

 5  chapter.

 6         (3)  The administrator shall cause an actuarial study

 7  of the system to be made at least annually and shall report

 8  the results of such study to the Legislature by December 31

 9  prior to the next legislative session. The study shall, at a

10  minimum, conform to the requirements of s. 112.63, with the

11  following exceptions and additions:

12         (e)  The study shall include measures of funding status

13  and funding progress designed to facilitate the assessment of

14  trends over several actuarial valuations with respect to the

15  overall solvency of the system. Such measures shall be adopted

16  by the division department and shall be used consistently in

17  all actuarial valuations performed on the system.

18         (5)  The names and addresses of retirees are

19  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) to

20  the extent that no state or local governmental agency may

21  provide the names or addresses of such persons in aggregate,

22  compiled, or list form to any person except to a public agency

23  engaged in official business. However, a state or local

24  government agency may provide the names and addresses of

25  retirees from that agency to a bargaining agent as defined in

26  s. 447.203(12) or to a retiree organization for official

27  business use. Lists of names or addresses of retirees may be

28  exchanged by public agencies, but such lists shall not be

29  provided to, or open for inspection by, the public. Any person

30  may view or copy any individual's retirement records at the

31  division Department of Management Services, one record at a

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 1  time, or may obtain information by a separate written request

 2  for a named individual for which information is desired.

 3         Section 17.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and

 4  paragraphs (b) and (f) of subsection (2) of section 121.051,

 5  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 6         121.051  Participation in the system.--

 7         (1)  COMPULSORY PARTICIPATION.--

 8         (c)1.  After June 30, 1983, a member of an existing

 9  system who is reemployed after terminating employment shall

10  have at the time of reemployment the option of selecting to

11  remain in the existing retirement system or to transfer to the

12  Florida Retirement System. Failure to submit such selection in

13  writing to the division Department of Management Services

14  within 6 months of reemployment shall result in compulsory

15  membership in the Florida Retirement System.

16         2.  After June 30, 1988, the provisions of subparagraph

17  1. shall not apply to a member of an existing system who is

18  reemployed within 12 months after terminating employment. Such

19  member shall continue to have membership in the existing

20  system upon reemployment and shall not be permitted to become

21  a member of the Florida Retirement System, except by

22  transferring to that system as provided in ss. 121.052 and

23  121.055.

24         (2)  OPTIONAL PARTICIPATION.--

25         (b)1.  The governing body of any municipality or

26  special district in the state may elect to participate in the

27  system upon proper application to the administrator and may

28  cover all or any of its units as approved by the Secretary of

29  Health and Human Services and the administrator. The division

30  department shall adopt rules establishing provisions for the

31  submission of documents necessary for such application. Prior

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 1  to being approved for participation in the Florida Retirement

 2  System, the governing body of any such municipality or special

 3  district that has a local retirement system shall submit to

 4  the administrator a certified financial statement showing the

 5  condition of the local retirement system as of a date within 3

 6  months prior to the proposed effective date of membership in

 7  the Florida Retirement System. The statement must be certified

 8  by a recognized accounting firm that is independent of the

 9  local retirement system. All required documents necessary for

10  extending Florida Retirement System coverage must be received

11  by the division department for consideration at least 15 days

12  prior to the proposed effective date of coverage. If the

13  municipality or special district does not comply with this

14  requirement, the division department may require that the

15  effective date of coverage be changed.

16         2.  Any city or special district that has an existing

17  retirement system covering the employees in the units that are

18  to be brought under the Florida Retirement System may

19  participate only after holding a referendum in which all

20  employees in the affected units have the right to participate.

21  Only those employees electing coverage under the Florida

22  Retirement System by affirmative vote in said referendum shall

23  be eligible for coverage under this chapter, and those not

24  participating or electing not to be covered by the Florida

25  Retirement System shall remain in their present systems and

26  shall not be eligible for coverage under this chapter. After

27  the referendum is held, all future employees shall be

28  compulsory members of the Florida Retirement System.

29         3.  The governing body of any city or special district

30  complying with subparagraph 1. may elect to provide, or not

31  provide, benefits based on past service of officers and

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 1  employees as described in s. 121.081(1). However, if such

 2  employer elects to provide past service benefits, such

 3  benefits must be provided for all officers and employees of

 4  its covered group.

 5         4.  Once this election is made and approved it may not

 6  be revoked, except pursuant to subparagraphs 5. and 6., and

 7  all present officers and employees electing coverage under

 8  this chapter and all future officers and employees shall be

 9  compulsory members of the Florida Retirement System.

10         5.  Subject to the conditions set forth in subparagraph

11  6., the governing body of any hospital licensed under chapter

12  395 which is governed by the board of a special district as

13  defined in s. 189.403(1) or by the board of trustees of a

14  public health trust created under s. 154.07, hereinafter

15  referred to as "hospital district," and which participates in

16  the system, may elect to cease participation in the system

17  with regard to future employees in accordance with the

18  following procedure:

19         a.  No more than 30 days and at least 7 days before

20  adopting a resolution to partially withdraw from the Florida

21  Retirement System and establish an alternative retirement plan

22  for future employees, a public hearing must be held on the

23  proposed withdrawal and proposed alternative plan.

24         b.  From 7 to 15 days before such hearing, notice of

25  intent to withdraw, specifying the time and place of the

26  hearing, must be provided in writing to employees of the

27  hospital district proposing partial withdrawal and must be

28  published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area

29  affected, as provided by ss. 50.011-50.031. Proof of

30  publication of such notice shall be submitted to the division

31  Department of Management Services.

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 1         c.  The governing body of any hospital district seeking

 2  to partially withdraw from the system must, before such

 3  hearing, have an actuarial report prepared and certified by an

 4  enrolled actuary, as defined in s. 112.625(3), illustrating

 5  the cost to the hospital district of providing, through the

 6  retirement plan that the hospital district is to adopt,

 7  benefits for new employees comparable to those provided under

 8  the Florida Retirement System.

 9         d.  Upon meeting all applicable requirements of this

10  subparagraph, and subject to the conditions set forth in

11  subparagraph 6., partial withdrawal from the system and

12  adoption of the alternative retirement plan may be

13  accomplished by resolution duly adopted by the hospital

14  district board. The hospital district board must provide

15  written notice of such withdrawal to the division by mailing a

16  copy of the resolution to the division, postmarked no later

17  than December 15, 1995. The withdrawal shall take effect

18  January 1, 1996.

19         6.  Following the adoption of a resolution under

20  sub-subparagraph 5.d., all employees of the withdrawing

21  hospital district who were participants in the Florida

22  Retirement System prior to January 1, 1996, shall remain as

23  participants in the system for as long as they are employees

24  of the hospital district, and all rights, duties, and

25  obligations between the hospital district, the system, and the

26  employees shall remain in full force and effect. Any employee

27  who is hired or appointed on or after January 1, 1996, may not

28  participate in the Florida Retirement System, and the

29  withdrawing hospital district shall have no obligation to the

30  system with respect to such employees.

31  

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 1         (f)1.  Whenever an employer that participates in the

 2  Florida Retirement System undertakes the transfer, merger, or

 3  consolidation of governmental services or functions, the

 4  employer must notify the division department at least 60 days

 5  prior to such action and shall provide documentation as

 6  required by the division department.

 7         2.  When the agency to which a member's employing unit

 8  is transferred, merged, or consolidated does not participate

 9  in the Florida Retirement System, a member shall elect in

10  writing to remain in the Florida Retirement System or to

11  transfer to the local retirement system operated by such

12  agency. If such agency does not participate in a local

13  retirement system, the member shall continue membership in the

14  Florida Retirement System. In either case, the membership

15  shall continue for as long as the member is employed by the

16  agency to which his or her unit was transferred, merged, or

17  consolidated.

18         Section 18.  Subsection (2) of section 121.0511,

19  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

20         121.0511  Revocation of election and alternative

21  plan.--The governing body of any municipality or independent

22  special district that has elected to participate in the

23  Florida Retirement System may revoke its election in

24  accordance with the following procedure:

25         (2)  At least 7 days, but not more than 15 days, before

26  the hearing, notice of intent to revoke, specifying the time

27  and place of the hearing, must be published in a newspaper of

28  general circulation in the area affected, as provided by ss.

29  50.011-50.031. Proof of publication of the notice must be

30  submitted to the division Department of Management Services.

31  

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 1         Section 19.  Subsections (3) and (4) and paragraph (c)

 2  of subsection (7) of section 121.0515, Florida Statutes, are

 3  amended to read:

 4         121.0515  Special risk membership.--

 5         (3)  PROCEDURE FOR DESIGNATING.--

 6         (a)  Any member of the Florida Retirement System

 7  employed by a county, city, or special district who feels that

 8  he or she meets the criteria set forth in this section for

 9  membership in the Special Risk Class may request that his or

10  her employer submit an application to the division department

11  requesting that the division department designate him or her

12  as a special risk member. If the employer agrees that the

13  member meets the requirements for special risk membership, the

14  employer shall submit an application to the division

15  department in behalf of the employee containing a

16  certification that the member meets the criteria for special

17  risk membership set forth in this section and such other

18  supporting documentation as may be required by administrative

19  rule. The division department shall, within 90 days, either

20  designate or refuse to designate the member as a special risk

21  member. If the employer declines to submit the member's

22  application to the division department or if the division

23  department does not designate the member as a special risk

24  member, the member or the employer may appeal to the State

25  Retirement Commission, as provided in s. 121.23, for

26  designation as a special risk member. A member who receives a

27  final affirmative ruling pursuant to such appeal for special

28  risk membership shall have special risk membership retroactive

29  to the date such member would have had special risk membership

30  had such membership been approved by the employer and the

31  division department, as determined by the division department,

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 1  and the employer contributions shall be paid in full within 1

 2  year after such final ruling.

 3         (b)1.  Applying the criteria set forth in this section,

 4  the division Department of Management Services shall specify

 5  which current and newly created classes of positions under the

 6  uniform classification plan established pursuant to chapter

 7  110 entitle the incumbents of positions in those classes to

 8  membership in the Special Risk Class. Only employees employed

 9  in the classes so specified shall be special risk members.

10         2.  When a class is not specified by the division

11  department as provided in subparagraph 1., the employing

12  agency may petition the State Retirement Commission for

13  approval in accordance with s. 121.23.

14         (4)  REMOVAL OF SPECIAL RISK MEMBERSHIP.--Any member

15  who is a special risk member on October 1, 1978, and who fails

16  to meet the criteria for special risk membership established

17  by this section shall have his or her special risk designation

18  removed and thereafter shall be a regular member and shall

19  earn only regular membership credit. The division department

20  shall have the authority to review the special risk

21  designation of members to determine whether or not those

22  members continue to meet the criteria for special risk

23  membership.

24         (7)  RETENTION OF SPECIAL RISK NORMAL RETIREMENT

25  DATE.--

26         (c)  The division department shall adopt such rules as

27  are required to administer this subsection.

28         Section 20.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section

29  121.052, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

30         121.052  Membership class of elected officers.--

31  

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 1         (3)  PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL,

 2  GENERALLY.--Effective July 1, 1990, participation in the

 3  Elected Officers' Class shall be compulsory for elected

 4  officers listed in paragraphs (2)(a)-(d) and (f) assuming

 5  office on or after said date, unless the elected officer

 6  elects membership in another class or withdraws from the

 7  Florida Retirement System as provided in paragraphs

 8  (3)(a)-(d):

 9         (e)  Effective July 1, 2001, the governing body of a

10  municipality or special district may, by majority vote, elect

11  to designate all its elected positions for inclusion in the

12  Elected Officers' Class. Such election shall be made between

13  July 1, 2001, and December 31, 2001, and shall be irrevocable.

14  The designation of such positions shall be effective the first

15  day of the month following receipt by the division department

16  of the ordinance or resolution passed by the governing body.

17         Section 21.  Paragraphs (b) and (h) of subsection (1)

18  and paragraphs (a), (c), (d), and (f) of subsection (6) of

19  section 121.055, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

20         121.055  Senior Management Service Class.--There is

21  hereby established a separate class of membership within the

22  Florida Retirement System to be known as the "Senior

23  Management Service Class," which shall become effective

24  February 1, 1987.

25         (1)

26         (b)1.  Except as provided in subparagraph 2., effective

27  January 1, 1990, participation in the Senior Management

28  Service Class shall be compulsory for the president of each

29  community college, the manager of each participating city or

30  county, and all appointed district school superintendents.

31  Effective January 1, 1994, additional positions may be

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 1  designated for inclusion in the Senior Management Service

 2  Class of the Florida Retirement System, provided that:

 3         a.  Positions to be included in the class shall be

 4  designated by the local agency employer. Notice of intent to

 5  designate positions for inclusion in the class shall be

 6  published once a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper

 7  of general circulation published in the county or counties

 8  affected, as provided in chapter 50.

 9         b.  Up to 10 nonelective full-time positions may be

10  designated for each local agency employer reporting to the

11  division Department of Management Services; for local agencies

12  with 100 or more regularly established positions, additional

13  nonelective full-time positions may be designated, not to

14  exceed 1 percent of the regularly established positions within

15  the agency.

16         c.  Each position added to the class must be a

17  managerial or policymaking position filled by an employee who

18  is not subject to continuing contract and serves at the

19  pleasure of the local agency employer without civil service

20  protection, and who:

21         (I)  Heads an organizational unit; or

22         (II)  Has responsibility to effect or recommend

23  personnel, budget, expenditure, or policy decisions in his or

24  her areas of responsibility.

25         2.  In lieu of participation in the Senior Management

26  Service Class, members of the Senior Management Service Class

27  pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph 1. may withdraw

28  from the Florida Retirement System altogether. The decision to

29  withdraw from the Florida Retirement System shall be

30  irrevocable for as long as the employee holds such a position.

31  Any service creditable under the Senior Management Service

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 1  Class shall be retained after the member withdraws from the

 2  Florida Retirement System; however, additional service credit

 3  in the Senior Management Service Class shall not be earned

 4  after such withdrawal. Such members shall not be eligible to

 5  participate in the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

 6  Program.

 7         (h)1.  Except as provided in subparagraph 3., effective

 8  January 1, 1994, participation in the Senior Management

 9  Service Class shall be compulsory for the State Courts

10  Administrator and the Deputy State Courts Administrators, the

11  Clerk of the Supreme Court, the Marshal of the Supreme Court,

12  the Executive Director of the Justice Administrative

13  Commission, the Capital Collateral Regional Counsels, the

14  clerks of the district courts of appeals, the marshals of the

15  district courts of appeals, and the trial court administrator

16  and the Chief Deputy Court Administrator in each judicial

17  circuit. Effective January 1, 1994, additional positions in

18  the offices of the state attorney and public defender in each

19  judicial circuit may be designated for inclusion in the Senior

20  Management Service Class of the Florida Retirement System,

21  provided that:

22         a.  Positions to be included in the class shall be

23  designated by the state attorney or public defender, as

24  appropriate. Notice of intent to designate positions for

25  inclusion in the class shall be published once a week for 2

26  consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation

27  published in the county or counties affected, as provided in

28  chapter 50.

29         b.  One nonelective full-time position may be

30  designated for each state attorney and public defender

31  reporting to the division Department of Management Services;

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 1  for agencies with 200 or more regularly established positions

 2  under the state attorney or public defender, additional

 3  nonelective full-time positions may be designated, not to

 4  exceed 0.5 percent of the regularly established positions

 5  within the agency.

 6         c.  Each position added to the class must be a

 7  managerial or policymaking position filled by an employee who

 8  serves at the pleasure of the state attorney or public

 9  defender without civil service protection, and who:

10         (I)  Heads an organizational unit; or

11         (II)  Has responsibility to effect or recommend

12  personnel, budget, expenditure, or policy decisions in his or

13  her areas of responsibility.

14         2.  Participation in this class shall be compulsory,

15  except as provided in subparagraph 3., for any judicial

16  employee who holds a position designated for coverage in the

17  Senior Management Service Class, and such participation shall

18  continue until the employee terminates employment in a covered

19  position. Effective January 1, 2001, participation in this

20  class is compulsory for assistant state attorneys, assistant

21  statewide prosecutors, assistant public defenders, and

22  assistant capital collateral regional counsels. Effective

23  January 1, 2002, participation in this class is compulsory for

24  assistant attorneys general.

25         3.  In lieu of participation in the Senior Management

26  Service Class, such members, excluding assistant state

27  attorneys, assistant public defenders, assistant statewide

28  prosecutors, assistant attorneys general, and assistant

29  capital collateral regional counsels, may participate in the

30  Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program as

31  established in subsection (6).

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 1         (6)(a)  Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

 2  Program.--The State Board of Administration Department of

 3  Management Services shall establish a Senior Management

 4  Service Optional Annuity Program under which contracts

 5  providing retirement, death, and disability benefits may be

 6  purchased for those employees who elect to participate in the

 7  optional annuity program. The benefits to be provided for or

 8  on behalf of participants in such optional annuity program

 9  shall be provided through individual contracts or individual

10  certificates issued for group annuity contracts, which may be

11  fixed, variable, or a combination thereof, in accordance with

12  s. 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Any such individual

13  contract or certificate shall state the annuity plan on its

14  face page, and shall include, but not be limited to, a

15  statement of ownership, the contract benefits, annuity income

16  options, limitations, expense charges, and surrender charges,

17  if any. The employing agency shall contribute, as provided in

18  this section, toward the purchase of such optional benefits

19  which shall be fully and immediately vested in the

20  participants.

21         (c)  Participation.--

22         1.  Any eligible employee who is employed on or before

23  February 1, 1987, may elect to participate in the optional

24  annuity program in lieu of participation in the Senior

25  Management Service Class. Such election shall be made in

26  writing and filed with the board department and the personnel

27  officer of the employer on or before May 1, 1987. Any eligible

28  employee who is employed on or before February 1, 1987, and

29  who fails to make an election to participate in the optional

30  annuity program by May 1, 1987, shall be deemed to have

31  elected membership in the Senior Management Service Class.

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 1         2.  Any employee who becomes eligible to participate in

 2  the optional annuity program by reason of initial employment

 3  commencing after February 1, 1987, may, within 90 days after

 4  the date of commencement of employment, elect to participate

 5  in the optional annuity program. Such election shall be made

 6  in writing and filed with the personnel officer of the

 7  employer. Any eligible employee who does not within 90 days

 8  after commencement of such employment elect to participate in

 9  the optional annuity program shall be deemed to have elected

10  membership in the Senior Management Service Class.

11         3.  A person who is appointed to a position in the

12  Senior Management Service Class and who is a member of an

13  existing retirement system or the Special Risk or Special Risk

14  Administrative Support Classes of the Florida Retirement

15  System may elect to remain in such system or class in lieu of

16  participation in the Senior Management Service Class or

17  optional annuity program. Such election shall be made in

18  writing and filed with the board department and the personnel

19  officer of the employer within 90 days of such appointment.

20  Any eligible employee who fails to make an election to

21  participate in the existing system, the Special Risk Class of

22  the Florida Retirement System, the Special Risk Administrative

23  Support Class of the Florida Retirement System, or the

24  optional annuity program shall be deemed to have elected

25  membership in the Senior Management Service Class.

26         4.  Except as provided in subparagraph 5., an

27  employee's election to participate in the optional annuity

28  program is irrevocable as long as such employee continues to

29  be employed in an eligible position and continues to meet the

30  eligibility requirements set forth in this paragraph.

31  

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 1         5.  Effective from July 1, 2002, through September 30,

 2  2002, any active employee in a regularly established position

 3  who has elected to participate in the Senior Management

 4  Service Optional Annuity Program has one opportunity to choose

 5  to move from the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

 6  Program to the Florida Retirement System defined benefit

 7  program.

 8         a.  The election must be made in writing and must be

 9  filed with the department and the personnel officer of the

10  employer before October 1, 2002, or, in the case of an active

11  employee who is on a leave of absence on July 1, 2002, within

12  90 days after the conclusion of the leave of absence. This

13  election is irrevocable.

14         b.  The employee will receive service credit under the

15  defined benefit program of the Florida Retirement System equal

16  to his or her years of service under the Senior Management

17  Service Optional Annuity Program. The cost for such credit

18  shall be an amount representing the present value of that

19  employee's accumulated benefit obligation for the affected

20  period of service.

21         c.  The employee must transfer the total accumulated

22  employer contributions and earnings on deposit in his or her

23  Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program account. If

24  the transferred amount is not sufficient to pay the amount

25  due, the employee must pay a sum representing the remainder of

26  the amount due. In no case may the employee retain any

27  employer contributions or earnings thereon from the Senior

28  Management Service Optional Annuity Program account.

29         (d)  Contributions.--

30         1.  Through June 30, 2001, each employer shall

31  contribute on behalf of each participant in the Senior

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 1  Management Service Optional Annuity Program an amount equal to

 2  the normal cost portion of the employer retirement

 3  contribution which would be required if the participant were a

 4  Senior Management Service Class member of the Florida

 5  Retirement System defined benefit program, plus the portion of

 6  the contribution rate required in s. 112.363(8) that would

 7  otherwise be assigned to the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy

 8  Trust Fund. Effective July 1, 2001, each employer shall

 9  contribute on behalf of each participant in the optional

10  program an amount equal to 12.49 percent of the participant's

11  gross monthly compensation. The board department shall deduct

12  an amount approved by the board, pursuant to s. 215.44(4),

13  Legislature to provide for the administration of this program.

14  The payment of the contributions to the optional program which

15  is required by this subparagraph for each participant shall be

16  made by the employer to the board department, which shall

17  forward the contributions to the designated company or

18  companies contracting for payment of benefits for the

19  participant under the program.

20         2.  Each employer shall contribute on behalf of each

21  participant in the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

22  Program an amount equal to the unfunded actuarial accrued

23  liability portion of the employer contribution which would be

24  required for members of the Senior Management Service Class in

25  the Florida Retirement System. This contribution shall be paid

26  to the board department for transfer to the Florida Retirement

27  System Trust Fund.

28         3.  An Optional Annuity Program Trust Fund shall be

29  established in the State Treasury and administered by the

30  board department to make payments to provider companies on

31  behalf of the optional annuity program participants, and to

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 1  transfer the unfunded liability portion of the state optional

 2  annuity program contributions to the Florida Retirement System

 3  Trust Fund.

 4         4.  Contributions required for social security by each

 5  employer and each participant, in the amount required for

 6  social security coverage as now or hereafter may be provided

 7  by the federal Social Security Act shall be maintained for

 8  each participant in the Senior Management Service retirement

 9  program and shall be in addition to the retirement

10  contributions specified in this paragraph.

11         5.  Each participant in the Senior Management Service

12  Optional Annuity Program may contribute by way of salary

13  reduction or deduction a percentage amount of the participant'

14  s gross compensation not to exceed the percentage amount

15  contributed by the employer to the optional annuity program.

16  Payment of the participant's contributions shall be made by

17  the employer to the board department, which shall forward the

18  contributions to the designated company or companies

19  contracting for payment of benefits for the participant under

20  the program.

21         (f)  Administration.--

22         1.  The Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

23  Program authorized by this section shall be administered by

24  the board department. The board department shall designate one

25  or more provider companies from which annuity contracts may be

26  purchased under the program and shall approve the form and

27  content of the contracts. The board department shall sign a

28  contract with each of the provider companies and shall

29  evaluate the performance of the provider companies on a

30  continuing basis. The board department may terminate the

31  services of a provider company for reasons stated in the

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 1  contract. The board department shall adopt rules establishing

 2  its responsibilities and the responsibilities of employers in

 3  administering the optional annuity program.

 4         2.  Effective July 1, 1997, the State Board of

 5  Administration shall review and make recommendations to the

 6  department on the acceptability of all investment products

 7  proposed by provider companies of the optional annuity program

 8  before such products are offered through annuity contracts to

 9  the participants and may advise the department of any changes

10  deemed necessary to ensure that the optional annuity program

11  offers an acceptable mix of investment products. The board

12  department shall determine which make the final determination

13  as to whether an investment products product will be included

14  in approved for the program.

15         3.  The provisions of each contract applicable to a

16  participant in the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

17  Program shall be contained in a written program description

18  which shall include a report of pertinent financial and

19  actuarial information on the solvency and actuarial soundness

20  of the program and the benefits applicable to the participant.

21  Such description shall be furnished by the company or

22  companies to each participant in the program and to the board

23  department upon commencement of participation in the program

24  and annually thereafter.

25         4.  The board department shall ensure that each

26  participant in the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

27  Program is provided an accounting of the total contribution

28  and the annual contribution made by and on behalf of such

29  participants.

30  

31  

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 1         Section 22.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) and

 2  paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section 121.081, Florida

 3  Statutes, are amended to read:

 4         121.081  Past service; prior service;

 5  contributions.--Conditions under which past service or prior

 6  service may be claimed and credited are:

 7         (1)

 8         (h)  The following provisions apply to the purchase of

 9  past service:

10         1.  Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this

11  subsection, past-service credit may not be purchased under

12  this chapter for any service that is used to obtain a benefit

13  from any local retirement system.

14         2.  A member may not receive past service credit under

15  paragraphs (a), (b), (e), or (f) for any leaves of absence

16  without pay, except that credit for active military service

17  leaves of absence may be claimed under paragraphs (a), (b),

18  and (f), in accordance with s. 121.111(1).

19         3.  If a member does not desire to receive credit for

20  all of his or her past service, the period the member claims

21  must be the most recent past service prior to his or her

22  participation in the Florida Retirement System.

23         4.  The cost of past service purchased by an employing

24  agency for its employees may be amortized over such period of

25  time as is provided in the agreement, but not to exceed 15

26  years, calculated in accordance with rule 60S-1.007(5)(f),

27  Florida Administrative Code.

28         5.  The retirement account of each member for whom past

29  service is being provided by his or her employer shall be

30  credited with all past service the employer agrees to purchase

31  

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 1  as soon as the agreement between the employer and the division

 2  department is executed. Pursuant thereto:

 3         a.  Each such member's account shall also be posted

 4  with the total contribution his or her employer agrees to make

 5  in the member's behalf for past service earned prior to

 6  October 1, 1975, excluding those contributions representing

 7  the employer's matching share and the compound interest

 8  calculation on the total contribution. However, a portion of

 9  any contributions paid by an employer for past service credit

10  earned on and after October 1, 1975, may not be posted to a

11  member's account.

12         b.  A refund of contributions payable after an employer

13  has made a written agreement to purchase past service for

14  employees of the covered group shall include contributions for

15  past service which are posted to a member's account. However,

16  contributions for past service earned on and after October 1,

17  1975, are not refundable.

18         (2)  Prior service, as defined in s. 121.021(19), may

19  be claimed as creditable service under the Florida Retirement

20  System after a member has been reemployed for 1 complete year

21  of creditable service within a period of 12 consecutive

22  months, except as provided in paragraph (c). Service performed

23  as a participant of the optional retirement program for the

24  State University System under s. 121.35 or the Senior

25  Management Service Optional Annuity Program under s. 121.055

26  may be used to satisfy the reemployment requirement of 1

27  complete year of creditable service. The member shall not be

28  permitted to make any contributions for prior service until

29  after completion of the 1 year of creditable service. If a

30  member does not wish to claim credit for all of his or her

31  prior service, the service the member claims must be the most

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 1  recent period of service. The required contributions for

 2  claiming the various types of prior service are:

 3         (e)  For service performed under the Florida Retirement

 4  System after December 1, 1970, that was never reported to the

 5  division or the department due to error, retirement credit may

 6  be claimed by a member of the Florida Retirement System. The

 7  division department shall adopt rules establishing criteria

 8  for claiming such credit and detailing the documentation

 9  required to substantiate the error.

10         Section 23.  Subsection (1) of section 121.085, Florida

11  Statutes, is amended to read:

12         121.085  Creditable service.--The following provisions

13  shall apply to creditable service as defined in s.

14  121.021(17):

15         (1)  The division department shall adopt rules

16  establishing procedures for the submission of evidence or

17  information necessary to establish a member's claim of

18  creditable service.

19         Section 24.  Section 121.091, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         121.091  Benefits payable under the system.--Benefits

22  may not be paid under this section unless the member has

23  terminated employment as provided in s. 121.021(39)(a) or

24  begun participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Program

25  as provided in subsection (13), and a proper application has

26  been filed in the manner prescribed by the division

27  department. The division department may cancel an application

28  for retirement benefits when the member or beneficiary fails

29  to timely provide the information and documents required by

30  this chapter and the division's department's rules. The

31  division department shall adopt rules establishing procedures

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 1  for application for retirement benefits and for the

 2  cancellation of such application when the required information

 3  or documents are not received.

 4         (1)  NORMAL RETIREMENT BENEFIT.--Upon attaining his or

 5  her normal retirement date, the member, upon application to

 6  the administrator, shall receive a monthly benefit which shall

 7  begin to accrue on the first day of the month of retirement

 8  and be payable on the last day of that month and each month

 9  thereafter during his or her lifetime. The normal retirement

10  benefit, including any past or additional retirement credit,

11  may not exceed 100 percent of the average final compensation.

12  The amount of monthly benefit shall be calculated as the

13  product of A and B, subject to the adjustment of C, if

14  applicable, as set forth below:

15         (a)1.  For creditable years of Regular Class service, A

16  is 1.60 percent of the member's average final compensation, up

17  to the member's normal retirement date. Upon completion of the

18  first year after the normal retirement date, A is 1.63 percent

19  of the member's average final compensation. Following the

20  second year after the normal retirement date, A is 1.65

21  percent of the member's average final compensation. Following

22  the third year after the normal retirement date, and for

23  subsequent years, A is 1.68 percent of the member's average

24  final compensation.

25         2.  For creditable years of special risk service, A is:

26         a.  Two percent of the member's average final

27  compensation for all creditable years prior to October 1,

28  1974;

29         b.  Three percent of the member's average final

30  compensation for all creditable years after September 30,

31  1974, and before October 1, 1978;

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 1         c.  Two percent of the member's average final

 2  compensation for all creditable years after September 30,

 3  1978, and before January 1, 1989;

 4         d.  Two and two-tenths percent of the member's final

 5  monthly compensation for all creditable years after December

 6  31, 1988, and before January 1, 1990;

 7         e.  Two and four-tenths percent of the member's average

 8  final compensation for all creditable years after December 31,

 9  1989, and before January 1, 1991;

10         f.  Two and six-tenths percent of the member's average

11  final compensation for all creditable years after December 31,

12  1990, and before January 1, 1992;

13         g.  Two and eight-tenths percent of the member's

14  average final compensation for all creditable years after

15  December 31, 1991, and before January 1, 1993;

16         h.  Three percent of the member's average final

17  compensation for all creditable years after December 31, 1992;

18  and

19         i.  Three percent of the member's average final

20  compensation for all creditable years of service after

21  September 30, 1978, and before January 1, 1993, for any

22  special risk member who retires after July 1, 2000, or any

23  member of the Special Risk Administrative Support Class

24  entitled to retain the special risk normal retirement date who

25  was a member of the Special Risk Class during the time period

26  and who retires after July 1, 2000.

27         3.  For creditable years of Senior Management Service

28  Class service after January 31, 1987, A is 2 percent;

29         4.  For creditable years of Elected Officers' Class

30  service as a Supreme Court Justice, district court of appeal

31  judge, circuit judge, or county court judge, A is 31/3 percent

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 1  of the member's average final compensation, and for all other

 2  creditable service in such class, A is 3 percent of average

 3  final compensation;

 4         (b)  B is the number of the member's years and any

 5  fractional part of a year of creditable service earned

 6  subsequent to November 30, 1970; and

 7         (c)  C is the normal retirement benefit credit brought

 8  forward as of November 30, 1970, by a former member of an

 9  existing system. Such normal retirement benefit credit shall

10  be determined as the product of X and Y when X is the

11  percentage of average final compensation which the member

12  would have been eligible to receive if the member had attained

13  his or her normal retirement date as of November 30, 1970, all

14  in accordance with the existing system under which the member

15  is covered on November 30, 1970, and Y is average final

16  compensation as defined in s. 121.021(25). However, any member

17  of an existing retirement system who is eligible to retire and

18  who does retire, become disabled, or die prior to April 15,

19  1971, may have his or her retirement benefits calculated on

20  the basis of the best 5 of the last 10 years of service.

21         (d)  A member's average final compensation shall be

22  determined by formula to obtain the coverage for the 5 highest

23  fiscal years' salaries, calculated as provided by rule.

24         (2)  BENEFITS PAYABLE FOR DUAL NORMAL RETIREMENT

25  AGES.--If a member accumulates retirement benefits to commence

26  at different normal retirement ages by virtue of having

27  performed duties for an employer which would entitle him or

28  her to benefits as both a member of the Special Risk Class and

29  a member of either the Regular Class, Senior Management

30  Service Class, or Elected Officers' Class, the amount of

31  benefits payable shall be computed separately with respect to

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 1  each such age and the sum of such computed amounts shall be

 2  paid as provided in this section.

 3         (3)  EARLY RETIREMENT BENEFIT.--Upon retirement on his

 4  or her early retirement date, the member shall receive an

 5  immediate monthly benefit that shall begin to accrue on the

 6  first day of the month of the retirement date and be payable

 7  on the last day of that month and each month thereafter during

 8  his or her lifetime. Such benefit shall be calculated as

 9  follows:

10         (a)  The amount of each monthly payment shall be

11  computed in the same manner as for a normal retirement

12  benefit, in accordance with subsection (1), but shall be based

13  on the member's average monthly compensation and creditable

14  service as of the member's early retirement date. The benefit

15  so computed shall be reduced by five-twelfths of 1 percent for

16  each complete month by which the early retirement date

17  precedes the normal retirement date of age 62 for a member of

18  the Regular Class, Senior Management Service Class, or the

19  Elected Officers' Class, and age 55 for a member of the

20  Special Risk Class, or age 52 if a Special Risk member has

21  completed 25 years of creditable service in accordance with s.

22  121.021(29)(b)3.

23         (b)  If the employment of a member is terminated by

24  reason of death subsequent to the completion of 20 years of

25  creditable service, the monthly benefit payable to the

26  member's beneficiary shall be calculated in accordance with

27  subsection (1), but shall be based on average monthly

28  compensation and creditable service as of the date of death.

29  The benefit so computed shall be reduced by five-twelfths of 1

30  percent for each complete month by which death precedes the

31  normal retirement date specified above or the date on which

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 1  the member would have attained 30 years of creditable service

 2  had he or she survived and continued his or her employment,

 3  whichever provides a higher benefit.

 4         (4)  DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFIT.--

 5         (a)  Disability retirement; entitlement and effective

 6  date.--

 7         1.a.  A member who becomes totally and permanently

 8  disabled, as defined in paragraph (b), after completing 5

 9  years of creditable service, or a member who becomes totally

10  and permanently disabled in the line of duty regardless of

11  service, shall be entitled to a monthly disability benefit;

12  except that any member with less than 5 years of creditable

13  service on July 1, 1980, or any person who becomes a member of

14  the Florida Retirement System on or after such date must have

15  completed 10 years of creditable service prior to becoming

16  totally and permanently disabled in order to receive

17  disability retirement benefits for any disability which occurs

18  other than in the line of duty. However, if a member employed

19  on July 1, 1980, with less than 5 years of creditable service

20  as of that date, becomes totally and permanently disabled

21  after completing 5 years of creditable service and is found

22  not to have attained fully insured status for benefits under

23  the federal Social Security Act, such member shall be entitled

24  to a monthly disability benefit.

25         b.  Effective July 1, 2001, a member of the defined

26  benefit retirement program who becomes totally and permanently

27  disabled, as defined in paragraph (b), after completing 8

28  years of creditable service, or a member who becomes totally

29  and permanently disabled in the line of duty regardless of

30  service, shall be entitled to a monthly disability benefit.

31  

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 1         2.  If the division has received from the employer the

 2  required documentation of the member's termination of

 3  employment, the effective retirement date for a member who

 4  applies and is approved for disability retirement shall be

 5  established by rule of the division.

 6         3.  For a member who is receiving Workers' Compensation

 7  payments, the effective disability retirement date may not

 8  precede the date the member reaches Maximum Medical

 9  Improvement (MMI), unless the member terminates employment

10  prior to reaching MMI.

11         (b)  Total and permanent disability.--A member shall be

12  considered totally and permanently disabled if, in the opinion

13  of the administrator, he or she is prevented, by reason of a

14  medically determinable physical or mental impairment, from

15  rendering useful and efficient service as an officer or

16  employee.

17         (c)  Proof of disability.--The administrator, before

18  approving payment of any disability retirement benefit, shall

19  require proof that the member is totally and permanently

20  disabled as provided herein:

21         1.  Such proof shall include the certification of the

22  member's total and permanent disability by two licensed

23  physicians of the state and such other evidence of disability

24  as the administrator may require, including reports from

25  vocational rehabilitation, evaluation, or testing specialists

26  who have evaluated the applicant for employment.

27         2.  It must be documented that:

28         a.  The member's medical condition occurred or became

29  symptomatic during the time the member was employed in an

30  employee/employer relationship with his or her employer;

31  

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 1         b.  The member was totally and permanently disabled at

 2  the time he or she terminated covered employment; and

 3         c.  The member has not been employed with any other

 4  employer after such termination.

 5         3.  If the application is for in-line-of-duty

 6  disability, in addition to the requirements of subparagraph

 7  2., it must be documented by competent medical evidence that

 8  the disability was caused by a job-related illness or accident

 9  which occurred while the member was in an employee/employer

10  relationship with his or her employer.

11         4.  The unavailability of an employment position that

12  the member is physically and mentally capable of performing

13  will not be considered as proof of total and permanent

14  disability.

15         (d)  Election on appeal.--A member whose application

16  for regular disability retirement has been denied and who has

17  filed an appeal to the State Retirement Commission may, if

18  eligible, elect to receive normal or early service retirement

19  benefits while he or she is awaiting the decision on the

20  appeal. However:

21         1.  If the member elects to receive service retirement

22  benefits and disability benefits are later approved as a

23  result of the appeal, the payment option chosen by the member

24  may not be changed.

25         2.  If the member elects to receive early service

26  retirement and the appeal is later denied, the member may not

27  change his or her election of early retirement.

28  

29  Before such regular or early retirement benefits may be paid

30  by the division, the member must provide to the division a

31  written statement indicating that the member understands that

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 1  such changes are not permitted after he or she begins

 2  receiving the benefits.

 3         (e)  Disability retirement benefit.--Upon the

 4  retirement of a member on his or her disability retirement

 5  date, the member shall receive a monthly benefit that shall

 6  begin to accrue on the first day of the month of disability

 7  retirement and shall be payable on the last day of that month

 8  and each month thereafter during his or her lifetime and

 9  continued disability.

10         (f)  Computation of disability retirement benefit.--The

11  amount of each monthly payment shall be computed in the same

12  manner as for a normal retirement benefit, in accordance with

13  subsection (1), but shall be based on disability option

14  actuarial equivalency tables and the average monthly

15  compensation and creditable service of the member as of the

16  disability retirement date, subject to the following

17  conditions:

18         1.  If the member's disability occurred in the line of

19  duty, the monthly Option 1 benefit shall not be less than:

20         a.  Forty-two percent of average monthly compensation

21  as of the disability retirement date; or

22         b.  Sixty-five percent of the average monthly

23  compensation as of the disability retirement date for a member

24  of the special risk class who retires on or after July 1,

25  2000; or

26         2.  If the member's disability occurred other than in

27  the line of duty, the monthly Option 1 benefit shall not be

28  less than 25 percent of average monthly compensation as of the

29  disability retirement date.

30         (g)  Reapplication.--A member, whose initial

31  application for disability retirement has been denied, may

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 1  reapply for disability benefits. However, such member's

 2  reapplication will be considered only if the member presents

 3  new medical evidence of a medical condition that existed prior

 4  to the member's termination of employment. The division may

 5  prescribe by rule procedures for reapplication and for review

 6  and approval or disapproval of reapplication.

 7         (h)  Recovery from disability.--The administrator may

 8  require periodic reexaminations at the expense of the

 9  retirement fund. The division may adopt rules establishing

10  procedures for conducting and review of such reexaminations.

11         1.  If the administrator finds that a member who is

12  receiving disability benefits is, at any time prior to his or

13  her normal retirement date, no longer disabled, the

14  administrator shall direct that the benefits be discontinued.

15  The decision of the administrator on this question shall be

16  final and binding. If such member:

17         a.  Does not reenter the employ of an employer and was

18  not vested as of the disability retirement date, he or she

19  shall be entitled to the excess, if any, of his or her

20  accumulated contributions over the total disability benefits

21  received up to the date of recovery.

22         b.  Does not reenter the employ of an employer, but was

23  vested as of the disability retirement date, he or she may

24  elect to receive:

25         (I)  The excess, if any, of his or her accumulated

26  contributions over the total disability benefits received up

27  to the date of recovery; or

28         (II)  A deferred benefit commencing on the last day of

29  the month of the normal retirement date which shall be payable

30  on the last day of the month thereafter during his or her

31  lifetime. The amount of such monthly benefit shall be computed

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 1  in the same manner as for a normal retirement benefit, in

 2  accordance with subsection (1), but shall be based on average

 3  monthly compensation and creditable service as of the member's

 4  disability retirement date.

 5         c.  Reenters employment of an employer within 6 months

 6  after recovery, the member's service will be deemed to have

 7  been continuous, but the period beginning with the first month

 8  for which he or she received a disability benefit payment and

 9  ending with the date he or she reentered employment will not

10  be considered as creditable service for the purpose of

11  computing benefits except as provided in sub-subparagraph d.

12  As used in this section, the term "accumulated contributions"

13  for such member means the excess of the member's accumulated

14  contributions as of the disability retirement date over the

15  total disability benefits received under paragraph (e).

16         d.  Terminates his or her disability benefit, reenters

17  covered employment, and is continuously employed for a minimum

18  of 1 year of creditable service, he or she may claim as

19  creditable service the months during which he or she was

20  receiving a disability benefit, upon payment of the required

21  contributions. Contributions shall equal the total required

22  employee and employer contribution rate applicable during the

23  period the retiree received retirement benefits, multiplied

24  times his or her rate of monthly compensation prior to the

25  commencement of disability retirement for each month of the

26  period claimed, plus 4 percent interest until July 1, 1975,

27  and 6.5 percent interest thereafter, compounded annually each

28  June 30 to the date of payment. If the member does not claim

29  credit for all of the months he or she received disability

30  benefits, the months claimed must be the most recent months of

31  retirement. Such credit for periods of disability, when

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 1  purchased under the Florida Retirement System, shall apply

 2  toward vesting requirements for eligibility to purchase

 3  additional credit for other service.

 4         2.  Both the member receiving disability benefits who

 5  reenters employment and the employer employing such disability

 6  retiree shall notify the division immediately upon

 7  reemployment, and the division shall terminate such member's

 8  disability benefits, effective the first day of the month

 9  following the month in which notification of recovery is

10  received. If the member is reemployed with a Florida

11  Retirement System employer at the time of benefit termination,

12  and he or she has received disability retirement benefit and

13  salary payments concurrently prior to notifying the division,

14  he or she may elect within 30 days to:

15         a.  Retain the retirement benefits received prior to

16  termination of disability benefits and begin receiving

17  retirement service credit effective upon the date of

18  termination of benefits; or

19         b.  Repay, within 12 months after his or her decision

20  to receive service credit, the retirement benefits received

21  for each month of reemployment prior to termination of

22  disability benefits and begin receiving retirement service

23  credit effective upon the date of reemployment. Any such

24  unpaid benefits shall have compound interest of 6.5 percent

25  added June 30.

26  

27  A member may not receive both retirement service credit for

28  employment and retirement benefits for the same month.

29         3.  If, after recovery of disability and reentry into

30  covered employment, the member again becomes disabled and is

31  again approved for disability retirement, the Option 1 monthly

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 1  retirement benefit shall not be less than the Option 1 monthly

 2  benefit calculated at the time of the previous disability,

 3  plus any cost of living increases up to the time the

 4  disability benefit was terminated upon his or her reentry into

 5  covered employment.

 6         (i)  Nonadmissible causes of disability.--A member

 7  shall not be entitled to receive any disability retirement

 8  benefit if the disability is a result of any of the following:

 9         1.  Injury or disease sustained by the member while

10  willfully participating in a riot, civil insurrection, or

11  other act of violence or while committing a felony;

12         2.  Injury or disease sustained by the member after his

13  or her employment has terminated; or

14         3.  Intentional, self-inflicted injury.

15         (j)  Disability retirement of justice or judge by order

16  of Supreme Court.--

17         1.  If a member is a justice of the Supreme Court,

18  judge of a district court of appeal, circuit judge, or judge

19  of a county court who has served for 6 years or more as an

20  elected constitutional judicial officer, including service as

21  a judicial officer in any court abolished pursuant to Art. V

22  of the State Constitution, and who is retired for disability

23  by order of the Supreme Court upon recommendation of the

24  Judicial Qualifications Commission pursuant to the provisions

25  of Art. V of the State Constitution, the member's Option 1

26  monthly benefit as provided in subparagraph (6)(a)1. shall not

27  be less than two-thirds of his or her monthly compensation as

28  of the member's disability retirement date. Such a member may

29  alternatively elect to receive a disability retirement benefit

30  under any other option as provided in paragraph (6)(a).

31  

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 1         2.  Should any justice or judge who is a member of the

 2  Florida Retirement System be retired for disability by order

 3  of the Supreme Court upon recommendation of the Judicial

 4  Qualifications Commission pursuant to the provisions of Art. V

 5  of the State Constitution, then all contributions to his or

 6  her account and all contributions made on his or her behalf by

 7  the employer shall be transferred to and deposited in the

 8  General Revenue Fund of the state, and there is hereby

 9  appropriated annually out of the General Revenue Fund, to be

10  paid into the Florida Retirement System Fund, an amount

11  necessary to pay the benefits of all justices and judges

12  retired from the Florida Retirement System pursuant to Art. V

13  of the State Constitution.

14         (5)  TERMINATION BENEFITS.--A member whose employment

15  is terminated prior to retirement retains membership rights to

16  previously earned member-noncontributory service credit, and

17  to member-contributory service credit, if the member leaves

18  the member contributions on deposit in his or her retirement

19  account. If a terminated member receives a refund of member

20  contributions, such member may reinstate membership rights to

21  the previously earned service credit represented by the refund

22  by completing 1 year of creditable service and repaying the

23  refunded member contributions, plus interest.

24         (a)  A member whose employment is terminated for any

25  reason other than death or retirement prior to becoming vested

26  is entitled to the return of his or her accumulated

27  contributions as of the date of termination.

28         (b)  A member whose employment is terminated for any

29  reason other than death or retirement after becoming vested

30  may elect to receive a deferred monthly benefit which shall

31  begin to accrue on the first day of the month of normal or

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 1  early retirement and shall be payable on the last day of that

 2  month and each month thereafter during his or her lifetime.

 3  The amount of monthly benefit shall be computed in the same

 4  manner as for a normal retirement benefit in accordance with

 5  subsection (1) or early retirement benefit in accordance with

 6  s. 121.021(30), but based on average monthly compensation and

 7  creditable service as of the date of termination.

 8         (c)  In lieu of the deferred monthly benefit provided

 9  in paragraph (b), the terminated member may elect to receive a

10  lump-sum amount equal to his or her accumulated contributions

11  as of the date of termination.

12         (d)  If any retired member dies without having received

13  in benefit payments an amount equal to his or her accumulated

14  contributions, there shall be payable to his or her designated

15  beneficiary an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the

16  member's accumulated contributions over the total monthly

17  payments made to the member prior to the date of death.

18         (e)  A member shall be deemed a terminated member when

19  termination of employment has occurred as provided in s.

20  121.021(39).

21         (f)  Any member who has been found guilty by a verdict

22  of a jury, or by the court trying the case without a jury, of

23  committing, aiding, or abetting any embezzlement or theft from

24  his or her employer, bribery in connection with the

25  employment, or other felony specified in chapter 838, except

26  ss. 838.15 and 838.16, committed prior to retirement, or who

27  has entered a plea of guilty or of nolo contendere to such

28  crime, or any member whose employment is terminated by reason

29  of the member's admitted commitment, aiding, or abetting of an

30  embezzlement or theft from his or her employer, bribery, or

31  other felony specified in chapter 838, except ss. 838.15 and

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 1  838.16, shall forfeit all rights and benefits under this

 2  chapter, except the return of his or her accumulated

 3  contributions as of the date of termination.

 4         (g)  Any elected official who is convicted by the

 5  Senate of an impeachable offense shall forfeit all rights and

 6  benefits under this chapter, except the return of his or her

 7  accumulated contributions as of the date of the conviction.

 8         (h)  Any member who, prior to retirement, is adjudged

 9  by a court of competent jurisdiction to have violated any

10  state law against strikes by public employees, or who has been

11  found guilty by such court of violating any state law

12  prohibiting strikes by public employees, shall forfeit all

13  rights and benefits under this chapter, except the return of

14  his or her accumulated contributions as of the date of the

15  conviction.

16         (i)  Any beneficiary who by a verdict of a jury or by

17  the court trying the case without a jury is found guilty, or

18  who has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, of

19  unlawfully and intentionally killing or procuring the death of

20  the member forfeits all rights to the deceased member's

21  benefits under this chapter, and the benefits will be paid as

22  if such beneficiary had predeceased the decedent.

23         (j)  Benefits shall not be paid by the division pending

24  final resolution of such charges against a member or

25  beneficiary if the resolution of such charges could require

26  the forfeiture of benefits as provided in paragraph (f),

27  paragraph (g), paragraph (h), or paragraph (i).

28         (6)  OPTIONAL FORMS OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND

29  DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS.--

30         (a)  Prior to the receipt of the first monthly

31  retirement payment, a member shall elect to receive the

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 1  retirement benefits to which he or she is entitled under

 2  subsection (1), subsection (2), subsection (3), or subsection

 3  (4) in accordance with one of the following options:

 4         1.  The maximum retirement benefit payable to the

 5  member during his or her lifetime.

 6         2.  A decreased retirement benefit payable to the

 7  member during his or her lifetime and, in the event of his or

 8  her death within a period of 10 years after retirement, the

 9  same monthly amount payable for the balance of such 10-year

10  period to his or her beneficiary or, in case the beneficiary

11  is deceased, in accordance with subsection (8) as though no

12  beneficiary had been named.

13         3.  A decreased retirement benefit payable during the

14  joint lifetime of both the member and his or her joint

15  annuitant and which, after the death of either, shall continue

16  during the lifetime of the survivor in the same amount,

17  subject to the provisions of subsection (12).

18         4.  A decreased retirement benefit payable during the

19  joint lifetime of the member and his or her joint annuitant

20  and which, after the death of either, shall continue during

21  the lifetime of the survivor in an amount equal to 662/3

22  percent of the amount that was payable during the joint

23  lifetime of the member and his or her joint annuitant, subject

24  to the provisions of subsection (12).

25  

26  The spouse of any member who elects to receive the benefit

27  provided under subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2. shall be

28  notified of and shall acknowledge any such election. The

29  division shall establish by rule a method for selecting the

30  appropriate actuarial factor for optional forms of benefits

31  

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 1  selected under subparagraphs 3. and 4., based on the age of

 2  the member and the joint annuitant.

 3         (b)  The benefit payable under any option stated above

 4  shall be the actuarial equivalent, based on tables adopted by

 5  the administrator for this purpose, of the amount to which the

 6  member was otherwise entitled.

 7         (c)  A member who elects the option in subparagraph

 8  (a)2. shall, in accordance with subsection (8), designate one

 9  or more persons to receive the benefits payable in the event

10  of his or her death. Such persons shall be the beneficiaries

11  of the member. The member may also designate one or more

12  contingent beneficiaries to receive any benefits remaining

13  upon the death of the primary beneficiary.

14         (d)  A member who elects the option in subparagraph

15  (a)3. or subparagraph (a)4. shall, on a form provided for that

16  purpose, designate a joint annuitant to receive the benefits

17  which continue to be payable upon the death of the member.

18  After benefits have commenced under the option in subparagraph

19  (a)3. or subparagraph (a)4., the following shall apply:

20         1.  A retired member may change his or her designation

21  of a joint annuitant only twice. If such a retired member

22  desires to change his or her designation of a joint annuitant,

23  he or she shall file with the division a notarized "change of

24  joint annuitant" form and shall notify the former joint

25  annuitant in writing of such change. Effective the first day

26  of the next month following receipt by the division of a

27  completed change of joint annuitant form, the division shall

28  adjust the member's monthly benefit by the application of

29  actuarial tables and calculations developed to ensure that the

30  benefit paid is the actuarial equivalent of the present value

31  of the member's current benefit. The consent of a retired

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 1  member's first designated joint annuitant to any such change

 2  shall not be required. However, if either the member or the

 3  joint annuitant dies before the effective date of the request

 4  for change of joint annuitant, the requested change shall be

 5  void, and survivor benefits, if any, shall be paid as if no

 6  request had been made.

 7         2.  In the event of the dissolution of marriage of a

 8  retired member and a joint annuitant, such member may make an

 9  election to nullify the joint annuitant designation of the

10  former spouse, unless there is an existing qualified domestic

11  relations order preventing such action. The member shall file

12  with the division a written, notarized nullification which

13  shall be effective on the first day of the next month

14  following receipt by the division. Benefits shall be paid as

15  if the former spouse predeceased the member. A member who

16  makes such an election may not reverse the nullification but

17  may designate a new joint annuitant in accordance with

18  subparagraph 1.

19         (e)  The election of an option shall be null and void

20  if the member dies before the effective date of retirement.

21         (f)  A member who elects to receive benefits under the

22  option in subparagraph (a)3. may designate one or more

23  qualified persons, either a spouse or other dependent, as his

24  or her joint annuitant to receive the benefits after the

25  member's death in whatever proportion he or she so assigns to

26  each person named as joint annuitant. The division shall adopt

27  appropriate actuarial tables and calculations necessary to

28  ensure that the benefit paid is the actuarial equivalent of

29  the benefit to which the member is otherwise entitled under

30  the option in subparagraph (a)1.

31  

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 1         (g)  Upon the death of a retired member or beneficiary

 2  receiving monthly benefits under this chapter, the monthly

 3  benefits shall be paid through the last day of the month of

 4  death and shall terminate, or be adjusted, if applicable, as

 5  of that date in accordance with the optional form of benefit

 6  selected at the time of retirement.

 7         (h)  The option selected or determined for payment of

 8  benefits as provided in this section shall be final and

 9  irrevocable at the time a benefit payment is cashed or

10  deposited or credited to the Deferred Retirement Option

11  Program as provided in subsection (13).

12         (7)  DEATH BENEFITS.--

13         (a)  If the employment of a member is terminated by

14  reason of his or her death prior to being vested, except as

15  provided in paragraph (f), there shall be payable to his or

16  her designated beneficiary the member's accumulated

17  contributions.

18         (b)  If the employment of an active member who may or

19  may not have applied for retirement is terminated by reason of

20  his or her death subsequent to becoming vested and prior to

21  his or her effective date of retirement, if established, it

22  shall be assumed that the member retired as of the date of

23  death in accordance with subsection (1) if eligible for normal

24  retirement benefits, subsection (2) if eligible for benefits

25  payable for dual normal retirement, or subsection (3) if

26  eligible for early retirement benefits. Benefits payable to

27  the designated beneficiary shall be as follows:

28         1.  For a beneficiary who qualifies as a joint

29  annuitant, the optional form of payment provided in accordance

30  with subparagraph (6)(a)3. shall be paid for the joint

31  annuitant's lifetime.

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 1         2.  For a beneficiary who does not qualify as a joint

 2  annuitant, no continuing monthly benefit shall be paid and the

 3  beneficiary shall be entitled only to the return of the

 4  member's personal contributions. If there is no monetary

 5  interest in the member's retirement account for which such

 6  beneficiary is eligible, the beneficiary shall be the next

 7  named beneficiary or, if no other beneficiary is named, the

 8  beneficiary shall be the next eligible beneficiary according

 9  to subsection (8).

10         (c)  If a retiring member dies on or after the

11  effective date of retirement, but prior to a benefit payment

12  being cashed or deposited, or credited to the Deferred

13  Retirement Option Program, benefits shall be paid as follows:

14         1.  For a designated beneficiary who qualifies as a

15  joint annuitant, benefits shall be paid in the optional form

16  of payment provided in subparagraph (6)(a)3. for the joint

17  annuitant's lifetime or, if the member chose the optional form

18  of payment provided in subparagraph (6)(a)2., the joint

19  annuitant may select the form provided in either subparagraph

20  (6)(a)2. or subparagraph (6)(a)3.

21         2.  For a designated beneficiary who does not qualify

22  as a joint annuitant, any benefits payable shall be paid as

23  provided in the option selected by the member; or if the

24  member has not selected an option, benefits shall be paid in

25  the optional form of payment provided in subparagraph (6)(a)1.

26         (d)  Notwithstanding any other provision in this

27  chapter to the contrary, with the exception of the Deferred

28  Retirement Option Program, as provided in subsection (13):

29         1.  The surviving spouse of any member killed in the

30  line of duty may receive a monthly pension equal to one-half

31  of the monthly salary being received by the member at the time

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 1  of death for the rest of the surviving spouse's lifetime or,

 2  if the member was vested, such surviving spouse may elect to

 3  receive a benefit as provided in paragraph (b). Benefits

 4  provided by this paragraph shall supersede any other

 5  distribution that may have been provided by the member's

 6  designation of beneficiary.

 7         2.  If the surviving spouse of a member killed in the

 8  line of duty dies, the monthly payments which would have been

 9  payable to such surviving spouse had such surviving spouse

10  lived shall be paid for the use and benefit of such member's

11  child or children under 18 years of age and unmarried until

12  the 18th birthday of the member's youngest child.

13         3.  If a member killed in the line of duty leaves no

14  surviving spouse but is survived by a child or children under

15  18 years of age, the benefits provided by subparagraph 1.,

16  normally payable to a surviving spouse, shall be paid for the

17  use and benefit of such member's child or children under 18

18  years of age and unmarried until the 18th birthday of the

19  member's youngest child.

20         4.  The surviving spouse of a member whose benefit

21  terminated because of remarriage shall have the benefit

22  reinstated beginning July 1, 1993, at an amount that would

23  have been payable had the benefit not been terminated.

24         (e)  The surviving spouse or other dependent of any

25  member, except a member who participated in the Deferred

26  Retirement Option Program, whose employment is terminated by

27  death shall, upon application to the administrator, be

28  permitted to pay the required contributions for any service

29  performed by the member which could have been claimed by the

30  member at the time of his or her death. Such service shall be

31  added to the creditable service of the member and shall be

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 1  used in the calculation of any benefits which may be payable

 2  to the surviving spouse or other surviving dependent.

 3         (f)  Notwithstanding any other provisions in this

 4  chapter to the contrary and upon application to the

 5  administrator, an eligible joint annuitant, of a member whose

 6  employment is terminated by death within 1 year of such member

 7  satisfying the service requirements for vesting and retirement

 8  eligibility, shall be permitted to purchase only the

 9  additional service credit necessary to vest and qualify for

10  retirement benefits, not to exceed a total of 1 year of

11  credit, by one or a combination of the following methods:

12         1.  Such eligible joint annuitant may use the deceased

13  member's accumulated hours of annual, sick, and compensatory

14  leave to purchase additional creditable service, on an hour by

15  hour basis, provided that such deceased member's accumulated

16  leave is sufficient to cover the additional months required.

17  For each month of service credit needed prior to the final

18  month, credit for the total number of work hours in that month

19  must be purchased, using an equal number of the deceased

20  member's accumulated leave hours. Service credit required for

21  the final month in which the deceased member would have become

22  vested shall be awarded upon the purchase of 1 hour of credit.

23  Such eligible joint annuitant shall pay the contribution rate

24  in effect for the period of time being claimed for the

25  deceased member's class of membership, multiplied by such

26  member's monthly salary at the time of death, plus 6.5 percent

27  interest compounded annually. The accumulated leave payment

28  used in the average final compensation shall not include that

29  portion of the payment that represents any leave hours used in

30  the purchase of such creditable service.

31  

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 1         2.  Such eligible joint annuitant may purchase

 2  additional months of creditable service for any periods of

 3  out-of-state service as provided in s. 121.1115, and in-state

 4  service as provided in s. 121.1122, that the deceased member

 5  would have been eligible to purchase prior to his or her

 6  death.

 7  

 8  Service purchased under this paragraph shall be added to the

 9  creditable service of the member and used to vest for

10  retirement eligibility, and shall be used in the calculation

11  of any benefits which may be payable to the eligible joint

12  annuitant. Any benefits paid in accordance with this paragraph

13  shall only be made prospectively.

14         (g)  Notwithstanding any other provisions in this

15  chapter to the contrary, if any member who is vested dies and

16  the surviving spouse receives a refund of the accumulated

17  contributions made to the retirement trust fund, such spouse

18  may pay to the Division of Retirement an amount equal to the

19  sum of the amount of the deceased member's accumulated

20  contributions previously refunded plus interest at 4 percent

21  compounded annually each June 30 from the date of refund until

22  July 1, 1975, and 6.5 percent interest compounded annually

23  thereafter, until full payment is made, and receive the

24  monthly retirement benefit as provided in paragraph (b).

25         (h)  The designated beneficiary who is the surviving

26  spouse or other dependent of a member whose employment is

27  terminated by death subsequent to becoming vested, but prior

28  to actual retirement, may elect to receive a deferred monthly

29  benefit as if the member had lived and had elected a deferred

30  monthly benefit, as provided in paragraph (5)(b), calculated

31  on the basis of the average final compensation and creditable

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 1  service of the member at his or her death and the age the

 2  member would have attained on the commencement date of the

 3  deferred benefit elected by the beneficiary, paid in

 4  accordance with option 3 of paragraph (6)(a).

 5         (8)  DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARIES.--

 6         (a)  Each member may, on a form provided for that

 7  purpose, signed and filed with the division, designate a

 8  choice of one or more persons, named sequentially or jointly,

 9  as his or her beneficiary who shall receive the benefits, if

10  any, which may be payable in the event of the member's death

11  pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. If no beneficiary

12  is named in the manner provided above, or if no beneficiary

13  designated by the member survives the member, the beneficiary

14  shall be the spouse of the deceased, if living. If the

15  member's spouse is not alive at his or her death, the

16  beneficiary shall be the living children of the member. If no

17  children survive, the beneficiary shall be the member's father

18  or mother, if living; otherwise, the beneficiary shall be the

19  member's estate. The beneficiary most recently designated by a

20  member on a form or letter filed with the division shall be

21  the beneficiary entitled to any benefits payable at the time

22  of the member's death, except that benefits shall be paid as

23  provided in paragraph (7)(d) when death occurs in the line of

24  duty. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this subsection

25  to the contrary, for a member who dies prior to his or her

26  effective date of retirement on or after January 1, 1999, the

27  spouse at the time of death shall be the member's beneficiary

28  unless such member designates a different beneficiary as

29  provided herein subsequent to the member's most recent

30  marriage.

31  

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 1         (b)  A designated beneficiary of a retirement account

 2  for whom there is a monetary interest may disclaim his or her

 3  monetary interest as provided in s. 689.21, and in accordance

 4  with division rules governing such disclaimers. Such

 5  disclaimer must be filed within 24 months after the event that

 6  created the interest, that is, the death of the member or

 7  annuitant.

 8         (c)  Notwithstanding the member's designation of

 9  benefits to be paid through a trust to a beneficiary that is a

10  natural person as provided in s. 121.021(46), and

11  notwithstanding the provisions of the trust, benefits shall be

12  paid directly to the beneficiary if such person is no longer a

13  minor or incapacitated as defined in s. 744.102(10) and (11).

14         (9)  EMPLOYMENT AFTER RETIREMENT; LIMITATION.--

15         (a)  Any person who is retired under this chapter,

16  except under the disability retirement provisions of

17  subsection (4), may be employed by an employer that does not

18  participate in a state-administered retirement system and may

19  receive compensation from that employment without limiting or

20  restricting in any way the retirement benefits payable to that

21  person.

22         (b)1.  Any person who is retired under this chapter,

23  except under the disability retirement provisions of

24  subsection (4), may be reemployed by any private or public

25  employer after retirement and receive retirement benefits and

26  compensation from his or her employer without any limitations,

27  except that a person may not receive both a salary from

28  reemployment with any agency participating in the Florida

29  Retirement System and retirement benefits under this chapter

30  for a period of 12 months immediately subsequent to the date

31  of retirement. However, a DROP participant shall continue

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 1  employment and receive a salary during the period of

 2  participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Program, as

 3  provided in subsection (13).

 4         2.  Any person to whom the limitation in subparagraph

 5  1. applies who violates such reemployment limitation and who

 6  is reemployed with any agency participating in the Florida

 7  Retirement System before completion of the 12-month limitation

 8  period shall give timely notice of this fact in writing to the

 9  employer and to the division and shall have his or her

10  retirement benefits suspended for the balance of the 12-month

11  limitation period. Any person employed in violation of this

12  paragraph and any employing agency which knowingly employs or

13  appoints such person without notifying the Division of

14  Retirement to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

15  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

16  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

17  period. To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have a

18  written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

19  retired from a state-administered retirement system. Any

20  retirement benefits received while reemployed during this

21  reemployment limitation period shall be repaid to the

22  retirement trust fund, and retirement benefits shall remain

23  suspended until such repayment has been made. Benefits

24  suspended beyond the reemployment limitation shall apply

25  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

26  reemployment limitation.

27         3.  A district school board may reemploy a retired

28  member as a substitute or hourly teacher, education

29  paraprofessional, transportation assistant, bus driver, or

30  food service worker on a noncontractual basis after he or she

31  has been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

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 1  121.021(39). Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

 2  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

 3  application for retirement benefits. District school boards

 4  reemploying such teachers, education paraprofessionals,

 5  transportation assistants, bus drivers, or food service

 6  workers are subject to the retirement contribution required by

 7  subparagraph 7. Reemployment of a retired member as a

 8  substitute or hourly teacher, education paraprofessional,

 9  transportation assistant, bus driver, or food service worker

10  is limited to 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or

11  her retirement. Any retired member reemployed for more than

12  780 hours during his or her first 12 months of retirement

13  shall give timely notice in writing to the employer and to the

14  division of the date he or she will exceed the limitation. The

15  division shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the

16  remainder of the first 12 months of retirement. Any person

17  employed in violation of this subparagraph and any employing

18  agency which knowingly employs or appoints such person without

19  notifying the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement

20  benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

21  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

22  paid during the reemployment limitation period. To avoid

23  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

24  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

25  a state-administered retirement system. Any retirement

26  benefits received by a retired member while reemployed in

27  excess of 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

28  shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and his

29  or her retirement benefits shall remain suspended until

30  repayment is made. Benefits suspended beyond the end of the

31  retired member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply

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 1  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

 2  780-hour reemployment limitation.

 3         4.  A community college board of trustees may reemploy

 4  a retired member as an adjunct instructor, that is, an

 5  instructor who is noncontractual and part-time, or as a

 6  participant in a phased retirement program within the Florida

 7  Community College System, after he or she has been retired for

 8  1 calendar month, in accordance with s. 121.021(39). Any

 9  retired member who is reemployed within 1 calendar month after

10  retirement shall void his or her application for retirement

11  benefits. Boards of trustees reemploying such instructors are

12  subject to the retirement contribution required in

13  subparagraph 7. A retired member may be reemployed as an

14  adjunct instructor for no more than 780 hours during the first

15  12 months of retirement. Any retired member reemployed for

16  more than 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

17  shall give timely notice in writing to the employer and to the

18  division of the date he or she will exceed the limitation. The

19  division shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the

20  remainder of the first 12 months of retirement. Any person

21  employed in violation of this subparagraph and any employing

22  agency which knowingly employs or appoints such person without

23  notifying the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement

24  benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

25  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

26  paid during the reemployment limitation period. To avoid

27  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

28  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

29  a state-administered retirement system. Any retirement

30  benefits received by a retired member while reemployed in

31  excess of 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

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 1  shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and

 2  retirement benefits shall remain suspended until repayment is

 3  made. Benefits suspended beyond the end of the retired

 4  member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply toward

 5  repayment of benefits received in violation of the 780-hour

 6  reemployment limitation.

 7         5.  The State University System may reemploy a retired

 8  member as an adjunct faculty member or as a participant in a

 9  phased retirement program within the State University System

10  after the retired member has been retired for 1 calendar

11  month, in accordance with s. 121.021(39). Any retired member

12  who is reemployed within 1 calendar month after retirement

13  shall void his or her application for retirement benefits. The

14  State University System is subject to the retired contribution

15  required in subparagraph 7., as appropriate. A retired member

16  may be reemployed as an adjunct faculty member or a

17  participant in a phased retirement program for no more than

18  780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her retirement.

19  Any retired member reemployed for more than 780 hours during

20  the first 12 months of retirement shall give timely notice in

21  writing to the employer and to the division of the date he or

22  she will exceed the limitation. The division shall suspend his

23  or her retirement benefits for the remainder of the first 12

24  months of retirement. Any person employed in violation of this

25  subparagraph and any employing agency which knowingly employs

26  or appoints such person without notifying the Division of

27  Retirement to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

28  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

29  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

30  period. To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have a

31  written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

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 1  retired from a state-administered retirement system. Any

 2  retirement benefits received by a retired member while

 3  reemployed in excess of 780 hours during the first 12 months

 4  of retirement shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust

 5  Fund, and retirement benefits shall remain suspended until

 6  repayment is made. Benefits suspended beyond the end of the

 7  retired member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply

 8  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

 9  780-hour reemployment limitation.

10         6.  The Board of Trustees of the Florida School for the

11  Deaf and the Blind may reemploy a retired member as a

12  substitute teacher, substitute residential instructor, or

13  substitute nurse on a noncontractual basis after he or she has

14  been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

15  121.021(39). Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

16  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

17  application for retirement benefits. The Board of Trustees of

18  the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind reemploying such

19  teachers, residential instructors, or nurses is subject to the

20  retirement contribution required by subparagraph 7.

21  Reemployment of a retired member as a substitute teacher,

22  substitute residential instructor, or substitute nurse is

23  limited to 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her

24  retirement. Any retired member reemployed for more than 780

25  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall give

26  timely notice in writing to the employer and to the division

27  of the date he or she will exceed the limitation. The division

28  shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the remainder

29  of the first 12 months of retirement. Any person employed in

30  violation of this subparagraph and any employing agency which

31  knowingly employs or appoints such person without notifying

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 1  the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement benefits

 2  shall be jointly and severally liable for reimbursement to the

 3  retirement trust fund of any benefits paid during the

 4  reemployment limitation period. To avoid liability, such

 5  employing agency shall have a written statement from the

 6  retiree that he or she is not retired from a

 7  state-administered retirement system. Any retirement benefits

 8  received by a retired member while reemployed in excess of 780

 9  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall be repaid

10  to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and his or her retirement

11  benefits shall remain suspended until payment is made.

12  Benefits suspended beyond the end of the retired member's

13  first 12 months of retirement shall apply toward repayment of

14  benefits received in violation of the 780-hour reemployment

15  limitation.

16         7.  The employment by an employer of any retiree or

17  DROP participant of any state-administered retirement system

18  shall have no effect on the average final compensation or

19  years of creditable service of the retiree or DROP

20  participant. Prior to July 1, 1991, upon employment of any

21  person, other than an elected officer as provided in s.

22  121.053, who has been retired under any state-administered

23  retirement program, the employer shall pay retirement

24  contributions in an amount equal to the unfunded actuarial

25  liability portion of the employer contribution which would be

26  required for regular members of the Florida Retirement System.

27  Effective July 1, 1991, contributions shall be made as

28  provided in s. 121.122 for retirees with renewed membership or

29  subsection (13) with respect to DROP participants.

30         8.  Any person who has previously retired and who is

31  holding an elective public office or an appointment to an

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 1  elective public office eligible for the Elected Officers'

 2  Class on or after July 1, 1990, shall be enrolled in the

 3  Florida Retirement System as provided in s. 121.053(1)(b) or,

 4  if holding an elective public office that does not qualify for

 5  the Elected Officers' Class on or after July 1, 1991, shall be

 6  enrolled in the Florida Retirement System as provided in s.

 7  121.122, and shall continue to receive retirement benefits as

 8  well as compensation for the elected officer's service for as

 9  long as he or she remains in elective office. However, any

10  retired member who served in an elective office prior to July

11  1, 1990, suspended his or her retirement benefit, and had his

12  or her Florida Retirement System membership reinstated shall,

13  upon retirement from such office, have his or her retirement

14  benefit recalculated to include the additional service and

15  compensation earned.

16         9.  Any person who is holding an elective public office

17  which is covered by the Florida Retirement System and who is

18  concurrently employed in nonelected covered employment may

19  elect to retire while continuing employment in the elective

20  public office, provided that he or she shall be required to

21  terminate his or her nonelected covered employment. Any person

22  who exercises this election shall receive his or her

23  retirement benefits in addition to the compensation of the

24  elective office without regard to the time limitations

25  otherwise provided in this subsection. No person who seeks to

26  exercise the provisions of this subparagraph, as the same

27  existed prior to May 3, 1984, shall be deemed to be retired

28  under those provisions, unless such person is eligible to

29  retire under the provisions of this subparagraph, as amended

30  by chapter 84-11, Laws of Florida.

31  

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 1         10.  The limitations of this paragraph apply to

 2  reemployment in any capacity with an "employer" as defined in

 3  s. 121.021(10), irrespective of the category of funds from

 4  which the person is compensated.

 5         11.  An employing agency may reemploy a retired member

 6  as a firefighter or paramedic after the retired member has

 7  been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

 8  121.021(39). Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

 9  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

10  application for retirement benefits. The employing agency

11  reemploying such firefighter or paramedic is subject to the

12  retired contribution required in subparagraph 8. Reemployment

13  of a retired firefighter or paramedic is limited to no more

14  than 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her

15  retirement. Any retired member reemployed for more than 780

16  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall give

17  timely notice in writing to the employer and to the division

18  of the date he or she will exceed the limitation. The division

19  shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the remainder

20  of the first 12 months of retirement. Any person employed in

21  violation of this subparagraph and any employing agency which

22  knowingly employs or appoints such person without notifying

23  the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement benefits

24  shall be jointly and severally liable for reimbursement to the

25  Retirement System Trust Fund of any benefits paid during the

26  reemployment limitation period. To avoid liability, such

27  employing agency shall have a written statement from the

28  retiree that he or she is not retired from a

29  state-administered retirement system. Any retirement benefits

30  received by a retired member while reemployed in excess of 780

31  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall be repaid

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 1  to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and retirement benefits

 2  shall remain suspended until repayment is made. Benefits

 3  suspended beyond the end of the retired member's first 12

 4  months of retirement shall apply toward repayment of benefits

 5  received in violation of the 780-hour reemployment limitation.

 6         (10)  FUTURE BENEFITS BASED ON ACTUARIAL DATA.--It is

 7  the intent of the Legislature that future benefit increases

 8  enacted into law in this chapter shall be financed

 9  concurrently by increased contributions or other adequate

10  funding, and such funding shall be based on sound actuarial

11  data as developed by the actuary or state retirement actuary,

12  as provided in ss. 121.021(6) and 121.192.

13         (11)  A member who becomes eligible to retire and has

14  accumulated the maximum benefit of 100 percent of average

15  final compensation may continue in active service, and, if

16  upon the member's retirement the member elects to receive a

17  retirement compensation pursuant to subsection (2), subsection

18  (6), or subsection (7), the actuarial equivalent percentage

19  factor applicable to the age of such member at the time the

20  member reached the maximum benefit and to the age, at that

21  time, of the member's spouse shall determine the amount of

22  benefits to be paid.

23         (12)  SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR PAYMENT OF CERTAIN

24  SURVIVOR BENEFITS.--Notwithstanding any provision of this

25  chapter to the contrary, for members with an effective date of

26  retirement, or date of death if prior to retirement, on or

27  after January 1, 1996, the named joint annuitant, as defined

28  in s. 121.021(28)(b), who is eligible to receive benefits

29  under subparagraph (6)(a)3. or subparagraph (6)(a)4., shall

30  receive the maximum monthly retirement benefit that would have

31  been payable to the member under subparagraph (6)(a)1.;

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 1  however, payment of such benefit shall cease the month the

 2  joint annuitant attains age 25 unless such joint annuitant is

 3  disabled and incapable of self-support, in which case,

 4  benefits shall cease when the joint annuitant is no longer

 5  disabled. The administrator may require proof of disability or

 6  continued disability in the same manner as is provided for a

 7  member seeking or receiving a disability retirement benefit

 8  under subsection (4).

 9         (13)  DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PROGRAM.--In general,

10  and subject to the provisions of this section, the Deferred

11  Retirement Option Program, hereinafter referred to as the

12  DROP, is a program under which an eligible member of the

13  Florida Retirement System may elect to participate, deferring

14  receipt of retirement benefits while continuing employment

15  with his or her Florida Retirement System employer. The

16  deferred monthly benefits shall accrue in the System Trust

17  Fund on behalf of the participant, plus interest compounded

18  monthly, for the specified period of the DROP participation,

19  as provided in paragraph (c). Upon termination of employment,

20  the participant shall receive the total DROP benefits and

21  begin to receive the previously determined normal retirement

22  benefits. Participation in the DROP does not guarantee

23  employment for the specified period of DROP.

24         (a)  Eligibility of member to participate in the

25  DROP.--All active Florida Retirement System members in a

26  regularly established position, and all active members of

27  either the Teachers' Retirement System established in chapter

28  238 or the State and County Officers' and Employees'

29  Retirement System established in chapter 122 which systems are

30  consolidated within the Florida Retirement System under s.

31  

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 1  121.011, are eligible to elect participation in the DROP

 2  provided that:

 3         1.  The member is not a renewed member of the Florida

 4  Retirement System under s. 121.122, or a member of the State

 5  Community College System Optional Retirement Program under s.

 6  121.051, the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity

 7  Program under s. 121.055, or the optional retirement program

 8  for the State University System under s. 121.35.

 9         2.  Except as provided in subparagraph 6., election to

10  participate is made within 12 months immediately following the

11  date on which the member first reaches normal retirement date,

12  or, for a member who reaches normal retirement date based on

13  service before he or she reaches age 62, or age 55 for Special

14  Risk Class members, election to participate may be deferred to

15  the 12 months immediately following the date the member

16  attains 57, or age 52 for Special Risk Class members. For a

17  member who first reached normal retirement date or the

18  deferred eligibility date described above prior to the

19  effective date of this section, election to participate shall

20  be made within 12 months after the effective date of this

21  section. A member who fails to make an election within such

22  12-month limitation period shall forfeit all rights to

23  participate in the DROP. The member shall advise his or her

24  employer and the division in writing of the date on which the

25  DROP shall begin. Such beginning date may be subsequent to the

26  12-month election period, but must be within the 60-month

27  limitation period as provided in subparagraph (b)1. When

28  establishing eligibility of the member to participate in the

29  DROP for the 60-month maximum participation period, the member

30  may elect to include or exclude any optional service credit

31  purchased by the member from the total service used to

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 1  establish the normal retirement date. A member with dual

 2  normal retirement dates shall be eligible to elect to

 3  participate in DROP within 12 months after attaining normal

 4  retirement date in either class.

 5         3.  The employer of a member electing to participate in

 6  the DROP, or employers if dually employed, shall acknowledge

 7  in writing to the division the date the member's participation

 8  in the DROP begins and the date the member's employment and

 9  DROP participation will terminate.

10         4.  Simultaneous employment of a participant by

11  additional Florida Retirement System employers subsequent to

12  the commencement of participation in the DROP shall be

13  permissible provided such employers acknowledge in writing a

14  DROP termination date no later than the participant's existing

15  termination date or the 60-month limitation period as provided

16  in subparagraph (b)1.

17         5.  A DROP participant may change employers while

18  participating in the DROP, subject to the following:

19         a.  A change of employment must take place without a

20  break in service so that the member receives salary for each

21  month of continuous DROP participation. If a member receives

22  no salary during a month, DROP participation shall cease

23  unless the employer verifies a continuation of the employment

24  relationship for such participant pursuant to s.

25  121.021(39)(b).

26         b.  Such participant and new employer shall notify the

27  division on forms required by the division as to the identity

28  of the new employer.

29         c.  The new employer shall acknowledge, in writing, the

30  participant's DROP termination date, which may be extended but

31  not beyond the original 60-month period provided in

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 1  subparagraph (b)1., shall acknowledge liability for any

 2  additional retirement contributions and interest required if

 3  the participant fails to timely terminate employment, and

 4  shall be subject to the adjustment required in

 5  sub-subparagraph (c)5.d.

 6         6.  Effective July 1, 2001, for instructional personnel

 7  as defined in s. 1012.01(2), election to participate in the

 8  DROP shall be made at any time following the date on which the

 9  member first reaches normal retirement date. The member shall

10  advise his or her employer and the division in writing of the

11  date on which the Deferred Retirement Option Program shall

12  begin. When establishing eligibility of the member to

13  participate in the DROP for the 60-month maximum participation

14  period, as provided in subparagraph (b)1., the member may

15  elect to include or exclude any optional service credit

16  purchased by the member from the total service used to

17  establish the normal retirement date. A member with dual

18  normal retirement dates shall be eligible to elect to

19  participate in either class.

20         (b)  Participation in the DROP.--

21         1.  An eligible member may elect to participate in the

22  DROP for a period not to exceed a maximum of 60 calendar

23  months immediately following the date on which the member

24  first reaches his or her normal retirement date or the date to

25  which he or she is eligible to defer his or her election to

26  participate as provided in subparagraph (a)2. However, a

27  member who has reached normal retirement date prior to the

28  effective date of the DROP shall be eligible to participate in

29  the DROP for a period of time not to exceed 60 calendar months

30  immediately following the effective date of the DROP, except a

31  member of the Special Risk Class who has reached normal

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 1  retirement date prior to the effective date of the DROP and

 2  whose total accrued value exceeds 75 percent of average final

 3  compensation as of his or her effective date of retirement

 4  shall be eligible to participate in the DROP for no more than

 5  36 calendar months immediately following the effective date of

 6  the DROP.

 7         2.  Upon deciding to participate in the DROP, the

 8  member shall submit, on forms required by the division:

 9         a.  A written election to participate in the DROP;

10         b.  Selection of the DROP participation and termination

11  dates, which satisfy the limitations stated in paragraph (a)

12  and subparagraph 1. Such termination date shall be in a

13  binding letter of resignation with the employer, establishing

14  a deferred termination date. The member may change the

15  termination date within the limitations of subparagraph 1.,

16  but only with the written approval of his or her employer;

17         c.  A properly completed DROP application for service

18  retirement as provided in this section; and

19         d.  Any other information required by the division.

20         3.  The DROP participant shall be a retiree under the

21  Florida Retirement System for all purposes, except for

22  paragraph (5)(f) and subsection (9) and ss. 112.3173, 112.363,

23  121.053, and 121.122. However, participation in the DROP does

24  not alter the participant's employment status and such

25  employee shall not be deemed retired from employment until his

26  or her deferred resignation is effective and termination

27  occurs as provided in s. 121.021(39).

28         4.  Elected officers shall be eligible to participate

29  in the DROP subject to the following:

30         a.  An elected officer who reaches normal retirement

31  date during a term of office may defer the election to

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 1  participate in the DROP until the next succeeding term in that

 2  office. Such elected officer who exercises this option may

 3  participate in the DROP for up to 60 calendar months or a

 4  period of no longer than such succeeding term of office,

 5  whichever is less.

 6         b.  An elected or a nonelected participant may run for

 7  a term of office while participating in DROP and, if elected,

 8  extend the DROP termination date accordingly, except, however,

 9  if such additional term of office exceeds the 60-month

10  limitation established in subparagraph 1., and the officer

11  does not resign from office within such 60-month limitation,

12  the retirement and the participant' s DROP shall be null and

13  void as provided in sub-subparagraph (c)5.d.

14         c.  An elected officer who is dually employed and

15  elects to participate in DROP shall be required to satisfy the

16  definition of termination within the 60-month limitation

17  period as provided in subparagraph 1. for the nonelected

18  position and may continue employment as an elected officer as

19  provided in s. 121.053. The elected officer will be enrolled

20  as a renewed member in the Elected Officers' Class or the

21  Regular Class, as provided in ss. 121.053 and 121.22, on the

22  first day of the month after termination of employment in the

23  nonelected position and termination of DROP. Distribution of

24  the DROP benefits shall be made as provided in paragraph (c).

25         (c)  Benefits payable under the DROP.--

26         1.  Effective with the date of DROP participation, the

27  member's initial normal monthly benefit, including creditable

28  service, optional form of payment, and average final

29  compensation, and the effective date of retirement shall be

30  fixed. The beneficiary established under the Florida

31  Retirement System shall be the beneficiary eligible to receive

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 1  any DROP benefits payable if the DROP participant dies prior

 2  to the completion of the period of DROP participation. In the

 3  event a joint annuitant predeceases the member, the member may

 4  name a beneficiary to receive accumulated DROP benefits

 5  payable. Such retirement benefit, the annual cost of living

 6  adjustments provided in s. 121.101, and interest shall accrue

 7  monthly in the System Trust Fund. Such interest shall accrue

 8  at an effective annual rate of 6.5 percent compounded monthly,

 9  on the prior month's accumulated ending balance, up to the

10  month of termination or death.

11         2.  Each employee who elects to participate in the DROP

12  shall be allowed to elect to receive a lump-sum payment for

13  accrued annual leave earned in accordance with agency policy

14  upon beginning participation in the DROP. Such accumulated

15  leave payment certified to the division upon commencement of

16  DROP shall be included in the calculation of the member's

17  average final compensation. The employee electing such

18  lump-sum payment upon beginning participation in DROP will not

19  be eligible to receive a second lump-sum payment upon

20  termination, except to the extent the employee has earned

21  additional annual leave which combined with the original

22  payment does not exceed the maximum lump-sum payment allowed

23  by the employing agency's policy or rules. Such early lump-sum

24  payment shall be based on the hourly wage of the employee at

25  the time he or she begins participation in the DROP. If the

26  member elects to wait and receive such lump-sum payment upon

27  termination of DROP and termination of employment with the

28  employer, any accumulated leave payment made at that time

29  cannot be included in the member's retirement benefit, which

30  was determined and fixed by law when the employee elected to

31  participate in the DROP.

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 1         3.  The effective date of DROP participation and the

 2  effective date of retirement of a DROP participant shall be

 3  the first day of the month selected by the member to begin

 4  participation in the DROP, provided such date is properly

 5  established, with the written confirmation of the employer,

 6  and the approval of the division, on forms required by the

 7  division.

 8         4.  Normal retirement benefits and interest thereon

 9  shall continue to accrue in the DROP until the established

10  termination date of the DROP, or until the participant

11  terminates employment or dies prior to such date. Although

12  individual DROP accounts shall not be established, a separate

13  accounting of each participant's accrued benefits under the

14  DROP shall be calculated and provided to participants.

15         5.  At the conclusion of the participant's DROP, the

16  division shall distribute the participant's total accumulated

17  DROP benefits, subject to the following provisions:

18         a.  The division shall receive verification by the

19  participant's employer or employers that such participant has

20  terminated employment as provided in s. 121.021(39)(b).

21         b.  The terminated DROP participant or, if deceased,

22  such participant's named beneficiary, shall elect on forms

23  provided by the division to receive payment of the DROP

24  benefits in accordance with one of the options listed below.

25  For a participant or beneficiary who fails to elect a method

26  of payment within 60 days of termination of the DROP, the

27  division will pay a lump sum as provided in

28  sub-sub-subparagraph (I).

29         (I)  Lump sum.--All accrued DROP benefits, plus

30  interest, less withholding taxes remitted to the Internal

31  

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 1  Revenue Service, shall be paid to the DROP participant or

 2  surviving beneficiary.

 3         (II)  Direct rollover.--All accrued DROP benefits, plus

 4  interest, shall be paid from the DROP directly to the

 5  custodian of an eligible retirement plan as defined in s.

 6  402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, in the

 7  case of an eligible rollover distribution to the surviving

 8  spouse of a deceased participant, an eligible retirement plan

 9  is an individual retirement account or an individual

10  retirement annuity as described in s. 402(c)(9) of the

11  Internal Revenue Code.

12         (III)  Partial lump sum.--A portion of the accrued DROP

13  benefits shall be paid to the DROP participant or surviving

14  spouse, less withholding taxes remitted to the Internal

15  Revenue Service, and the remaining DROP benefits shall be

16  transferred directly to the custodian of an eligible

17  retirement plan as defined in s. 402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal

18  Revenue Code. However, in the case of an eligible rollover

19  distribution to the surviving spouse of a deceased

20  participant, an eligible retirement plan is an individual

21  retirement account or an individual retirement annuity as

22  described in s. 402(c)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code. The

23  proportions shall be specified by the DROP participant or

24  surviving beneficiary.

25         c.  The form of payment selected by the DROP

26  participant or surviving beneficiary complies with the minimum

27  distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.

28         d.  A DROP participant who fails to terminate

29  employment as defined in s. 121.021(39)(b) shall be deemed not

30  to be retired, and the DROP election shall be null and void.

31  Florida Retirement System membership shall be reestablished

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 1  retroactively to the date of the commencement of the DROP, and

 2  each employer with whom the participant continues employment

 3  shall be required to pay to the System Trust Fund the

 4  difference between the DROP contributions paid in paragraph

 5  (i) and the contributions required for the applicable Florida

 6  Retirement System class of membership during the period the

 7  member participated in the DROP, plus 6.5 percent interest

 8  compounded annually.

 9         6.  The accrued benefits of any DROP participant, and

10  any contributions accumulated under such program, shall not be

11  subject to assignment, execution, attachment, or to any legal

12  process whatsoever, except for qualified domestic relations

13  orders by a court of competent jurisdiction, income deduction

14  orders as provided in s. 61.1301, and federal income tax

15  levies.

16         7.  DROP participants shall not be eligible for

17  disability retirement benefits as provided in subsection (4).

18         (d)  Death benefits under the DROP.--

19         1.  Upon the death of a DROP participant, the named

20  beneficiary shall be entitled to apply for and receive the

21  accrued benefits in the DROP as provided in sub-subparagraph

22  (c)5.b.

23         2.  The normal retirement benefit accrued to the DROP

24  during the month of a participant's death shall be the final

25  monthly benefit credited for such DROP participant.

26         3.  Eligibility to participate in the DROP terminates

27  upon death of the participant. If the participant dies on or

28  after the effective date of enrollment in the DROP, but prior

29  to the first monthly benefit being credited to the DROP,

30  Florida Retirement System benefits shall be paid in accordance

31  with subparagraph (7)(c)1. or subparagraph 2.

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 1         4.  A DROP participants' survivors shall not be

 2  eligible to receive Florida Retirement System death benefits

 3  as provided in paragraph (7)(d).

 4         (e)  Cost-of-living adjustment.--On each July 1, the

 5  participants' normal retirement benefit shall be increased as

 6  provided in s. 121.101.

 7         (f)  Retiree health insurance subsidy.--DROP

 8  participants are not eligible to apply for the retiree health

 9  insurance subsidy payments as provided in s. 112.363 until

10  such participants have terminated employment and participation

11  in the DROP.

12         (g)  Renewed membership.--DROP participants shall not

13  be eligible for renewed membership in the Florida Retirement

14  System under ss. 121.053 and 121.122 until termination of

15  employment is effectuated as provided in s. 121.021(39)(b).

16         (h)  Employment limitation after DROP

17  participation.--Upon satisfying the definition of termination

18  of employment as provided in s. 121.021(39)(b), DROP

19  participants shall be subject to such reemployment limitations

20  as other retirees. Reemployment restrictions applicable to

21  retirees as provided in subsection (9) shall not apply to DROP

22  participants until their employment and participation in the

23  DROP are terminated.

24         (i)  Contributions.--

25         1.  All employers paying the salary of a DROP

26  participant filling a regularly established position shall

27  contribute 8.0 percent of such participant's gross

28  compensation for the period of July 1, 2002, through June 30,

29  2003, and 11.56 percent of such compensation thereafter, which

30  shall constitute the entire employer DROP contribution with

31  respect to such participant. Such contributions, payable to

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 1  the System Trust Fund in the same manner as required in s.

 2  121.071, shall be made as appropriate for each pay period and

 3  are in addition to contributions required for social security

 4  and the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund. Such

 5  employer, social security, and health insurance subsidy

 6  contributions are not included in the DROP.

 7         2.  The employer shall, in addition to subparagraph 1.,

 8  also withhold one-half of the entire social security

 9  contribution required for the participant. Contributions for

10  social security by each participant and each employer, in the

11  amount required for social security coverage as now or

12  hereafter provided by the federal Social Security Act, shall

13  be in addition to contributions specified in subparagraph 1.

14         3.  All employers paying the salary of a DROP

15  participant filling a regularly established position shall

16  contribute the percent of such participant's gross

17  compensation required in s. 121.071(4), which shall constitute

18  the employer's health insurance subsidy contribution with

19  respect to such participant. Such contributions shall be

20  deposited by the administrator in the Retiree Health Insurance

21  Subsidy Trust Fund.

22         (j)  Forfeiture of retirement benefits.--Nothing in

23  this section shall be construed to remove DROP participants

24  from the scope of s. 8(d), Art. II of the State Constitution,

25  s. 112.3173, and paragraph (5)(f). DROP participants who

26  commit a specified felony offense while employed will be

27  subject to forfeiture of all retirement benefits, including

28  DROP benefits, pursuant to those provisions of law.

29         (k)  Administration of program.--The division shall

30  make such rules as are necessary for the effective and

31  efficient administration of this subsection. The division

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 1  shall not be required to advise members of the federal tax

 2  consequences of an election related to the DROP but may advise

 3  members to seek independent advice.

 4         (14)  PAYMENT OF BENEFITS.--This subsection applies to

 5  the payment of benefits to a payee (retiree or beneficiary)

 6  under the Florida Retirement System:

 7         (a)  Federal income tax shall be withheld in accordance

 8  with federal law, unless the payee elects otherwise on Form

 9  W-4P. The division shall prepare and distribute to each

10  recipient of monthly retirement benefits an appropriate income

11  tax form that reflects the recipient's income and federal

12  income tax withheld for the calendar year just ended.

13         (b)  Subject to approval by the division in accordance

14  with rule 60S-4.015, Florida Administrative Code, a payee

15  receiving retirement benefits under the Florida Retirement

16  System may also have the following payments deducted from his

17  or her monthly benefit:

18         1.  Premiums for life and health-related insurance

19  policies from approved companies.

20         2.  Life insurance premiums for the State Group Life

21  Insurance Plan, if authorized in writing by the payee and by

22  the Department of Management Services.

23         3.  Repayment of overpayments from the Florida

24  Retirement System Trust Fund, the State Employees' Health

25  Insurance Trust Fund, or the State Employees' Life Insurance

26  Trust Fund, upon notification of the payee.

27         4.  Payments to an alternate payee for alimony, child

28  support, or division of marital assets pursuant to a qualified

29  domestic relations order under s. 222.21 or an income

30  deduction order under s. 61.1301.

31  

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 1         5.  Payments to the Internal Revenue Service for

 2  federal income tax levies, upon notification of the division

 3  by the Internal Revenue Service.

 4         (c)  A payee shall notify the division of any change in

 5  his or her address. The division may suspend benefit payments

 6  to a payee if correspondence sent to the payee's mailing

 7  address is returned due to an incorrect address. Benefit

 8  payments shall be resumed upon notification to the division of

 9  the payee's new address.

10         (d)  A payee whose retirement benefits are reduced by

11  the application of maximum benefit limits under s. 415(b) of

12  the Internal Revenue Code, as specified in s. 121.30(5), shall

13  have the portion of his or her calculated benefit in the

14  Florida Retirement System defined benefit plan which exceeds

15  such federal limitation paid through the Florida Retirement

16  System Preservation of Benefits Plan, as provided in s.

17  121.1001.

18         (e)  No benefit may be reduced for the purpose of

19  preserving the member's eligibility for a federal program.

20         (f)  The division shall adopt rules establishing

21  procedures for determining that the persons to whom benefits

22  are being paid are still living. The division shall suspend

23  the benefits being paid to any payee when it is unable to

24  contact such payee and to confirm that he or she is still

25  living.

26         Section 25.  Subsection (1) of section 121.095, Florida

27  Statutes, is amended to read:

28         121.095  Florida Retirement System Preservation of

29  Benefits Plan Trust Fund.--

30         (1)  The Florida Retirement System Preservation of

31  Benefits Plan Trust Fund is created in the State Treasury to

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 1  be administered by the State Board of Administration within

 2  the Division of Retirement.

 3         (a)  Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall

 4  consist of Florida Retirement System monthly retirement

 5  contributions required to meet the requirements for payment of

 6  restored benefits under the Florida Retirement System

 7  Preservation of Benefits Plan, as specified in s. 121.1001.

 8         (b)  The trust fund shall be maintained and utilized

 9  solely for the purpose of providing benefits under the

10  Preservation of Benefits Plan, as specified in s. 121.1001.

11         (c)  The trust fund shall be separate and apart from

12  the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund.  The trust fund

13  moneys and assets shall not be commingled with nor ever

14  receive a transfer of moneys and assets from the remainder of

15  the Florida Retirement System, including, but not limited to,

16  the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund, or any other

17  qualified retirement plan administered by the Division of

18  Retirement.

19         (d)  The trust fund shall be funded on a month-to-month

20  basis.  Trust fund assets shall not be accumulated to pay

21  future benefits.

22         Section 26.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section

23  121.101, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

24         121.101  Cost-of-living adjustment of benefits.--

25         (7)  The purpose of this subsection is to establish a

26  supplemental cost-of-living adjustment for certain retirees

27  and beneficiaries who receive monthly retirement benefits

28  under the provisions of this chapter and the existing systems

29  consolidated therein, s. 112.05 for certain state officers and

30  employees, and s. 238.171 for certain elderly incapacitated

31  teachers.

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 1         (b)  Application for the supplemental cost-of-living

 2  adjustment provided by this subsection shall include

 3  certification by the retiree or annuitant that he or she is

 4  not receiving, and is not eligible to receive, social security

 5  benefits and shall include written authorization for the

 6  division department to have access to information from the

 7  Social Security Administration concerning his or her

 8  entitlement to, or eligibility for, social security benefits.

 9  Such supplemental cost-of-living adjustment shall not be paid

10  unless and until the application requirements of this

11  paragraph are met.

12         Section 27.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section

13  121.111, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

14         121.111  Credit for military service.--

15         (2)  Any member whose initial date of employment is

16  before January 1, 1987, who has military service as defined in

17  s. 121.021(20)(b), and who does not claim such service under

18  subsection (1) may receive creditable service for such

19  military service if:

20         (e)  Any member claiming credit under this subsection

21  must certify on the form prescribed by the division department

22  that credit for such service has not and will not be claimed

23  for retirement purposes under any other federal, state, or

24  local retirement or pension system where "length of service"

25  is a factor in determining the amount of compensation

26  received, except where credit for such service has been

27  granted in a pension system providing retired pay for

28  nonregular service as provided in paragraph (d). If the member

29  dies prior to retirement, the member's beneficiary must make

30  the required certification before credit may be claimed. If

31  such certification is not made by the member or the member's

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 1  beneficiary, credit for wartime military service shall not be

 2  allowed.

 3         Section 28.  Section 121.133, Florida Statutes, is

 4  amended to read:

 5         121.133  Cancellation of uncashed

 6  warrants.--Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 17.26 or s.

 7  717.123 to the contrary, effective July 1, 1998, if any state

 8  warrant issued by the Comptroller for the payment of

 9  retirement benefits from the Florida Retirement System Trust

10  Fund, or any other pension trust fund administered by the

11  division department, is not presented for payment within 1

12  year after the last day of the month in which it was

13  originally issued, the Comptroller shall cancel the benefit

14  warrant and credit the amount of the warrant to the Florida

15  Retirement System Trust Fund or other pension trust fund

16  administered by the division department, as appropriate. The

17  division department may provide for issuance of a replacement

18  warrant when deemed appropriate.

19         Section 29.  Section 121.135, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         121.135  Annual report to Legislature concerning the

22  Florida Retirement System state-administered retirement

23  systems.--The board department shall make to each regular

24  session of the Legislature a written report on the operation

25  and condition of the Florida Retirement System the

26  state-administered retirement systems.

27         Section 30.  Section 121.136, Florida Statutes, is

28  amended to read:

29         121.136  Annual benefit statement to

30  members.--Beginning January 1, 1993, and each January

31  thereafter, the board department shall provide each active

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 1  member of the Florida Retirement System with 5 or more years

 2  of creditable service an annual statement of benefits. Such

 3  statement should provide the member with basic data about the

 4  member's retirement account. Minimally, it shall include the

 5  member's retirement plan, the amount of funds on deposit in

 6  the retirement account, and an estimate of retirement

 7  benefits.

 8         Section 31.  Section 121.1905, Florida Statutes, is

 9  amended to read:

10         121.1905  Division of Retirement; mission creation.--

11         (1)  There is created the Division of Retirement within

12  the Department of Management Services.

13         (2)  The mission of the Division of Retirement is to

14  provide quality and cost-effective retirement services as

15  measured by member satisfaction and by comparison with

16  administrative costs of comparable retirement systems.

17         Section 32.  Section 121.192, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         121.192  State retirement actuary.--The division

20  department may employ an actuary. Such actuary shall, together

21  with such other duties as the administrator assigns secretary

22  may assign, be responsible for:

23         (1)  Advising the administrator secretary on actuarial

24  matters of the state retirement systems.

25         (2)  Making periodic valuations of the retirement

26  systems.

27         (3)  Providing actuarial analyses to the Legislature

28  concerning proposed changes in the retirement systems.

29         (4)  Assisting the administrator secretary in

30  developing a sound and modern retirement system.

31  

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 1         Section 33.  Section 121.193, Florida Statutes, is

 2  amended to read:

 3         121.193  External compliance audits.--

 4         (1)  The division department shall conduct audits of

 5  the payroll and personnel records of participating agencies.

 6  These audits shall be made to determine the accuracy of

 7  reports submitted to the division department and to assess the

 8  degree of compliance with applicable statutes, rules, and

 9  coverage agreements. Audits shall be scheduled on a regular

10  basis, as the result of concerns known to exist at an agency,

11  or as a followup to ensure agency action was taken to correct

12  deficiencies found in an earlier audit.

13         (2)  Upon request, participating agencies shall furnish

14  the division department with information and documents that

15  the division department requires to conduct the audit. The

16  division department may prescribe by rule the documents that

17  may be requested.

18         (3)  The division department shall review the agency's

19  operations concerning retirement and social security coverage.

20  Preliminary findings shall be discussed with agency personnel

21  at the close of the audit. An audit report of findings and

22  recommendations shall be submitted to division department

23  management and an audit summary letter shall be submitted to

24  the agency noting any concerns and necessary corrective

25  action.

26         Section 34.  Subsection (1) of section 121.22, Florida

27  Statutes, is amended to read:

28         121.22  State Retirement Commission; creation;

29  membership; compensation.--

30         (1)  There is created within the Division of Retirement

31  Department of Management Services a State Retirement

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 1  Commission composed of three members: One member who is

 2  retired under a state-supported retirement system administered

 3  by the division department; one member who is an active member

 4  of a state-supported retirement system that is administered by

 5  the division department; and one member who is neither a

 6  retiree, beneficiary, or member of a state-supported

 7  retirement system administered by the division department.

 8  Each member shall have a different occupational background

 9  from the other members.

10         Section 35.  Subsection (1) of section 121.23, Florida

11  Statutes, is amended to read:

12         121.23  Disability retirement and special risk

13  membership applications; Retirement Commission; powers and

14  duties; judicial review.--The provisions of this section apply

15  to all proceedings in which the administrator has made a

16  written final decision on the merits respecting applications

17  for disability retirement, reexamination of retired members

18  receiving disability benefits, applications for special risk

19  membership, and reexamination of special risk members in the

20  Florida Retirement System. The jurisdiction of the State

21  Retirement Commission under this section shall be limited to

22  written final decisions of the administrator on the merits.

23         (1)  In accordance with the rules of procedure adopted

24  by the division Department of Management Services, the

25  administrator shall:

26         (a)  Give reasonable notice of his or her proposed

27  action, or decision to refuse action, together with a summary

28  of the factual, legal, and policy grounds therefor.

29         (b)  Give affected members, or their counsel, an

30  opportunity to present to the division written evidence in

31  opposition to the proposed action or refusal to act or a

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 1  written statement challenging the grounds upon which the

 2  administrator has chosen to justify his or her action or

 3  inaction.

 4         (c)  If the objections of the member are overruled,

 5  provide a written explanation within 21 days.

 6         Section 36.  Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section

 7  121.24, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 8         121.24  Conduct of commission business; legal and other

 9  assistance; compensation.--

10         (2)  Legal counsel for the commission may be provided

11  by the Department of Legal Affairs or by the division

12  Department of Management Services, with the concurrence of the

13  commission, and shall be paid by the division Department of

14  Management Services from the appropriate funds.

15         (3)  The division Department of Management Services

16  shall provide timely and appropriate training for newly

17  appointed members of the commission. Such training shall be

18  designed to acquaint new members of the commission with the

19  duties and responsibilities of the commission.

20         (4)  The division Department of Management Services

21  shall furnish administrative and secretarial assistance to the

22  commission and shall provide a place where the commission may

23  hold its meetings.

24         Section 37.  Subsection (9) of section 121.30, Florida

25  Statutes, is amended to read:

26         121.30  Statements of purpose and intent and other

27  provisions required for qualification under the Internal

28  Revenue Code of the United States.--Any other provisions in

29  this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, it is

30  specifically provided that:

31  

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 1         (9)  The division department may adopt any rule

 2  necessary to accomplish the purpose of the section which is

 3  not inconsistent with this chapter.

 4         Section 38.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (2),

 5  paragraphs (c) and (e) of subsection (3), paragraphs (a), (b),

 6  and (c) of subsection (4), and subsection (6) of section

 7  121.35, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 8         121.35  Optional retirement program for the State

 9  University System.--

10         (2)  ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION IN OPTIONAL

11  PROGRAM.--

12         (c)  For purposes of this section, the State Board of

13  Administration Department of Management Services is referred

14  to as the "board department."

15         (3)  ELECTION OF OPTIONAL PROGRAM.--

16         (c)  Any employee who becomes eligible to participate

17  in the optional retirement program on or after January 1,

18  1993, shall be a compulsory participant of the program unless

19  such employee elects membership in the Florida Retirement

20  System. Such election shall be made in writing and filed with

21  the personnel officer of the employer. Any eligible employee

22  who fails to make such election within the prescribed time

23  period shall be deemed to have elected to participate in the

24  optional retirement program.

25         1.  Any employee whose optional retirement program

26  eligibility results from initial employment shall be enrolled

27  in the program at the commencement of employment. If, within

28  90 days after commencement of employment, the employee elects

29  membership in the Florida Retirement System, such membership

30  shall be effective retroactive to the date of commencement of

31  employment.

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 1         2.  Any employee whose optional retirement program

 2  eligibility results from a change in status due to the

 3  subsequent designation of the employee's position as one of

 4  those specified in paragraph (2)(a) or due to the employee's

 5  appointment, promotion, transfer, or reclassification to a

 6  position specified in paragraph (2)(a) shall be enrolled in

 7  the optional retirement program upon such change in status and

 8  shall be notified by the employer of such action. If, within

 9  90 days after the date of such notification, the employee

10  elects to retain membership in the Florida Retirement System,

11  such continuation of membership shall be retroactive to the

12  date of the change in status.

13         3.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph,

14  effective July 1, 1997, any employee who is eligible to

15  participate in the Optional Retirement Program and who fails

16  to execute a contract with one of the approved companies and

17  to notify the board department in writing as provided in

18  subsection (4) within 90 days after the date of eligibility

19  shall be deemed to have elected membership in the Florida

20  Retirement System, except as provided in s. 121.051(1)(a).

21  This provision shall also apply to any employee who terminates

22  employment in an eligible position before executing the

23  required annuity contract and notifying the board department.

24  Such membership shall be retroactive to the date of

25  eligibility, and all appropriate contributions shall be

26  transferred to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund and

27  the Health Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund.

28         (e)  The election by an eligible employee to

29  participate in the optional retirement program shall be

30  irrevocable for so long as the employee continues to meet the

31  eligibility requirements specified in subsection (2), except

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 1  as provided in paragraph (h). In the event that an employee

 2  participates in the optional retirement program for 90 days or

 3  more and is subsequently employed in an administrative or

 4  professional position which has been determined by the board

 5  department, under subparagraph (2)(a)2., to be not otherwise

 6  eligible for participation in the optional retirement program,

 7  the employee shall continue participation in the optional

 8  program so long as the employee meets the other eligibility

 9  requirements for the program, except as provided in paragraph

10  (h).

11         (4)  CONTRIBUTIONS.--

12         (a)  Through June 30, 2001, each employer shall

13  contribute on behalf of each participant in the optional

14  retirement program an amount equal to the normal cost portion

15  of the employer retirement contribution which would be

16  required if the participant were a regular member of the

17  Florida Retirement System defined benefit program, plus the

18  portion of the contribution rate required in s. 112.363(8)

19  that would otherwise be assigned to the Retiree Health

20  Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund. Effective July 1, 2001, each

21  employer shall contribute on behalf of each participant in the

22  optional program an amount equal to 10.43 percent of the

23  participant's gross monthly compensation. The board, pursuant

24  to s. 215.44(4), department shall deduct an amount approved by

25  the Legislature to provide for the administration of this

26  program. The payment of the contributions to the optional

27  program which is required by this paragraph for each

28  participant shall be made by the employer to the board

29  department, which shall forward the contributions to the

30  designated company or companies contracting for payment of

31  benefits for the participant under the program. However, such

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 1  contributions paid on behalf of an employee described in

 2  paragraph (3)(c) shall not be forwarded to a company and shall

 3  not begin to accrue interest until the employee has executed

 4  an annuity contract and notified the board department.

 5         (b)  Each employer shall contribute on behalf of each

 6  participant in the optional retirement program an amount equal

 7  to the unfunded actuarial accrued liability portion of the

 8  employer contribution which would be required for members of

 9  the Florida Retirement System. This contribution shall be paid

10  to the board department for transfer to the Florida Retirement

11  System Trust Fund.

12         (c)  An Optional Retirement Program Trust Fund shall be

13  established in the State Treasury and administered by the

14  board department to make payments to the provider companies on

15  behalf of the optional retirement program participants, and to

16  transfer the unfunded liability portion of the state optional

17  retirement program contributions to the Florida Retirement

18  System Trust Fund.

19         (6)  ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.--

20         (a)  The optional retirement program authorized by this

21  section shall be administered by the board department. The

22  board department shall adopt rules establishing the

23  responsibilities of the State Board of Education and

24  institutions in the State University System in administering

25  the optional retirement program. The State Board of Education

26  shall, no more than 90 days after July 1, 1983, submit to the

27  board department its recommendations for the contracts to be

28  offered by the companies chosen by the board department. The

29  recommendations of the State Board of Education shall include

30  the following:

31  

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 1         1.  The nature and extent of the rights and benefits in

 2  relation to the required contributions; and

 3         2.  The suitability of the rights and benefits to the

 4  needs of the participants and the interests of the

 5  institutions in the recruitment and retention of eligible

 6  employees.

 7         (b)  After receiving and considering the

 8  recommendations of the State Board of Education, the board

 9  department shall designate no more than four companies from

10  which contracts may be purchased under the program and shall

11  approve the form and content of the optional retirement

12  program contracts. Upon application by a qualified Florida

13  domestic company, the board department shall give reasonable

14  notice to all other such companies that it intends to

15  designate one of such companies as a fifth company from which

16  contracts may be purchased pursuant to this section and that

17  they may apply for such designation prior to the deadline

18  established by said notice. At least 60 days after giving such

19  notice and upon receipt of the recommendation of the State

20  Board of Education, the board department shall so designate

21  one of such companies as the fifth company from which such

22  contracts may be purchased.

23         (c)  Effective July 1, 1997, the State Board of

24  Administration shall review and make recommendations to the

25  department on the acceptability of all investment products

26  proposed by provider companies of the optional retirement

27  program before they are offered through annuity contracts to

28  the participants and may advise the department of any changes

29  necessary to ensure that the optional retirement program

30  offers an acceptable mix of investment products. The board

31  department shall determine which make the final determination

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 1  as to whether an investment products product will be included

 2  in approved for the program.

 3         (d)  The provisions of each contract applicable to a

 4  participant in the optional retirement program shall be

 5  contained in a written program description which shall include

 6  a report of pertinent financial and actuarial information on

 7  the solvency and actuarial soundness of the program and the

 8  benefits applicable to the participant. Such description shall

 9  be furnished by the companies to each participant in the

10  program and to the board department upon commencement of

11  participation in the program and annually thereafter.

12         (e)  The board department shall ensure that each

13  participant in the optional retirement program is provided an

14  accounting of the total contribution and the annual

15  contribution made by and on behalf of such participant.

16         Section 39.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (3), paragraph

17  (a) of subsection (12), and paragraphs (a) and (b) of

18  subsection (14) of section 121.40, Florida Statutes, are

19  amended to read:

20         121.40  Cooperative extension personnel at the

21  Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; supplemental

22  retirement benefits.--

23         (3)  DEFINITIONS.--The definitions provided in s.

24  121.021 shall not apply to this section except when

25  specifically cited. For the purposes of this section, the

26  following words or phrases have the respective meanings set

27  forth:

28         (b)  "Division Department" means the Division of

29  Retirement of the State Board of Administration Department of

30  Management Services.

31         (12)  CONTRIBUTIONS.--

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 1         (a)  For the purposes of funding the supplemental

 2  benefits provided by this section, the institute is authorized

 3  and required to pay, commencing July 1, 1985, the necessary

 4  monthly contributions from its appropriated budget. These

 5  amounts shall be paid into the Institute of Food and

 6  Agricultural Sciences Supplemental Retirement Trust Fund,

 7  which is hereby created in the State Treasury to be

 8  administered by the State Board of Administration.

 9         (14)  ADMINISTRATION OF SYSTEM.--

10         (a)  The division department shall make such rules as

11  are necessary for the effective and efficient administration

12  of this system. The executive director of the State Board of

13  Administration secretary of the department shall be the

14  administrator of the system. The funds to pay the expenses for

15  such administration are shall be appropriated from the

16  interest earned on investments made for the trust fund.

17         (b)  The division department is authorized to require

18  oaths, by affidavit or otherwise, and acknowledgments from

19  persons in connection with the administration of its duties

20  and responsibilities under this section.

21         Section 40.  Subsection (3) of section 121.45, Florida

22  Statutes, is amended to read:

23         121.45  Interstate compacts relating to pension

24  portability.--

25         (3)  ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPACTS.--

26         (a)  The division Department of Management Services is

27  authorized and directed to survey other state retirement

28  systems to determine if such retirement systems are interested

29  in developing an interstate compact with Florida.

30         (b)  If any such state is interested in pursuing the

31  matter, the division department shall confer with the other

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 1  state and the consulting actuaries of both states, and shall

 2  present its findings to the committees having jurisdiction

 3  over retirement matters in the Legislature, and to

 4  representatives of affected certified bargaining units, in

 5  order to determine the feasibility of developing a portability

 6  compact, what groups should be covered, and the goals and

 7  priorities which should guide such development.

 8         (c)  Upon a determination that such a compact is

 9  feasible and upon request of the Legislature, the division

10  department, together with its consulting actuaries, shall, in

11  accordance with such said goals and priorities, develop a

12  proposal under which retirement credit may be transferred to

13  or from Florida in an actuarially sound manner.

14         (d)  Once a proposal has been developed, the division

15  department shall contract with its consulting actuaries to

16  conduct an actuarial study of the proposal to determine the

17  cost to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund and the State

18  of Florida.

19         (e)  After the actuarial study has been completed, the

20  division department shall present its findings and the

21  actuarial study to the Legislature for consideration. If

22  either house of the Legislature elects to enter into such a

23  compact, it shall be introduced in the form of a proposed

24  committee bill to the full Legislature during the same or next

25  regular session.

26         Section 41.  Subsection (2), paragraph (a) of

27  subsection (5), paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (e) of

28  subsection (8), paragraph (c) of subsection (9), paragraphs

29  (a), (c), and (f) of subsection (10), subsection (11), and

30  paragraph (b) of subsection (12) and subsection (19) of

31  section 121.4501, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

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 1         121.4501  Public Employee Optional Retirement

 2  Program.--

 3         (2)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this part, the term:

 4         (a)  "Approved provider" or "provider" means a private

 5  sector company that is selected and approved by the state

 6  board to offer one or more investment products or services to

 7  the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program. The term

 8  includes a bundled provider that offers participants a range

 9  of individually allocated or unallocated investment products

10  and may offer a range of administrative and customer services,

11  which may include accounting and administration of individual

12  participant benefits and contributions; individual participant

13  recordkeeping; asset purchase, control, and safekeeping;

14  direct execution of the participant's instructions as to asset

15  and contribution allocation; calculation of daily net asset

16  values; direct access to participant account information;

17  periodic reporting to participants, at least quarterly, on

18  account balances and transactions; guidance, advice, and

19  allocation services directly relating to its own investment

20  options or products, but only if the bundled provider complies

21  with the standard of care of s. 404(a)(1)(A-B) of the Employee

22  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and if

23  providing such guidance, advice, or allocation services does

24  not constitute a prohibited transaction under s. 4975(c)(1) of

25  the Internal Revenue Code or s. 406 of ERISA, notwithstanding

26  that such prohibited transaction provisions do not apply to

27  the optional retirement program; a broad array of distribution

28  options; asset allocation; and retirement counseling and

29  education. Private sector companies include investment

30  management companies, insurance companies, depositories, and

31  mutual fund companies.

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 1         (b)  "Average monthly compensation" means one-twelfth

 2  of average final compensation as defined in s. 121.021(24).

 3         (c)  "Covered employment" means employment in a

 4  regularly established position as defined in s. 121.021(52).

 5         (d)  "Department" means the Department of Management

 6  Services.

 7         (d)(e)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of

 8  the State Board of Administration within the Department of

 9  Management Services.

10         (e)(f)  "Eligible employee" means an officer or

11  employee, as defined in s. 121.021(11), who:

12         1.  Is a member of, or is eligible for membership in,

13  the Florida Retirement System, including any renewed member of

14  the Florida Retirement System;

15         2.  Participates in, or is eligible to participate in,

16  the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program as

17  established under s. 121.055(6); or

18         3.  Is eligible to participate in, but does not

19  participate in, the State University System Optional

20  Retirement Program established under s. 121.35 or the State

21  Community College System Optional Retirement Program

22  established under s. 121.051(2)(c).

23  

24  The term does not include any member participating in the

25  Deferred Retirement Option Program established under s.

26  121.091(13) or any employee participating in an optional

27  retirement program established under s. 121.051(2)(c) or s.

28  121.35.

29         (f)(g)  "Employer" means an employer, as defined in s.

30  121.021(10), of an eligible employee.

31  

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 1         (g)(h)  "Participant" means an eligible employee who

 2  elects to participate in the Public Employee Optional

 3  Retirement Program and enrolls in such optional program as

 4  provided in subsection (4).

 5         (h)(i)  "Public Employee Optional Retirement Program,"

 6  "optional program," or "optional retirement program" means the

 7  alternative defined contribution retirement program

 8  established under this section.

 9         (i)(j)  "State board" or "board" means the State Board

10  of Administration.

11         (j)(k)  "Trustees" means Trustees of the State Board of

12  Administration.

13         (k)(l)  "Vested" or "vesting" means the guarantee that

14  a participant is eligible to receive a retirement benefit upon

15  completion of the required years of service under the Public

16  Employee Optional Retirement Program.

17         (5)  CONTRIBUTIONS.--

18         (a)  Each employer shall contribute on behalf of each

19  participant in the Public Employee Optional Retirement

20  Program, as provided in part III of this chapter. The state

21  board, acting as plan fiduciary, shall ensure that all plan

22  assets are held in a trust, pursuant to s. 401 of the Internal

23  Revenue Code. The fiduciary shall ensure that said

24  contributions are allocated as follows:

25         1.  The portion earmarked for participant accounts

26  shall be used to purchase interests in the appropriate

27  investment vehicles for the accounts of each participant as

28  specified by the participant, or in accordance with paragraph

29  (4)(d).

30         2.  The portion earmarked for administrative and

31  educational expenses shall be transferred to the board.

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 1         3.  The portion earmarked for disability benefits shall

 2  be transferred to the division department .

 3         (8)  ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.--

 4         (a)  The Public Employee Optional Retirement Program

 5  shall be administered by the state board and affected

 6  employers. The board is authorized to require oaths, by

 7  affidavit or otherwise, and acknowledgments from persons in

 8  connection with the administration of its duties and

 9  responsibilities under this chapter. No oath, by affidavit or

10  otherwise, shall be required of an employee participant at the

11  time of election. Acknowledgment of an employee's election to

12  participate in the program shall be no greater than necessary

13  to confirm the employee's election. The board shall adopt

14  rules establishing the role and responsibilities of affected

15  state, local government, and education-related employers, the

16  state board, the department, and third-party contractors in

17  administering the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program.

18  The division department shall adopt rules necessary to

19  implement the optional program in coordination with the

20  defined benefit retirement program and the disability benefits

21  available under the optional program.

22         (b)1.  The state board shall select and contract with

23  one third-party administrator to provide administrative

24  services if those services cannot be competitively and

25  contractually provided by the division of Retirement within

26  the Department of Management Services. With the approval of

27  the state board, the third-party administrator may subcontract

28  with other organizations or individuals to provide components

29  of the administrative services. As a cost of administration,

30  the board may compensate any such contractor for its services,

31  in accordance with the terms of the contract, as is deemed

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 1  necessary or proper by the board. The third-party

 2  administrator may not be an approved provider or be affiliated

 3  with an approved provider.

 4         2.  These administrative services may include, but are

 5  not limited to, enrollment of eligible employees, collection

 6  of employer contributions, disbursement of such contributions

 7  to approved providers in accordance with the allocation

 8  directions of participants; services relating to consolidated

 9  billing; individual and collective recordkeeping and

10  accounting; asset purchase, control, and safekeeping; and

11  direct disbursement of funds to and from the third-party

12  administrator, the division, the board, employers,

13  participants, approved providers, and beneficiaries. This

14  section does not prevent or prohibit a bundled provider from

15  providing any administrative or customer service, including

16  accounting and administration of individual participant

17  benefits and contributions; individual participant

18  recordkeeping; asset purchase, control, and safekeeping;

19  direct execution of the participant' s instructions as to

20  asset and contribution allocation; calculation of daily net

21  asset values; direct access to participant account

22  information; or periodic reporting to participants, at least

23  quarterly, on account balances and transactions, if these

24  services are authorized by the board as part of the contract.

25         3.  The state board shall select and contract with one

26  or more organizations to provide educational services. With

27  approval of the board, the organizations may subcontract with

28  other organizations or individuals to provide components of

29  the educational services. As a cost of administration, the

30  board may compensate any such contractor for its services in

31  accordance with the terms of the contract, as is deemed

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 1  necessary or proper by the board. The education organization

 2  may not be an approved provider or be affiliated with an

 3  approved provider.

 4         4.  Educational services shall be designed by the board

 5  and department to assist employers, eligible employees,

 6  participants, and beneficiaries in order to maintain

 7  compliance with United States Department of Labor regulations

 8  under s. 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act

 9  of 1974 and to assist employees in their choice of defined

10  benefit or defined contribution retirement alternatives.

11  Educational services include, but are not limited to,

12  disseminating educational materials; providing retirement

13  planning education; explaining the differences between the

14  defined benefit retirement plan and the defined contribution

15  retirement plan; and offering financial planning guidance on

16  matters such as investment diversification, investment risks,

17  investment costs, and asset allocation. An approved provider

18  may also provide educational information, including retirement

19  planning and investment allocation information concerning its

20  products and services.

21         (c)1.  In evaluating and selecting a third-party

22  administrator, the board shall establish criteria under which

23  it shall consider the relative capabilities and qualifications

24  of each proposed administrator. In developing such criteria,

25  the board shall consider:

26         a.  The administrator's demonstrated experience in

27  providing administrative services to public or private sector

28  retirement systems.

29         b.  The administrator's demonstrated experience in

30  providing daily valued recordkeeping to defined contribution

31  plans.

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 1         c.  The administrator's ability and willingness to

 2  coordinate its activities with the Florida Retirement System

 3  employers, the board, and the division, and to supply to such

 4  employers, the board, and the division the information and

 5  data they require, including, but not limited to, monthly

 6  management reports, quarterly participant reports, and ad hoc

 7  reports requested by the department or board.

 8         d.  The cost-effectiveness and levels of the

 9  administrative services provided.

10         e.  The administrator's ability to interact with the

11  participants, the employers, the board, the division, and the

12  providers; the means by which participants may access account

13  information, direct investment of contributions, make changes

14  to their accounts, transfer moneys between available

15  investment vehicles, and transfer moneys between investment

16  products; and any fees that apply to such activities.

17         f.  Any other factor deemed necessary by the Trustees

18  of the State Board of Administration.

19         g.  The recommendations of the Public Employee Optional

20  Retirement Program Advisory Committee established in

21  subsection (12).

22         2.  In evaluating and selecting an educational

23  provider, the board shall establish criteria under which it

24  shall consider the relative capabilities and qualifications of

25  each proposed educational provider. In developing such

26  criteria, the board shall consider:

27         a.  Demonstrated experience in providing educational

28  services to public or private sector retirement systems.

29         b.  Ability and willingness to coordinate its

30  activities with the Florida Retirement System employers, the

31  board, and the division, and to supply to such employers, the

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 1  board, and the division the information and data they require,

 2  including, but not limited to, reports on educational

 3  contacts.

 4         c.  The cost-effectiveness and levels of the

 5  educational services provided.

 6         d.  Ability to provide educational services via

 7  different media, including, but not limited to, the Internet,

 8  personal contact, seminars, brochures, and newsletters.

 9         e.  Any other factor deemed necessary by the Trustees

10  of the State Board of Administration.

11         f.  The recommendations of the Public Employee Optional

12  Retirement Program Advisory Committee established in

13  subsection (12).

14         3.  The establishment of the criteria shall be solely

15  within the discretion of the board.

16         (e)1.  The board may contract with any consultant for

17  professional services, including legal, consulting,

18  accounting, and actuarial services, deemed necessary to

19  implement and administer the optional program by the Trustees

20  of the State Board of Administration. The board may enter into

21  a contract with one or more vendors to provide low-cost

22  investment advice to participants, supplemental to education

23  provided by the third-party administrator. All fees under any

24  such contract shall be paid by those participants who choose

25  to use the services of the vendor.

26         2.  The department may contract with consultants for

27  professional services, including legal, consulting,

28  accounting, and actuarial services, deemed necessary to

29  implement and administer the optional program in coordination

30  with the defined benefit program of the Florida Retirement

31  System. The department, in coordination with the board, may

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 1  enter into a contract with the third-party administrator in

 2  order to coordinate services common to the various programs

 3  within the Florida Retirement System.

 4         (9)  INVESTMENT OPTIONS OR PRODUCTS; PERFORMANCE

 5  REVIEW.--

 6         (c)  In evaluating and selecting approved providers and

 7  products, the board shall establish criteria under which it

 8  shall consider the relative capabilities and qualifications of

 9  each proposed provider company and product. In developing such

10  criteria, the board shall consider the following to the extent

11  such factors may be applied in connection with investment

12  products, services, or providers:

13         1.  Experience in the United States providing

14  retirement products and related financial services under

15  defined contribution retirement plans.

16         2.  Financial strength and stability which shall be

17  evidenced by the highest ratings assigned by nationally

18  recognized rating services when comparing proposed providers

19  that are so rated.

20         3.  Intrastate and interstate portability of the

21  product offered, including early withdrawal options.

22         4.  Compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.

23         5.  The cost-effectiveness of the product provided and

24  the levels of service supporting the product relative to its

25  benefits and its characteristics, including, without

26  limitation, the level of risk borne by the provider.

27         6.  The provider company's ability and willingness to

28  coordinate its activities with Florida Retirement System

29  employers, the division department , and the board, and to

30  supply to such employers, the division department, and the

31  board the information and data they require.

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 1         7.  The methods available to participants to interact

 2  with the provider company; the means by which participants may

 3  access account information, direct investment of

 4  contributions, make changes to their accounts, transfer moneys

 5  between available investment vehicles, and transfer moneys

 6  between provider companies; and any fees that apply to such

 7  activities.

 8         8.  The provider company's policies with respect to the

 9  transfer of individual account balances, contributions, and

10  earnings thereon, both internally among investment products

11  offered by the provider company and externally between

12  approved providers, as well as any fees, charges, reductions,

13  or penalties that may be applied.

14         9.  An evaluation of specific investment products,

15  taking into account each product's experience in meeting its

16  investment return objectives net of all related fees,

17  expenses, and charges, including, but not limited to,

18  investment management fees, loads, distribution and marketing

19  fees, custody fees, recordkeeping fees, education fees,

20  annuity expenses, and consulting fees.

21         10.  Organizational factors, including, but not limited

22  to, financial solvency, organizational depth, and experience

23  in providing institutional and retail investment services.

24         (10)  EDUCATION COMPONENT.--

25         (a)  The board, in coordination with the department,

26  shall provide for an education component for system members in

27  a manner consistent with the provisions of this section. The

28  education component must be available to eligible employees at

29  least 90 days prior to the beginning date of the election

30  period for the employees of the respective types of employers.

31  

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 1         (c)  The board, in coordination with the department,

 2  shall provide for an initial and ongoing transfer education

 3  component to provide system members with information necessary

 4  to make informed plan choice decisions. The transfer education

 5  component must include, but is not limited to, information on:

 6         1.  The amount of money available to a member to

 7  transfer to the defined contribution program.

 8         2.  The features of and differences between the defined

 9  benefit program and the defined contribution program, both

10  generally and specifically, as those differences may affect

11  the member.

12         3.  The expected benefit available if the member were

13  to retire under each of the retirement programs, based on

14  appropriate alternative sets of assumptions.

15         4.  The rate of return from investments in the defined

16  contribution program and the period of time over which such

17  rate of return must be achieved to equal or exceed the

18  expected monthly benefit payable to the member under the

19  defined benefit program.

20         5.  The historical rates of return for the investment

21  alternatives available in the defined contribution programs.

22         6.  The benefits and historical rates of return on

23  investments available in a typical deferred compensation plan

24  or a typical plan under s. 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code

25  for which the employee may be eligible.

26         7.  The program choices available to employees of the

27  State University System and the comparative benefits of each

28  available program, if applicable.

29         8.  Payout options available in each of the retirement

30  programs.

31  

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 1         (f)  The board and the department shall also establish

 2  a communication component to provide program information to

 3  participating employers and the employers' personnel and

 4  payroll officers and to explain their respective

 5  responsibilities in conjunction with the retirement programs.

 6         (11)  PARTICIPANT INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS.--The board

 7  shall ensure that each participant is provided a quarterly

 8  statement that accounts for the contributions made on behalf

 9  of such participant; the interest and investment earnings

10  thereon; and any fees, penalties, or other deductions that

11  apply thereto. At a minimum, such statements must:

12         (a)  Indicate the participant's investment options.

13         (b)  State the market value of the account at the close

14  of the current quarter and previous quarter.

15         (c)  Show account gains and losses for the period and

16  changes in account accumulation unit values for the period.

17         (d)  Itemize account contributions for the quarter.

18         (e)  Indicate any account changes due to adjustment of

19  contribution levels, reallocation of contributions, balance

20  transfers, or withdrawals.

21         (f)  Set forth any fees, charges, penalties, and

22  deductions that apply to the account.

23         (g)  Indicate the amount of the account in which the

24  participant is fully vested and the amount of the account in

25  which the participant is not vested.

26         (h)  Indicate each investment product's performance

27  relative to an appropriate market benchmark.

28  

29  The third-party administrator shall provide quarterly and

30  annual summary reports to the board and any other reports

31  requested by the department or the board. In any solicitation

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 1  or offer of coverage under an optional retirement program, a

 2  provider company shall be governed by the contract readability

 3  provisions of s. 627.4145, notwithstanding s. 627.4145(6)(c).

 4  In addition, all descriptive materials must be prepared under

 5  the assumption that the participant is an unsophisticated

 6  investor. Provider companies must maintain an internal system

 7  of quality assurance, have proven functional systems that are

 8  date-calculation compliant, and be subject to a due-diligence

 9  inquiry that proves their capacity and fitness to undertake

10  service responsibilities.

11         (12)  ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND

12  ASSISTANCE.--The Investment Advisory Council and the Public

13  Employee Optional Retirement Program Advisory Committee shall

14  assist the board in implementing and administering the Public

15  Employee Optional Retirement Program.

16         (b)1.  The Public Employee Optional Retirement Program

17  Advisory Committee shall be composed of seven members. The

18  President of the Senate shall appoint two members, the Speaker

19  of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members, the

20  Governor shall appoint one member, the Treasurer shall appoint

21  one member, and the Comptroller shall appoint one member. The

22  members of the advisory committee shall elect a member as

23  chair. The appointments shall be made by September 1, 2000,

24  and the committee shall meet to organize by October 1, 2000.

25  The initial appointments shall be for a term of 24 months.

26  Each appointing authority shall fill any vacancy occurring

27  among its appointees for the remainder of the original term.

28         2.  The advisory committee shall make recommendations

29  on the selection of the third-party administrator, the

30  education providers, and the investment products and

31  providers. The committee's recommendations on the third-party

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 1  administrator must be forwarded to the Trustees of the State

 2  Board of Administration by January 1, 2001. The

 3  recommendations on the education providers must be forwarded

 4  to the trustees by April 1, 2001.

 5         3.  The advisory committee's recommendations and

 6  activities shall be guided by the best interests of the

 7  employees, considering the interests of employers, and the

 8  intent of the Legislature in establishing the Public Employee

 9  Optional Retirement Program.

10         4.  The staff of the state board and the department

11  shall assist the advisory committee.

12         (19)  PARTICIPANT RECORDS.--All personal identifying

13  information regarding a participant in the Public Employee

14  Optional Retirement Program contained in Florida Retirement

15  System records held by the State Board of Administration or

16  the Department of Management Services, or its their agents,

17  employees, or contractors is exempt from the provisions of s.

18  119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.  The

19  department or board may use such exempt information as

20  necessary in any legal or administrative proceeding. This

21  subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act

22  of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15, and shall stand repealed

23  October 2, 2007, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through

24  reenactment by the Legislature.

25         Section 42.  Section 121.4503, Florida Statutes, is

26  amended to read:

27         121.4503  Florida Retirement System Contributions

28  Clearing Trust Fund.--

29         (1)  The Florida Retirement System Contributions

30  Clearing Trust Fund is created in the State Treasury as a

31  clearing fund for disbursing employer contributions to the

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 1  component plans of the Florida Retirement System and shall be

 2  administered by the State Board of Administration Department

 3  of Management Services. Funds shall be credited to the trust

 4  fund as provided in this chapter and shall be held in trust

 5  for the contributing employers until such time as the assets

 6  are transferred by the board department to the Florida

 7  Retirement System Trust Fund, the Public Employee Optional

 8  Retirement Program Trust Fund, or other trust funds as

 9  authorized by law, to be used for the purposes of this

10  chapter. The trust fund is exempt from the service charges

11  imposed by s. 215.20.

12         (2)  The Florida Retirement System Contributions

13  Clearing Trust Fund is a clearing trust fund of the State

14  Board of Administration Department of Management Services

15  pursuant to s. 19(f), Art. III of the State Constitution, and

16  is not subject to termination.

17         (3)  The State Board of Administration Department of

18  Management Services may adopt rules governing the receipt and

19  disbursement of amounts received by the Florida Retirement

20  System Contributions Clearing Trust Fund from employers

21  contributing to the component plans of the Florida Retirement

22  System.

23         Section 43.  Section 121.591, Florida Statutes, is

24  amended to read:

25         121.591  Benefits payable under the Public Employee

26  Optional Retirement Program of the Florida Retirement

27  System.--Benefits may not be paid under this section unless

28  the member has terminated employment as provided in s.

29  121.021(39)(a) or is deceased and a proper application has

30  been filed in the manner prescribed by the state board or the

31  division department. The state board or division department,

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 1  as appropriate, may cancel an application for retirement

 2  benefits when the member or beneficiary fails to timely

 3  provide the information and documents required by this chapter

 4  and the rules of the state board and division department. In

 5  accordance with their respective responsibilities as provided

 6  herein, the State Board of Administration and the division

 7  Department of Management Services shall adopt rules

 8  establishing procedures for application for retirement

 9  benefits and for the cancellation of such application when the

10  required information or documents are not received.

11         (1)  NORMAL BENEFITS.--Under the Public Employee

12  Optional Retirement Program:

13         (a)  Benefits in the form of vested accumulations as

14  described in s. 121.4501(6) shall be payable under this

15  subsection in accordance with the following terms and

16  conditions:

17         1.  To the extent vested, benefits shall be payable

18  only to a participant.

19         2.  Benefits shall be paid by the third-party

20  administrator or designated approved providers in accordance

21  with the law, the contracts, and any applicable board rule or

22  policy.

23         3.  To receive benefits under this subsection, the

24  participant must be terminated from all employment with all

25  Florida Retirement System employers, as provided in s.

26  121.021(39).

27         (b)  If a participant elects to receive his or her

28  benefits upon termination of employment, the participant must

29  submit a written application to the third-party administrator

30  indicating his or her preferred distribution date and

31  selecting an authorized method of distribution as provided in

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 1  paragraph (c). The participant may defer receipt of benefits

 2  until he or she chooses to make such application, subject to

 3  federal requirements.

 4         (c)  Upon receipt by the third-party administrator of a

 5  properly executed application for distribution of benefits,

 6  the total accumulated benefit shall be payable to the

 7  participant, as:

 8         1.  A lump-sum distribution to the participant;

 9         2.  A lump-sum direct rollover distribution whereby all

10  accrued benefits, plus interest and investment earnings, are

11  paid from the participant's account directly to the custodian

12  of an eligible retirement plan, as defined in s. 402(c)(8)(B)

13  of the Internal Revenue Code, on behalf of the participant; or

14         3.  Periodic distributions, as authorized by the state

15  board.

16         (2)  DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS.--Benefits provided

17  under this subsection are payable in lieu of the benefits

18  which would otherwise be payable under the provisions of

19  subsection (1). Such benefits shall be funded entirely from

20  employer contributions made under s. 121.571, transferred

21  participant funds accumulated pursuant to paragraph (a), and

22  interest and earnings thereon. Pursuant thereto:

23         (a)  Transfer of funds.--To qualify to receive monthly

24  disability benefits under this subsection:

25         1.  All moneys accumulated in the participant's Public

26  Employee Optional Retirement Program accounts, including

27  vested and nonvested accumulations as described in s.

28  121.4501(6), shall be transferred from such individual

29  accounts to the Division of Retirement for deposit in the

30  disability account of the Florida Retirement System Trust

31  Fund. Such moneys shall be separately accounted for. Earnings

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 1  shall be credited on an annual basis for amounts held in the

 2  disability accounts of the Florida Retirement System Trust

 3  Fund based on actual earnings of the Florida Retirement System

 4  Trust Fund.

 5         2.  If the participant has retained retirement credit

 6  he or she had earned under the defined benefit program of the

 7  Florida Retirement System as provided in s. 121.4501(3)(b), a

 8  sum representing the actuarial present value of such credit

 9  within the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund shall be

10  reassigned by the Division of Retirement from the defined

11  benefit program to the disability program as implemented under

12  this subsection and shall be deposited in the disability

13  account of the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund. Such

14  moneys shall be separately accounted for.

15         (b)  Disability retirement; entitlement.--

16         1.  A participant of the Public Employee Optional

17  Retirement Program who becomes totally and permanently

18  disabled, as defined in s. 121.091(4)(b), after completing 8

19  years of creditable service, or a participant who becomes

20  totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty

21  regardless of his or her length of service, shall be entitled

22  to a monthly disability benefit as provided herein.

23         2.  In order for service to apply toward the 8 years of

24  service required to vest for regular disability benefits, or

25  toward the creditable service used in calculating a

26  service-based benefit as provided for under paragraph (g), the

27  service must be creditable service as described below:

28         a.  The participant's period of service under the

29  Public Employee Optional Retirement Program will be considered

30  creditable service, except as provided in subparagraph d.

31  

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 1         b.  If the participant has elected to retain credit for

 2  his or her service under the defined benefit program of the

 3  Florida Retirement System as provided under s. 121.4501(3)(b),

 4  all such service will be considered creditable service.

 5         c.  If the participant has elected to transfer to his

 6  or her participant accounts a sum representing the present

 7  value of his or her retirement credit under the defined

 8  benefit program as provided under s. 121.4501(3)(c), the

 9  period of service under the defined benefit program

10  represented in the present value amounts transferred will be

11  considered creditable service for purposes of vesting for

12  disability benefits, except as provided in subparagraph d.

13         d.  Whenever a participant has terminated employment

14  and has taken distribution of his or her funds as provided in

15  subsection (1), all creditable service represented by such

16  distributed funds is forfeited for purposes of this

17  subsection.

18         (c)  Disability retirement effective date.--The

19  effective retirement date for a participant who applies and is

20  approved for disability retirement shall be established as

21  provided under s. 121.091(4)(a)2. and 3.

22         (d)  Total and permanent disability.--A participant

23  shall be considered totally and permanently disabled if, in

24  the opinion of the division, he or she is prevented, by reason

25  of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment,

26  from rendering useful and efficient service as an officer or

27  employee.

28         (e)  Proof of disability.--The division, before

29  approving payment of any disability retirement benefit, shall

30  require proof that the participant is totally and permanently

31  disabled in the same manner as provided for members of the

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 1  defined benefit program of the Florida Retirement System under

 2  s. 121.091(4)(c).

 3         (f)  Disability retirement benefit.--Upon the

 4  disability retirement of a participant under this subsection,

 5  the participant shall receive a monthly benefit that shall

 6  begin to accrue on the first day of the month of disability

 7  retirement, as approved by the division, and shall be payable

 8  on the last day of that month and each month thereafter during

 9  his or her lifetime and continued disability. All disability

10  benefits payable to such member shall be paid out of the

11  disability account of the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund

12  established under this subsection.

13         (g)  Computation of disability retirement benefit.--The

14  amount of each monthly payment shall be calculated in the same

15  manner as provided for members of the defined benefit program

16  of the Florida Retirement System under s. 121.091(4)(f). For

17  such purpose, creditable service under both the defined

18  benefit program and the Public Employee Optional Retirement

19  Program of the Florida Retirement System shall be applicable

20  as provided under paragraph (b).

21         (h)  Reapplication.--A participant whose initial

22  application for disability retirement has been denied may

23  reapply for disability benefits in the same manner, and under

24  the same conditions, as provided for members of the defined

25  benefit program of the Florida Retirement System under s.

26  121.091(4)(g).

27         (i)  Membership.--Upon approval of an application for

28  disability benefits under this subsection, the applicant shall

29  be transferred to the defined benefit program of the Florida

30  Retirement System, effective upon his or her disability

31  retirement effective date.

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 1         (j)  Option to cancel.--Any participant whose

 2  application for disability benefits is approved may cancel his

 3  or her application for disability benefits, provided that the

 4  cancellation request is received by the division before a

 5  disability retirement warrant has been deposited, cashed, or

 6  received by direct deposit. Upon such cancellation:

 7         1.  The participant's transfer to the defined benefit

 8  program under paragraph (i) shall be nullified;

 9         2.  The participant shall be retroactively reinstated

10  in the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program without

11  hiatus;

12         3.  All funds transferred to the Florida Retirement

13  System Trust Fund under paragraph (a) shall be returned to the

14  participant accounts from which such funds were drawn; and

15         4.  The participant may elect to receive the benefit

16  payable under the provisions of subsection (1) in lieu of

17  disability benefits as provided under this subsection.

18         (k)  Recovery from disability.--

19         1.  The division may require periodic reexaminations at

20  the expense of the disability program account of the Florida

21  Retirement System Trust Fund. Except as otherwise provided in

22  subparagraph 2., the requirements, procedures, and

23  restrictions relating to the conduct and review of such

24  reexaminations, discontinuation or termination of benefits,

25  reentry into employment, disability retirement after reentry

26  into covered employment, and all other matters relating to

27  recovery from disability shall be the same as are set forth

28  under s. 121.091(4)(h).

29         2.  Upon recovery from disability, any recipient of

30  disability retirement benefits under this subsection shall be

31  a compulsory member of the Public Employee Optional Retirement

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 1  Program of the Florida Retirement System. The net difference

 2  between the recipient's original account balance transferred

 3  to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund, including

 4  earnings, under paragraph (a) and total disability benefits

 5  paid to such recipient, if any, shall be determined as

 6  provided in sub-subparagraph a.

 7         a.  An amount equal to the total benefits paid shall be

 8  subtracted from that portion of the transferred account

 9  balance consisting of vested accumulations as described under

10  s. 121.4501(6), if any, and an amount equal to the remainder

11  of benefit amounts paid, if any, shall then be subtracted from

12  any remaining portion consisting of nonvested accumulations as

13  described under s. 121.4501(6).

14         b.  Amounts subtracted under sub-subparagraph a. shall

15  be retained within the disability account of the Florida

16  Retirement System Trust Fund. Any remaining account balance

17  shall be transferred to the third-party administrator for

18  disposition as provided under sub-subparagraph c. or

19  sub-subparagraph d., as appropriate.

20         c.  If the recipient returns to covered employment,

21  transferred amounts shall be deposited in individual accounts

22  under the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program, as

23  directed by the participant. Vested and nonvested amounts

24  shall be separately accounted for as provided in s.

25  121.4501(6).

26         d.  If the recipient fails to return to covered

27  employment upon recovery from disability:

28         (I)  Any remaining vested amount shall be deposited in

29  individual accounts under the Public Employee Optional

30  Retirement Program, as directed by the participant, and shall

31  be payable as provided in subsection (1).

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 1         (II)  Any remaining nonvested amount shall be held in a

 2  suspense account and shall be forfeitable after 5 years as

 3  provided in s. 121.4501(6).

 4         3.  If present value was reassigned from the defined

 5  benefit program to the disability program of the Florida

 6  Retirement System as provided under subparagraph (a)2., the

 7  full present value amount shall be returned to the defined

 8  benefit account within the Florida Retirement System Trust

 9  Fund and the affected individual's associated retirement

10  credit under the defined benefit program shall be reinstated

11  in full. Any benefit based upon such credit shall be

12  calculated as provided in s. 121.091(4)(h)1.

13         (l)  Nonadmissible causes of disability.--A participant

14  shall not be entitled to receive a disability retirement

15  benefit if the disability results from any injury or disease

16  sustained or inflicted as described in s. 121.091(4)(i).

17         (m)  Disability retirement of justice or judge by order

18  of Supreme Court.--

19         1.  If a participant is a justice of the Supreme Court,

20  judge of a district court of appeal, circuit judge, or judge

21  of a county court who has served for 6 years or more as an

22  elected constitutional judicial officer, including service as

23  a judicial officer in any court abolished pursuant to Art. V

24  of the State Constitution, and who is retired for disability

25  by order of the Supreme Court upon recommendation of the

26  Judicial Qualifications Commission pursuant to the provisions

27  of Art. V of the State Constitution, the participant's Option

28  1 monthly disability benefit amount as provided in s.

29  121.091(6)(a)1. shall be two-thirds of his or her monthly

30  compensation as of the participant's disability retirement

31  date.  Such a participant may alternatively elect to receive

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 1  an actuarially adjusted disability retirement benefit under

 2  any other option as provided in s. 121.091(6)(a), or to

 3  receive the normal benefit payable under the Public Employee

 4  Optional Retirement Program as set forth in subsection (1).

 5         2.  If any justice or judge who is a participant of the

 6  Public Employee Optional Retirement Program of the Florida

 7  Retirement System is retired for disability by order of the

 8  Supreme Court upon recommendation of the Judicial

 9  Qualifications Commission pursuant to the provisions of Art. V

10  of the State Constitution and elects to receive a monthly

11  disability benefit under the provisions of this paragraph:

12         a.  Any present value amount that was transferred to

13  his or her program account and all employer contributions made

14  to such account on his or her behalf, plus interest and

15  earnings thereon, shall be transferred to and deposited in the

16  disability account of the Florida Retirement System Trust

17  Fund; and

18         b.  The monthly benefits payable under this paragraph

19  for any affected justice or judge retired from the Florida

20  Retirement System pursuant to Art. V of the State Constitution

21  shall be paid from the disability account of the Florida

22  Retirement System Trust Fund.

23         (n)  Death of retiree or beneficiary.--Upon the death

24  of a disabled retiree or beneficiary thereof who is receiving

25  monthly benefits under this subsection, the monthly benefits

26  shall be paid through the last day of the month of death and

27  shall terminate, or be adjusted, if applicable, as of that

28  date in accordance with the optional form of benefit selected

29  at the time of retirement. The deceased disabled retiree's

30  beneficiary shall also receive the amount of the participant's

31  remaining account balance, if any, in the Florida Retirement

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 1  System Trust Fund. The Division of Retirement Department of

 2  Management Services may adopt rules necessary to administer

 3  this paragraph.

 4         (3)  DEATH BENEFITS.--Under the Public Employee

 5  Optional Retirement Program:

 6         (a)  Survivor benefits shall be payable in accordance

 7  with the following terms and conditions:

 8         1.  To the extent vested, benefits shall be payable

 9  only to a participant's beneficiary or beneficiaries as

10  designated by the participant. If a participant designates a

11  primary beneficiary other than the participant's spouse, the

12  participant's spouse shall be notified of the designation.

13  This requirement shall not apply to the designation of one or

14  more contingent beneficiaries to receive any benefits

15  remaining upon the death of the primary beneficiary or

16  beneficiaries.

17         2.  Benefits shall be paid by the third-party

18  administrator or designated approved providers in accordance

19  with the law, the contracts, and any applicable board rule or

20  policy.

21         3.  To receive benefits under this subsection, the

22  participant must be deceased.

23         (b)  In the event of a participant's death, all vested

24  accumulations as described in s. 121.4501(6), less withholding

25  taxes remitted to the Internal Revenue Service, shall be

26  distributed, as provided in paragraph (c), to the

27  participant's designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, or to

28  the participant's estate, as if the participant retired on the

29  date of death. No other death benefits shall be available for

30  survivors of participants under the Public Employee Optional

31  Retirement Program, except for such benefits, or coverage for

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 1  such benefits, as are otherwise provided by law or are

 2  separately afforded by the employer, at the employer's

 3  discretion.

 4         (c)  Upon receipt by the third-party administrator of a

 5  properly executed application for distribution of benefits,

 6  the total accumulated benefit shall be payable by the

 7  third-party administrator to the participant's surviving

 8  beneficiary or beneficiaries, as:

 9         1.  A lump-sum distribution payable to the beneficiary

10  or beneficiaries, or to the deceased participant's estate;

11         2.  An eligible rollover distribution on behalf of the

12  surviving spouse of a deceased participant, whereby all

13  accrued benefits, plus interest and investment earnings, are

14  paid from the deceased participant's account directly to the

15  custodian of an eligible retirement plan, as described in s.

16  402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, on behalf of the

17  surviving spouse; or

18         3.  A partial lump-sum payment whereby a portion of the

19  accrued benefit is paid to the deceased participant's

20  surviving spouse or other designated beneficiaries, less

21  withholding taxes remitted to the Internal Revenue Service,

22  and the remaining amount is transferred directly to the

23  custodian of an eligible retirement plan, as described in s.

24  402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, on behalf of the

25  surviving spouse. The proportions must be specified by the

26  participant or the surviving beneficiary.

27  

28  This paragraph does not abrogate other applicable provisions

29  of state or federal law providing for payment of death

30  benefits.

31  

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 1         (4)  LIMITATION ON LEGAL PROCESS.--The benefits payable

 2  to any person under the Public Employee Optional Retirement

 3  Program, and any contributions accumulated under such program,

 4  are not subject to assignment, execution, attachment, or any

 5  legal process, except for qualified domestic relations orders

 6  by a court of competent jurisdiction, income deduction orders

 7  as provided in s. 61.1301, and federal income tax levies.

 8         Section 44.  Section 121.5911, Florida Statutes, is

 9  amended to read:

10         121.5911  Disability retirement program; qualified

11  status; rulemaking authority.--It is the intent of the

12  Legislature that the disability retirement program for

13  participants of the Public Employee Optional Retirement

14  Program as created in this act must meet all applicable

15  requirements of federal law for a qualified plan.  The

16  Department of Management Services or the Division of

17  Retirement shall seek a private letter ruling from the

18  Internal Revenue Service on the disability retirement program

19  for participants of the Public Employee Optional Retirement

20  Program. Consistent with the private letter ruling, the

21  division Department of Management Services shall adopt any

22  necessary rules required to maintain the qualified status of

23  the disability retirement program and the Florida Retirement

24  System defined benefit plan.

25         Section 45.  Subsection (1) of section 121.72, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended to read:

27         121.72  Allocations to optional retirement program

28  participant accounts; percentage amounts.--

29         (1)  The allocations established in subsection (4)

30  shall fund retirement benefits under the optional retirement

31  program and shall be transferred monthly by the State Board of

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 1  Administration Division of Retirement from the Florida

 2  Retirement System Contributions Clearing Trust Fund to the

 3  third-party administrator for deposit in each participating

 4  employee's individual account based on the membership class of

 5  the participant.

 6         Section 46.  Subsection (1) of section 121.73, Florida

 7  Statutes, is amended to read:

 8         121.73  Allocations for optional retirement program

 9  participant disability coverage; percentage amounts.--

10         (1)  The allocations established in subsection (3)

11  shall be used to provide disability coverage for participants

12  in the optional retirement program and shall be transferred

13  monthly by the State Board of Administration Division of

14  Retirement from the Florida Retirement System Contributions

15  Clearing Trust Fund to the disability account of the Florida

16  Retirement System Trust Fund.

17         Section 47.  Section 121.74, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         121.74  Administrative and educational

20  expenses.--Effective July 1, 2002, in addition to

21  contributions required under s. 121.71, employers

22  participating in the Florida Retirement System shall

23  contribute an amount equal to 0.15 percent of the payroll

24  reported for each class or subclass of Florida Retirement

25  System membership, which amount shall be transferred by the

26  State Board of Administration Division of Retirement from the

27  Florida Retirement System Contributions Clearing Trust Fund to

28  the board's State Board of Administration's Administrative

29  Trust Fund to offset the costs of administering the optional

30  retirement program and the costs of providing educational

31  services to participants in the defined benefit program and

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 1  the optional retirement program. Approval of the Trustees of

 2  the State Board of Administration is required prior to the

 3  expenditure of these funds. Payments for third-party

 4  administrative or educational expenses shall be made only

 5  pursuant to the terms of the approved contracts for such

 6  services.

 7         Section 48.  Subsection (6) of section 175.032, Florida

 8  Statutes, is amended to read:

 9         175.032  Definitions.--For any municipality, special

10  fire control district, chapter plan, local law municipality,

11  local law special fire control district, or local law plan

12  under this chapter, the following words and phrases have the

13  following meanings:

14         (6)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of the

15  State Board of Administration Department of Management

16  Services.

17         Section 49.  Subsection (1) of section 175.121, Florida

18  Statutes, is amended to read:

19         175.121  Department of Revenue and Division of

20  Retirement to keep accounts of deposits; disbursements.--For

21  any municipality or special fire control district having a

22  chapter or local law plan established pursuant to this

23  chapter:

24         (1)  The Department of Revenue shall keep a separate

25  account of all moneys collected for each municipality and each

26  special fire control district under the provisions of this

27  chapter. Seven and three-tenths percent of all moneys so

28  collected shall be transferred to the General Revenue Fund.

29  The balance of all moneys so collected shall must be

30  transferred to the Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust

31  Fund and shall be separately accounted for by the division.

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 1  The moneys budgeted as necessary to pay the expenses of the

 2  division for the daily oversight and monitoring of the

 3  firefighters' pension plans under this chapter and for the

 4  oversight and actuarial reviews conducted under part VII of

 5  chapter 112 are annually appropriated from the interest and

 6  investment income earned on the moneys collected for each

 7  municipality or special fire control district and deposited in

 8  the Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust Fund.  Interest

 9  and investment income remaining thereafter in the trust fund

10  which is unexpended and otherwise unallocated by law shall be

11  transferred revert to the General Revenue Fund on June 30 of

12  each year.

13         Section 50.  Section 175.1215, Florida Statutes, is

14  amended to read:

15         175.1215  Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust

16  Fund.--The Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust Fund is

17  created in the State Treasury, to be administered by the

18  Division of Retirement of the Department of Management

19  Services. Funds credited to the trust fund, as provided in

20  chapter 95-250, Laws of Florida, or similar legislation, shall

21  be expended for the purposes set forth in that legislation.

22         Section 51.  Subsection (1) of section 175.341, Florida

23  Statutes, is amended to read:

24         175.341  Duties of Division of Retirement; rulemaking

25  authority; investments by State Board of Administration.--

26         (1)  The division shall be responsible for the daily

27  oversight and monitoring for actuarial soundness of the

28  firefighters' pension plans, whether chapter or local law

29  plans, established under this chapter, for receiving and

30  holding the premium tax moneys collected under this chapter,

31  and, upon determining compliance with the provisions of this

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 1  chapter, for disbursing those moneys to the firefighters'

 2  pension plans. The funds necessary to pay expenses for such

 3  administration are shall be annually appropriated from the

 4  interest and investment income earned on moneys deposited in

 5  the trust fund.

 6         Section 52.  Subsection (7) of section 185.02, Florida

 7  Statutes, is amended to read:

 8         185.02  Definitions.--For any municipality, chapter

 9  plan, local law municipality, or local law plan under this

10  chapter, the following words and phrases as used in this

11  chapter shall have the following meanings, unless a different

12  meaning is plainly required by the context:

13         (7)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of the

14  State Board of Administration Department of Management

15  Services.

16         Section 53.  Subsection (1) of section 185.10, Florida

17  Statutes, is amended to read:

18         185.10  Department of Revenue and Division of

19  Retirement to keep accounts of deposits; disbursements.--For

20  any municipality having a chapter plan or local law plan under

21  this chapter:

22         (1)  The Department of Revenue shall keep a separate

23  account of all moneys collected for each municipality under

24  the provisions of this chapter. Seven and three-tenths percent

25  of all moneys so collected shall be transferred to the General

26  Revenue Fund. The balance of all moneys so collected shall

27  must be transferred to the Police and Firefighters' Premium

28  Tax Trust Fund and shall be separately accounted for by the

29  division. The moneys budgeted as necessary to pay the expenses

30  of the division for the daily oversight and monitoring of the

31  police officers' retirement plans under this chapter and for

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 1  the oversight and actuarial reviews conducted under part VII

 2  of chapter 112 are annually appropriated from the interest and

 3  investment income earned on the moneys collected for each

 4  municipality or special fire control district and deposited in

 5  the Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust Fund. Interest

 6  and investment income remaining thereafter in the trust fund

 7  which is unexpended and otherwise unallocated by law shall be

 8  transferred revert to the General Revenue Fund on June 30 of

 9  each year.

10         Section 54.  Section 185.105, Florida Statutes, is

11  amended to read:

12         185.105  Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust

13  Fund.--The Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust Fund is

14  created in the State Treasury, to be administered by the

15  Division of Retirement of the Department of Management

16  Services. Funds credited to the trust fund, as provided in

17  chapter 95-250, Laws of Florida, or similar legislation, shall

18  be expended for the purposes set forth in that legislation.

19         Section 55.  Subsection (1) of section 185.23, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         185.23  Duties of Division of Retirement; rulemaking

22  authority; investments by State Board of Administration.--

23         (1)  The division shall be responsible for the daily

24  oversight and monitoring for actuarial soundness of the

25  municipal police officers' retirement plans, whether chapter

26  or local law plans, established under this chapter, for

27  receiving and holding the premium tax moneys collected under

28  this chapter, and, upon determining compliance with the

29  provisions of this chapter, for disbursing those moneys to the

30  municipal police officers' retirement plans.  The funds to pay

31  the expenses for such administration are shall be annually

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 1  appropriated from the interest and investment income earned on

 2  moneys deposited in the trust fund.

 3         Section 56.  Paragraph (ii) of subsection (4) of

 4  section 215.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         215.20  Certain income and certain trust funds to

 6  contribute to the General Revenue Fund.--

 7         (4)  The income of a revenue nature deposited in the

 8  following described trust funds, by whatever name designated,

 9  is that from which the deductions authorized by subsection (3)

10  shall be made:

11         (ii)  The Police and Firefighters' Premium Tax Trust

12  Fund established within the Department of Management Services.

13  

14  The enumeration of the foregoing moneys or trust funds shall

15  not prohibit the applicability thereto of s. 215.24 should the

16  Governor determine that for the reasons mentioned in s. 215.24

17  the money or trust funds should be exempt herefrom, as it is

18  the purpose of this law to exempt income from its force and

19  effect when, by the operation of this law, federal matching

20  funds or contributions or private grants to any trust fund

21  would be lost to the state.

22         Section 57.  Subsection (3) of section 215.28, Florida

23  Statutes, is amended to read:

24         215.28  United States securities, purchase by state and

25  county officers and employees; deductions from salary.--

26         (3)  All deductions so made by any such disbursing

27  authority shall be deposited in a trust account separate and

28  apart from the funds of the state, county, or subordinate

29  agency. Such trust account shall be created in the State

30  Treasury and shall be administered by the State Board of

31  Administration. Such account will be subject to withdrawal

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 1  only for the purchase of United States securities on behalf of

 2  officers and employees, or for refunds to such persons in

 3  accordance with the provisions of this law. Whenever the sum

 4  of $18.75 or the purchase price of the security requested to

 5  be purchased is accumulated from deductions so made from the

 6  salaries or wages of an officer or employee, such disbursing

 7  agent shall arrange the purchase of the bond or security

 8  applied for and have it registered in the name or names

 9  requested in the deduction authorization. Securities so

10  purchased will be delivered in such manner as may be

11  convenient for the issuing agent and the purchaser. Any

12  interest earned on moneys in such account while awaiting the

13  accumulation of the purchase price of the security shall be

14  transferred to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund as

15  reimbursement for administrative costs incurred by the

16  Division of Retirement of the State Board of Administration

17  Department of Management Services under this section.

18         Section 58.  Subsection (7) of section 215.44, Florida

19  Statutes, is amended to read:

20         215.44  Board of Administration; powers and duties in

21  relation to investment of trust funds.--

22         (7)  Investment and debt purchasing procedures and

23  contracts of funds held in trust by the State Board of

24  Administration, whether directly or incidentally related to

25  the investment or debt transactions, and purchases of

26  commodities or services related to the administration of

27  pension benefits, are exempt from the provisions of chapter

28  287.

29         Section 59.  Subsection (3) of section 215.50, Florida

30  Statutes, is amended to read:

31         215.50  Custody of securities purchased; income.--

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 1         (3)  The Treasurer, as custodian of securities owned by

 2  the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund and the Florida

 3  Survivor Benefit Trust Fund, shall collect the interest,

 4  dividends, prepayments, maturities, proceeds from sales, and

 5  other income accruing from such assets. As such income is

 6  collected by the Treasurer, it shall be deposited directly

 7  into a commercial bank to the credit of the State Board of

 8  Administration. Such bank accounts as may be required for this

 9  purpose shall offer satisfactory collateral security as

10  provided by chapter 280. In the event funds so deposited

11  according to the provisions of this section are required for

12  the purpose of paying benefits or other operational needs, the

13  State Board of Administration shall remit to the Florida

14  Retirement System Trust Fund in the State Treasury such

15  amounts as are required may be requested by the Department of

16  Management Services.

17         Section 60.  Section 215.52, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         215.52  Rules and regulations.--The board may adopt

20  shall have the power and authority to make reasonable rules

21  and regulations necessary to implement general law conferring

22  powers and duties upon it carry out the provisions of ss.

23  215.44-215.53.

24         Section 61.  Subsections (2), (3), (11), and (13) of

25  section 238.01, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

26         238.01  Definitions.--The following words and phrases

27  as used in this chapter shall have the following meanings

28  unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:

29         (2)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of the

30  State Board of Administration "Department" means the

31  Department of Management Services.

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 1         (3)  "Teacher" means any member of the teaching or

 2  professional staff and any certificated employee of any public

 3  free school, of any district school system and vocational

 4  school, any member of the teaching or professional staff of

 5  the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, child training

 6  schools of the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department

 7  of Corrections, and any tax-supported institution of higher

 8  learning of the state, and any member and any certified

 9  employee of the Department of Education, any certified

10  employee of the retirement system, any full-time employee of

11  any nonprofit professional association or corporation of

12  teachers functioning in Florida on a statewide basis, which

13  seeks to protect and improve public school opportunities for

14  children and advance the professional and welfare status of

15  its members, any person now serving as superintendent, or who

16  was serving as county superintendent of public instruction on

17  July 1, 1939, and any hereafter duly elected or appointed

18  superintendent, who holds a valid Florida teachers'

19  certificate. In all cases of doubt the division Department of

20  Management Services shall determine whether any person is a

21  teacher as defined herein.

22         (11)  "Regular interest" means interest at such rate as

23  may be set from time to time by the division Department of

24  Management Services.

25         (13)  "Earnable compensation" means the full

26  compensation payable to a teacher working the full working

27  time for his or her position. In respect to plans A, B, C, and

28  D only, in cases where compensation includes maintenance, the

29  division Department of Management Services shall fix the value

30  of that part of the compensation not paid in money; provided

31  that all members shall from July 1, 1955, make contributions

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 1  to the retirement system on the basis of "earnable

 2  compensation" as defined herein and all persons who are

 3  members on July 1, 1955, may, upon application, have their

 4  "earnable compensation" for the time during which they have

 5  been members prior to that date determined on the basis of

 6  "earnable compensation" as defined in this law, upon paying to

 7  the retirement system, on or before the date of retirement, a

 8  sum equal to the additional contribution with accumulated

 9  regular interest thereon they would have made if "earnable

10  compensation" had been defined, at the time they became

11  members, as it is now defined. However, earnable compensation

12  for all plan years beginning on or after July 1, 1990, shall

13  not include any amounts in excess of the compensation

14  limitation (originally $200,000) established by s. 401(a)(17)

15  of the Internal Revenue Code prior to the Omnibus Budget

16  Reconciliation Act of 1993, which limitation shall be adjusted

17  for changes in the cost of living since 1989, in the manner

18  provided by s. 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code of

19  1991.  This limitation, which has been part of the Teachers'

20  Retirement System since plan years beginning on or after July

21  1, 1990, shall be adjusted as required by federal law for

22  qualified government plans.

23         Section 62.  Section 238.02, Florida Statutes, is

24  amended to read:

25         238.02  Name and date of establishment.--A retirement

26  system is established and placed under the management of the

27  division Department of Management Services for the purpose of

28  providing retirement allowances and other benefits for

29  teachers of the state.  The retirement system shall begin

30  operations on July 1, 1939.  It has such powers and privileges

31  of a corporation as may be necessary to carry out effectively

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 1  the provisions of this chapter and shall be known as the

 2  "Teachers' Retirement System of the State," and by such name

 3  all of its business shall be transacted, all of its funds

 4  invested, and all of its cash and securities and other

 5  property held in trust for the purpose for which received.

 6         Section 63.  Section 238.03, Florida Statutes, is

 7  amended to read:

 8         238.03  Administration.--

 9         (1)  The general administration and the responsibility

10  for the proper operation of the retirement system and for

11  making effective the provisions of this chapter are vested in

12  the division Department of Management Services.  Subject to

13  the limitation of this chapter, the division department shall,

14  from time to time, establish rules and regulations for the

15  administration and transaction of the business of the

16  retirement system and shall perform such other functions as

17  are required for the execution of this chapter.

18         (2)  The division department shall keep in convenient

19  form such data as shall be necessary for actuarial valuation

20  of the various funds created by this chapter and for checking

21  the experience of the retirement system.

22         (3)  The Department of Legal Affairs, at the option of

23  the State Board of Administration, shall be the legal adviser

24  of the division department.

25         (4)  The division department shall employ such agents,

26  servants and employees as in its judgment may be necessary to

27  carry out the terms and provisions of this chapter and shall

28  provide for their compensation.  Among the employees of the

29  division department shall be an actuary who shall be the

30  technical adviser of the division department on matters

31  regarding the operation of the funds created by the provisions

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 1  of this chapter and who shall perform such other duties as are

 2  required in connection therewith.

 3         (5)  In the year 1943 and at least once in each 5-year

 4  period thereafter, the actuary shall make an actuarial

 5  investigation of the mortality, service and salary experience

 6  of the members and beneficiaries as defined in this chapter,

 7  and shall make a valuation of the various funds created by the

 8  chapter, and having regard to such investigation and

 9  valuation, the division department shall adopt such mortality

10  and service tables as shall be deemed necessary, and shall

11  certify the rates of contribution payable under the provisions

12  of this chapter.

13         (6)  The actuary shall make an annual valuation of the

14  assets and liabilities of the funds of the retirement system

15  on the basis of the tables adopted by the division department

16  in accordance with the requirements of this section, and shall

17  prepare an annual statement of the amounts to be contributed

18  by the state in accordance with s. 238.09.

19         (7)  The division department shall publish annually the

20  valuation, as certified by the actuary, of the assets and

21  liabilities of the various funds created by this chapter, a

22  statement as to the receipts and disbursements of the funds,

23  and a statement as to the accumulated cash and securities of

24  the funds.

25         (8)  The division department shall keep a record of all

26  of its proceedings and such record shall be open to inspection

27  by the public.

28         (9)  The division department is authorized to

29  photograph and reduce to microfilm as a permanent record, its

30  ledger sheets showing the salary and contributions of members

31  of the retirement system, also the records of deceased members

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 1  of the system and thereupon to destroy the documents from

 2  which such films are photographed.

 3         Section 64.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1),

 4  paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (3), and subsection (4)

 5  of section 238.05, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 6         238.05  Membership.--

 7         (1)  The membership of the retirement system shall

 8  consist of the following:

 9         (b)  All persons who became or who become teachers on

10  or after July 1, 1939, except as provided in paragraph (a) and

11  subsection (5) hereof, shall become members of the retirement

12  system by virtue of their appointment as teachers.  However,

13  employees who are not members of the teaching or professional

14  staff shall only become members of the retirement system by

15  filing a notice with the division department of their election

16  to become members.

17         (3)  Except as otherwise provided in s. 238.07(9),

18  membership of any person in the retirement system will cease

19  if he or she is continuously unemployed as a teacher for a

20  period of more than 5 consecutive years, or upon the

21  withdrawal by the member of his or her accumulated

22  contributions as provided in s. 238.07(13), or upon

23  retirement, or upon death; provided that the adjustments

24  prescribed below are to be made for persons who enter the

25  Armed Forces of the United States during a period of war or

26  national emergency and for persons who are granted leaves of

27  absence.  Any member of the retirement system who within 1

28  year before the time of entering the Armed Forces of the

29  United States was a teacher, as defined in s. 238.01, or was

30  engaged in other public educational work within the state, and

31  member of the Teachers' Retirement System at the time of

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 1  induction, or who has been or is granted leave of absence,

 2  shall be permitted to elect to continue his or her membership

 3  in the Teachers' Retirement System; and membership service

 4  shall be allowed for the period covered by service in the

 5  Armed Forces of the United States or by leave of absence under

 6  the following conditions:

 7         (a)  A person who has been granted leave of absence

 8  shall file with the division department before his or her next

 9  contribution is due an application to continue his or her

10  membership during the period covered by the person's leave of

11  absence and, if such application is filed, shall make his or

12  her contribution to the retirement system on the basis of his

13  or her last previous annual salary as a teacher, and shall,

14  prior to retirement, pay in full to the system such

15  contributions with accumulated regular interest.  Such

16  contributions with interest may be paid at one time or in

17  monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual payments in the

18  person's discretion.

19         (b)  A person who enters or who has entered the Armed

20  Forces of the United States may either continue his or her

21  membership according to the plan outlined under paragraph (a)

22  or, in lieu thereof, may file with the division departmentat

23  any time following the close of his or her military service an

24  application that his or her membership be continued and that

25  membership service be allowed for not more than 5 years of his

26  or her period of service in the Armed Forces of the United

27  States during any period of war or national emergency;

28  provided that any such person shall, prior to retirement, pay

29  in full his or her contributions with accumulated regular

30  interest to the retirement system for the period for which he

31  or she is entitled to membership service on the basis of his

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 1  or her last previous annual salary as a teacher.  Such

 2  contributions with interest may be paid to the division

 3  department at one time or in monthly, quarterly, semiannual,

 4  or annual payments in the person's discretion.

 5         (4)  The division department may in its discretion deny

 6  the right to become members to any class of teachers who are

 7  serving on a temporary or any other than a per annum basis,

 8  and it may also in its discretion make optional with members

 9  in any such class their individual entrance into membership.

10         Section 65.  Subsections (3), (10), (12), (13), (15A),

11  and (16) of section 238.07, Florida Statutes, are amended to

12  read:

13         238.07  Regular benefits; survivor benefits.--

14         (3)  Any member who, prior to July 1, 1955, elected to

15  retire under one of plans A, B, C, or D may elect, prior to

16  retirement, to retire under plan E in accordance with the

17  terms hereof.  Any person who became a member on or after July

18  1, 1955, shall retire under plan E, except as provided for

19  under s. 238.31. With respect to plans A, B, C, or D, any

20  member shall have the right at any time to change to a plan of

21  retirement requiring a lower rate of contribution.  The

22  division Department of Management Services shall also notify

23  the member of the rate of contribution such member must make

24  from and after selecting such plan of retirement.  Any member

25  in service may retire upon reaching the age of retirement

26  formerly selected by him or her, upon the member's written

27  application to the division department setting forth at which

28  time, not more than 90 days subsequent to the execution and

29  filing of such application, it is his or her desire to retire

30  notwithstanding that during such period of notification he or

31  she may have separated from service.  Upon receipt of such

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 1  application for retirement, the division department shall

 2  retire such member not more than 90 days thereafter.  Before

 3  such member may retire he or she must file with the division

 4  department his or her written selection of one of the optional

 5  benefits provided in s. 238.08.

 6         (10)  Any member in service, who has 10 or more years

 7  of creditable service, may upon the application of his or her

 8  employer or upon his or her own application, be retired by the

 9  division department not less than 30 nor more than 90 days

10  next following the date of filing such application, on a

11  disability retirement allowance; provided that a physician

12  licensed by this state examines and certifies that such member

13  is mentally or physically incapacitated for the further

14  performance of duty, that such incapacity is likely to be

15  permanent, and that such member should be retired, and the

16  division department concurs.  In making the determination, the

17  division department may require other evidence of disability

18  as deemed appropriate.

19         (12)(a)  Once each year during the first 5 years

20  following the retirement of a member on a disability

21  retirement allowance, and once in every 3-year period

22  thereafter, the division department may require any disability

23  beneficiary who has not yet attained his or her minimum

24  service retirement age to undergo a medical examination by a

25  physician licensed by this state and to submit any other

26  evidence of disability as required by the division department.

27  Should a disability beneficiary who has not yet attained his

28  or her minimum service retirement age refuse to submit to any

29  such medical examination, his or her retirement allowance

30  shall be discontinued until his or her withdrawal of such

31  refusal, and should such refusal continue for 1 year, all of

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 1  the disability beneficiary's rights in and to his or her

 2  pension shall be forfeited.

 3         (b)  If the division department finds that a disability

 4  beneficiary is engaged in or is able to engage in a gainful

 5  occupation paying more than the difference between his or her

 6  disability retirement allowance and his or her average final

 7  compensation, the amount of the beneficiary's pension shall be

 8  reduced to an amount which, together with his or her annuity

 9  and the amount earnable by him or her, shall equal the amount

10  of his or her average final compensation. Should the

11  beneficiary's earning capacity later be changed, the amount of

12  his or her pension may be further modified; provided that the

13  pension so modified shall not exceed the amount of the pension

14  allowable under subsection (11), at the time of retirement,

15  nor an amount which, when added to the amount earnable by the

16  beneficiary, together with his or her annuity, equals the

17  amount of his or her average final compensation.  A

18  beneficiary restored to active service at a salary less than

19  the average final compensation upon the basis of which he or

20  she was retired shall not become a member of the retirement

21  system at that time.

22         (c)  Should a disability beneficiary under his or her

23  minimum service retirement age be at any time in service at a

24  salary equal to or greater than his or her average final

25  compensation upon the basis of which he or she was retired,

26  the beneficiary's disability retirement allowance shall cease

27  and he or she shall again become a member of the retirement

28  system and shall contribute thereafter at the same rate at

29  which he or she paid prior to disability.  Any prior service

30  certificate, on the basis of which his or her allowance was

31  computed at the time of his or her disability retirement,

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 1  shall be restored to full force and effect; and, in addition,

 2  upon his or her subsequent retirement he or she shall be

 3  credited with all his or her membership service on the basis

 4  of which his or her allowance was computed at the time of his

 5  or her disability retirement.

 6         (13)  Should a member cease to be a teacher except by

 7  death or by retirement under the provisions of this chapter,

 8  the member shall be paid the amount of his or her accumulated

 9  contributions.  Should a member die before retirement, the

10  amount of his or her accumulated contributions shall be paid

11  to such person, if any, as he or she shall have nominated by

12  written designation duly executed and filed with the division

13  department; otherwise, to his or her executors or

14  administrators.

15         (15A)(a)  Any member of the Teachers' Retirement System

16  who has heretofore, or who hereafter, retires with no less

17  than 10 years of creditable service and who has passed his or

18  her 65th birthday, may, upon application to the division

19  department, have his or her retirement allowance redetermined

20  and thereupon shall be entitled to a monthly service

21  retirement allowance which shall be equal to $4 multiplied by

22  the number of years of the member's creditable service which

23  shall be payable monthly during his or her retirement;

24  provided, that the amount of retirement allowance as

25  determined hereunder, shall be reduced by an amount equal to:

26         1.  Any social security benefits received by the

27  member, and

28         2.  Any social security benefits that the member is

29  eligible to receive by reason of his or her own right or

30  through his or her spouse.

31  

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 1         (b)  No payment shall be made to a member of the

 2  Teachers' Retirement System under this act, until the division

 3  department has determined the social security status of such

 4  member.

 5         (c)  Eligibility of a member of the Teachers'

 6  Retirement System shall be determined under the social

 7  security laws and regulations; provided, however, that a

 8  member shall be considered eligible if the member or the

 9  member's spouse has reached 65 years of age and would draw

10  social security if the member or the member's spouse were not

11  engaged in activity that results in the member or the member's

12  spouse receiving income that would make him or her ineligible

13  to receive social security benefits.  A member of the

14  Teachers' Retirement System shall be deemed to be eligible for

15  social security benefits if the member has this eligibility in

16  his or her own right or through his or her spouse.

17         (d)  The division department shall review, at least

18  annually, the social security status of all members of the

19  Teachers' Retirement System receiving payment under this act

20  and shall increase or decrease payments to such members as

21  shall be necessary to carry out the intent of this act.

22         (e)  No member of the Teachers' Retirement System shall

23  have his or her retirement allowance reduced or any of his or

24  her rights impaired by reason of this act.

25         (f)  This subsection shall take effect on January 1,

26  1962.

27         (16)(a)  Definitions under survivor benefits are:

28         1.  A dependent is a child, widow, widower, or parent

29  of the deceased member who was receiving not less than

30  one-half of his or her support from the deceased member at the

31  time of the death of such member.

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 1         2.  A child is a natural or legally adopted child of a

 2  member, who:

 3         a.  Is under 18 years of age, or

 4         b.  Is over 18 years of age but not over 22 years of

 5  age and is enrolled as a student in an accredited educational

 6  institution, or

 7         c.  Is 18 years of age or older and is physically or

 8  mentally incapable of self-support, when such mental and

 9  physical incapacity occurred prior to such child obtaining the

10  age of 18 years.  Such person shall cease to be regarded as a

11  child upon the termination of such physical or mental

12  disability.  The determination as to such physical or mental

13  incapability shall be vested in the division department.

14  

15  No person shall be considered a child who has married or,

16  except as provided in sub-subparagraph 2.b. or as to a child

17  who is physically or mentally incapable of self-support as

18  hereinbefore set forth, has become 18 years of age.

19         3.  A parent is a natural parent of a member and

20  includes a lawful spouse of a natural parent.

21         4.  A beneficiary is a person who is entitled to

22  benefits under this subsection by reason of his or her

23  relation to a deceased member during the lifetime of such

24  member.

25         (b)  In addition to all other benefits to which a

26  member shall, subject to the conditions set out below, be

27  entitled, the beneficiary of such member shall, upon the death

28  of such member, receive the following benefits:

29  

30  

31  

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 1  Minimum period of     Beneficiaries of    Benefits

 2  paid service of       deceased member

 3  member in Florida as

 4  regular full-time

 5  teacher

 6  

 7  1.  One calendar day  Widow or widower    $190 per month for

 8                        who has care of     one child. $250 per

 9                        dependent child or  month if more than

10                        children of         one child, maximum

11                        deceased member.    benefits $250 per

12                                            month.

13  

14  2.  One calendar day  One or more         $190 per month per

15                        dependent children  child; maximum

16                        if there is no      benefits $250 per

17                        surviving widow or  month if more than

18                        widower.            one child.

19  

20  3.  One calendar day  Dependent parents   For each parent,

21                        65 years or older.  $100 per month for

22                                            life.

23  

24  4.  One calendar day  Designated          $500 lump-sum death

25                        beneficiary and,    benefits payable

26                        if no designated    only once.

27                        beneficiary, then

28                        the executor or

29                        administrator of

30                        deceased member.

31  

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 1  5.  One calendar day  Dependent widow or  $150 per month for

 2                        widower 50 years    life.

 3                        of age and less

 4                        than 65 years of

 5                        age.

 6  

 7  6.  Ten years         Widow or widower    $175 per month for

 8                        65 years of age or  life.

 9                        older.

10  

11  7.  Retired member    Designated          $500 lump-sum death

12                        beneficiary and if  benefits payable

13                        no designated       only once.

14                        beneficiary, then

15                        the executor or

16                        administrator of

17                        deceased retired

18                        member.

19  

20  Beginning on July 1, 1971, the lump-sum death benefit,

21  provided in item 7 above for the retired teacher, shall apply

22  to all present and future retirees of the systems.

23         (c)  The payment of survivor benefits shall begin as of

24  the month immediately following the death of the member except

25  where the beneficiary has not reached the age required to

26  receive benefits under paragraph (b), in which event the

27  payment of survivor benefits shall begin as of the month

28  immediately following the month in which the beneficiary

29  reaches the required age. Provided that if death occurs during

30  the first 3 years of employment, the payment of survivor

31  benefits shall be reduced by the amount of monthly benefits

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 1  the member's survivors are entitled to receive under federal

 2  social security as either a survivor of the member or as a

 3  covered worker under federal social security.

 4         (d)  Limitations on rights of beneficiary are:

 5         1.  The person named as beneficiary in paragraph (b)

 6  shall, in no event, be entitled to receive the benefits set

 7  out in such paragraph unless the death of the member under

 8  whom such beneficiary claims occurs within the period of time

 9  after the member has served in Florida as follows:

10  

11  Minimum number of years                Period after serving in

12         of service in Florida                  Florida in which

13                                                 death of member

14                                                          occurs

15  

16         3 to 5........................................2 years  

17         6 to 9........................................5 years  

18         10 or more...................................10 years  

19  

20         2.  Upon the death of a member, the division department

21  shall make a determination of the beneficiary or beneficiaries

22  of the deceased member and shall pay survivor benefits to such

23  beneficiary or beneficiaries beginning 1 month immediately

24  following the death of the member except where the beneficiary

25  has not reached the age required to receive benefits under

26  paragraph (b), in which event the payment of survivor benefits

27  shall begin as of the month immediately following the month in

28  which the beneficiary reaches the required age.  When required

29  by the division department, the beneficiary or beneficiaries

30  shall file an application for survivor benefits upon forms

31  prescribed by the division department.

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 1         3.  The beneficiaries of a member to receive survivor

 2  benefits are fixed by this subsection, and a member may not

 3  buy or otherwise change such benefits.  He or she may,

 4  however, designate the beneficiary to receive the $500 death

 5  benefits.  If a member fails to make this designation, the

 6  $500 death benefits shall be paid to his or her executor or

 7  administrator.

 8         4.  The beneficiary or beneficiaries of a member whose

 9  death occurs while he or she is in service or while he or she

10  is receiving a disability allowance under subsection (11),

11  shall receive survivor benefits under this subsection

12  determined by the years of service in Florida of the deceased

13  member as set out in paragraph (b).  The requirement that the

14  death of a member must occur within a certain period of time

15  after service in Florida as set out in subparagraph (d)1.

16  shall not apply to a member receiving a disability benefit at

17  the time of his or her death.

18         Section 66.  Subsection (2), paragraph (b) of

19  subsection (5), and subsections (6) and (7) of section 238.08,

20  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

21         238.08  Optional benefits.--A member may elect to

22  receive his or her benefits under the terms of this chapter

23  according to the provisions of any one of the following

24  options:

25         (2)  Option two. A member may elect to receive on

26  retirement the actuarial equivalent (at that time) of his or

27  her retirement allowance in a reduced retirement allowance

28  payable throughout life, with the provisions that if the

29  member dies before he or she has received in payment of his or

30  her annuity the amount of his or her accumulated

31  contributions, as they were at the time of his or her

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 1  retirement, the balance shall be paid to such person, if any,

 2  as he or she shall nominate by written designation duly

 3  acknowledged and filed with the division department;

 4  otherwise, to his or her executors or administrators.

 5         (5)

 6         (b)  A member who elects Option three or Option four

 7  shall, on a form provided for that purpose, designate his or

 8  her spouse as beneficiary to receive the benefits which

 9  continue to be payable upon the death of the member.  After

10  such benefits have commenced under Option three or Option

11  four, the retired member may change the designation of his or

12  her spouse as beneficiary only twice.  If such a retired

13  member remarries and wishes to make such a change, he or she

14  may do so by filing with the division department a notarized

15  change of spouse designation form and shall notify the former

16  spouse in writing of such change.  Upon receipt of a completed

17  change of spouse designation form, the division department

18  shall adjust the member's monthly benefit by the application

19  of actuarial tables and calculations developed to ensure that

20  the benefit paid is the actuarial equivalent of the present

21  value of the member's current benefit. The consent of a

22  retired member's formerly designated spouse as beneficiary to

23  any such change shall not be required.

24         (6)  Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter to

25  the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to any

26  member of the retirement system who has accumulated at least

27  10 years of service and dies prior to retirement:

28         (a)  If the deceased member's surviving spouse has

29  previously received a refund of the member's accumulated

30  contributions made to the retirement system, such spouse may

31  pay to the division department an amount equal to the sum of

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 1  the amount of the deceased member's contributions previously

 2  refunded and regular interest compounded annually on the

 3  amount of such refunded contributions from the date of refund

 4  to the date of payment to the division department, and by so

 5  doing be entitled to receive the monthly retirement benefit

 6  provided in paragraph (c).

 7         (b)  If the deceased member's surviving spouse has not

 8  received a refund of the deceased member's accumulated

 9  contributions, such spouse shall, upon application to the

10  division department within 30 days of the death of the member,

11  receive the monthly retirement benefit provided in paragraph

12  (c).

13         (c)  The monthly benefit payable to the spouse

14  described in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) shall be the

15  amount which would have been payable to the deceased member's

16  spouse, assuming that the member retired on the date of his or

17  her death and had selected the option in subsection (3), such

18  benefit to be based on the ages of the spouse and member as of

19  the date of death of the member. The benefit shall commence on

20  the first day of the month following the payment of the

21  aforesaid amount to the division department, if paragraph (a)

22  is applicable, or on the first day of the month following the

23  receipt of the spouse's application by the division

24  department, if paragraph (b) is applicable.

25         (7)  The surviving spouse or other dependent of any

26  member whose employment is terminated by death shall, upon

27  application to the division department, be permitted to pay

28  the required contributions for any service performed by the

29  member which could have been claimed by the member at the time

30  of his or her death.  Such service shall be added to the

31  creditable service of the member and shall be used in the

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 1  calculation of any benefits which may be payable to the

 2  surviving spouse or other surviving dependent.

 3         Section 67.  Paragraphs (a), (c), and (d) of subsection

 4  (1), paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (3), subsection (4),

 5  and paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 238.09, Florida

 6  Statutes, are amended to read:

 7         238.09  Method of financing.--All of the assets of the

 8  retirement system shall be credited, according to the purposes

 9  for which they are held, to one of four funds; namely, the

10  Annuity Savings Trust Fund, the Pension Accumulation Trust

11  Fund, the Expense Trust Fund, and the Survivors' Benefit Trust

12  Fund.

13         (1)  The Annuity Savings Trust Fund shall be a fund in

14  which shall be accumulated contributions made from the

15  salaries of members under the provisions of paragraph (c) or

16  paragraph (f). Contribution to, payments from, the Annuity

17  Savings Trust Fund shall be made as follows:

18         (a)  With respect to plan A, B, C, or D, upon the basis

19  of such tables as the division Department of Management

20  Services shall adopt, and regular interest, the actuary of the

21  retirement system shall determine for each member the

22  proportion of earnable compensation which, when deducted from

23  each payment of his or her prospective earnable annual

24  compensation prior to his or her minimum service retirement

25  age, and accumulated at regular interest until such age, shall

26  be computed to provide at such age:

27         1.  An annuity equal to one one-hundred-fortieth of his

28  or her average final compensation multiplied by the number of

29  his or her years of membership in the case of each member

30  electing to retire under the provisions of plan A or B.

31  

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 1         2.  An annuity equal to one one-hundred-twentieth of

 2  his or her average final compensation multiplied by the number

 3  of his or her years of membership service in the case of each

 4  member electing to retire under the provisions of plan C.

 5         3.  An annuity equal to one one-hundredth of his or her

 6  average final compensation multiplied by the number of his or

 7  her years of membership service in the case of each member

 8  electing to retire under the provisions of plan D.

 9  

10  In the case of any member who has attained his or her minimum

11  service retirement age prior to becoming a member, the

12  proportion of salary applicable to such member, with respect

13  to plan A, B, C, or D, shall be the proportion computed for

14  the age 1 year younger than his or her minimum service

15  retirement age.

16         (c)  The division department shall certify to each

17  employer the proportion of the earnable compensation of each

18  member who is compensated by the employer, and the employer

19  shall cause to be deducted from the salary of each member on

20  each and every payroll for each and every payroll period an

21  amount equal to the proportion of the member's earnable

22  compensation so computed.  With respect to plan A, B, C, or D,

23  the employer shall not make any deduction for annuity purposes

24  from the compensation of a member who has attained the age of

25  60 years, if such member elects not to contribute.

26         (d)  In determining the amount earnable by a member in

27  a payroll period, the division department may consider the

28  rate of compensation payable to such member on the first day

29  of the payroll period as continuing throughout such payroll

30  period, and it may omit deductions from compensation for any

31  period less than a full payroll period if a teacher was not a

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 1  member on the first day of the payroll period, and to

 2  facilitate the making of deductions, it may modify any

 3  deduction required of any member by such an amount as shall

 4  not exceed one-tenth of 1 percent of the annual salary from

 5  which said deduction is to be made.

 6         (3)  The Pension Accumulation Trust Fund shall be the

 7  fund in which shall be accumulated all reserves for the

 8  payment of all annuities or benefits in lieu of annuities on

 9  retired members and all pensions and other benefits payable

10  from contributions made by the members and by the employers,

11  from which annuities, pensions and benefits in lieu thereof

12  shall be paid. Contributions to, and payments from, the

13  Pension Accumulation Trust Fund, other than as set forth in

14  subsections (2) and (3) herein, shall be made as follows:

15         (b)  On the basis of regular interest and of such

16  mortality and other tables as shall be adopted by the division

17  department, the actuary engaged by the division department to

18  make each valuation required by this chapter shall, during the

19  period over which the accrued liability contribution is

20  payable, determine, immediately after making such valuation,

21  the uniform and constant percentage of the earnable

22  compensation of the average new entrant, which, if contributed

23  on the basis of his or her compensation throughout his or her

24  entire period of service, would be sufficient to provide for

25  the payment of any pension payable by the state on his or her

26  account.  The rate percent so determined shall be known as the

27  normal contribution rate.  After the accrued liability

28  contribution has ceased to be payable, the normal contribution

29  rate shall be the rate percent of the earnable compensation of

30  all members, obtained by deducting from the total liabilities

31  of the Pension Accumulation Trust Fund the amount of the funds

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 1  in hand to the credit of that fund and dividing the remainder

 2  by 1 percent of the present value of the prospective future

 3  salaries of all members as computed on the basis of the

 4  mortality and service tables adopted by the division

 5  department and on the basis of regular interest.  The normal

 6  rate of contribution shall be determined and certified to the

 7  division department by the actuary after each valuation and

 8  shall continue in force until a new valuation and

 9  certification are made.

10         (c)  Immediately succeeding the first valuation, the

11  actuary engaged by the division department shall compute the

12  rate percent of the total earnable compensation of all members

13  which is equivalent to 4 percent of the amount of the total

14  liability for pensions on account of all members and

15  beneficiaries and not dischargeable by the present assets of

16  the Pension Accumulation Trust Fund and by the aforesaid

17  normal contribution if made on account of such members during

18  the remainder of their active service.  The rate percent,

19  originally so determined, shall be known as the accrued

20  liability contribution rate.

21         (4)  The Expense Trust Fund shall be the fund to which

22  shall be credited all moneys contributed for the

23  administrative expenses of the retirement system and from

24  which shall be paid all expenses incurred in connection with

25  the administration and operation of the retirement system.

26  Contribution to the Expense Trust Fund shall be made by

27  transfer from interest earnings on investments in the Annuity

28  Savings Trust Fund.  Such transfers shall be approved by the

29  State Board of Administration in accordance with s. 215.44(4)

30  regulated by the Legislature pursuant to budgets filed in

31  accordance with the provisions of chapter 216.

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 1         (5)

 2         (b)  The division department shall annually certify to

 3  each employer, at the time it makes the certification to the

 4  employer under paragraph (1)(c), the rate of

 5  twenty-five-hundredths percent to be applied by the employer

 6  to the salary of each member who is compensated by the

 7  employer, and the employer shall cause to be deducted from the

 8  salary of each member on each and every payroll for each and

 9  every payroll period an amount equal to twenty-five-hundredths

10  percent of the member's salary paid by the employer and the

11  employer shall remit monthly such deducted amounts to the

12  division department which shall place the same in the

13  Survivors' Benefit Trust Fund of the Teachers' Retirement

14  System of the state. The amount of contributions by a member

15  to the Survivors' Benefit Trust Fund shall, in no event, be

16  refundable to the member or his or her beneficiaries.

17         Section 68.  Section 238.10, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         238.10  Management of funds.--The division Department

20  of Management Services, annually, shall allow regular interest

21  on the amount for the preceding year to the credit of each of

22  the funds of the retirement system, and to the credit of the

23  individual account therein, if any, with the exception of the

24  expense fund, from the interest and dividends earned from

25  investments.

26         Section 69.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and

27  subsections (2) and (3) of section 238.11, Florida Statutes,

28  are amended to read:

29         238.11  Collection of contributions.--

30         (1)  The collection of contributions shall be as

31  follows:

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 1         (b)  Each employer shall transmit monthly to the

 2  division Department of Management Services a warrant for the

 3  total amount of such deductions. Each employer shall also

 4  transmit monthly to the division department a warrant for such

 5  employer contribution set aside as provided for in paragraph

 6  (a) of this subsection. The division department, after making

 7  records of all such warrants, shall transmit them to the

 8  Department of Banking and Finance for delivery to the

 9  Treasurer of the state who shall collect them.

10         (2)  The collection of the state contribution shall be

11  made as follows:

12         (a)  The amounts required to be paid by the state into

13  the Teachers' Retirement System in this chapter shall be

14  provided therefor in the General Appropriations Act.  However,

15  in the event a sufficient amount is not included in the

16  General Appropriations Act to meet the full amount needed to

17  pay the retirement compensation provided for in this chapter,

18  the additional amount needed for such retirement compensation

19  is hereby appropriated from the General Revenue Fund as

20  approved by the division Department of Management Services.

21         (b)  The division Department of Management Services

22  shall certify one-fourth of the amount so ascertained for each

23  year to the Comptroller on or before the last day of July,

24  October, January, and April of each year.  The Comptroller

25  shall, on or before the first day of August, November,

26  February, and May of each year, draw his or her warrant or

27  warrants on the Treasurer for the respective amounts due the

28  several funds of the retirement system.  On the receipt of the

29  warrant or warrants of the Comptroller, the Treasurer shall

30  immediately transfer to the several funds of the retirement

31  system the amounts due.

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 1         (3)  All collection of contributions of a nonprofit

 2  professional association or corporation of teachers as

 3  referred to in s. 238.01(3) and (5) shall be made by such

 4  association or corporation in the following manner:

 5         (a)  On April 1 of each year, the division Department

 6  of Management Services shall certify to any such nonprofit

 7  professional association or corporation of teachers the

 8  amounts which will become due and payable during the ensuing

 9  fiscal year to each of the funds of the retirement system to

10  which such contributions are payable as set forth in this law.

11         (b)  The division Department of Management Services

12  shall certify one-fourth of the amount so ascertained for each

13  year to the nonprofit professional association or corporation

14  of teachers on or before the last day of July, October,

15  January, and April of each year.  The nonprofit professional

16  association or corporation of teachers shall, on or before the

17  first day of August, November, February, and May of each year,

18  draw its check payable to the division department for the

19  respective amounts due the several funds of the retirement

20  system. Upon receipt of the check, the division department

21  shall immediately transfer to the several funds of the

22  retirement system the amounts due, provided, however, that the

23  amounts due the several funds of the retirement system from

24  any such association or corporation for creditable service

25  accruing to any such member before July 1, 1947, shall be paid

26  prior to the retirement of any such member.

27         Section 70.  Section 238.12, Florida Statutes, is

28  amended to read:

29         238.12  Duties of employers.--

30         (1)  Each employer shall keep such records and, from

31  time to time, shall furnish such information as the division

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 1  Department of Management Services may require in the discharge

 2  of its duties.  Upon the employment of any teacher to whom

 3  this chapter may apply, the teacher shall be informed by his

 4  or her employer of his or her duties and obligations in

 5  connection with the retirement system as a condition of his or

 6  her employment.  Every teacher accepting employment shall be

 7  deemed to consent and agree to any deductions from his or her

 8  compensation required in this chapter and to all other

 9  provisions of this chapter.

10         (2)  During September of each year, or at such other

11  time as the division department shall approve, each employer

12  shall certify to the division department the names of all

13  teachers to whom this chapter applies.

14         (3)  Each employer shall, on the first day of each

15  calendar month, or at such less frequent intervals as the

16  division department may approve, notify the division

17  department of the employment of new teachers, removals,

18  withdrawals and changes in salary of members that have

19  occurred during the preceding month, or the period covered

20  since the last notification.

21         Section 71.  Section 238.14, Florida Statutes, is

22  amended to read:

23         238.14  Protection against fraud.--Any person who shall

24  knowingly make any false statement, or shall falsify or permit

25  to be falsified any record or records of this retirement

26  system in any attempt to defraud such system as a result of

27  such act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second

28  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

29  Should any change or error in records result in any member or

30  beneficiary receiving from the retirement system more or less

31  than he or she would have been entitled to receive had the

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 1  records been correct, then on discovery of any such error the

 2  division department shall correct such error, and, as far as

 3  practicable, shall adjust the payments in such a manner that

 4  the actuarial equivalent of the benefit, to which such member

 5  or beneficiary was correctly entitled, shall be paid.

 6         Section 72.  Section 238.15, Florida Statutes, is

 7  amended to read:

 8         238.15  Exemption of funds from taxation, execution,

 9  and assignment.--The pensions, annuities or any other benefits

10  accrued or accruing to any person under the provisions of this

11  chapter and the accumulated contributions and cash securities

12  in the funds created under this chapter are exempted from any

13  state, county or municipal tax of the state, and shall not be

14  subject to execution or attachment or to any legal process

15  whatsoever, and shall be unassignable, except:

16         (1)  That any teacher who has retired shall have the

17  right and power to authorize in writing the division

18  Department of Management Services to deduct from his or her

19  monthly retirement allowance money for the payment of the

20  premiums on group insurance for hospital, medical and surgical

21  benefits, under a plan or plans for such benefits approved in

22  writing by the Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer of the

23  state, and upon receipt of such request the division

24  department shall make the monthly payments as directed; and

25         (2)  As may be otherwise specifically provided for in

26  this chapter.

27         Section 73.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section

28  238.171, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

29         238.171  Monthly allowance; when made.--

30         (3)(a)  On July 1, 1974, the Department of Management

31  Services director of the Division of Retirement shall adjust

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 1  the monthly allowance provided for incapacitated teachers

 2  under this section by increasing said allowance by a

 3  percentage which shall be equal to the percentage change in

 4  the average cost-of-living index, as defined in chapter 121,

 5  over the period between April 1, 1967, and March 31, 1973. The

 6  percent of increase, as of July 1, 1974, shall be 25.4

 7  percent, which is the average cost-of-living increase

 8  percentage from April 1, 1967, through March 31, 1973.

 9         Section 74.  Subsection (2) of section 238.181, Florida

10  Statutes, is amended to read:

11         238.181  Reemployment after retirement; conditions and

12  limitations.--

13         (2)(a)  Any person retired under this chapter, except

14  under the disability retirement provisions of s. 238.07, may

15  be reemployed by any private or public employer after

16  retirement and receive retirement benefits and compensation

17  from his or her employer without limitation, except that no

18  person may receive both a salary from reemployment with any

19  agency participating in the Florida Retirement System and

20  retirement benefits under this chapter for a period of 12

21  months immediately subsequent to the date of retirement.

22         (b)  Any person to whom the limitation in paragraph (a)

23  applies who violates such reemployment limitation and who is

24  reemployed with any agency participating in the Florida

25  Retirement System before completion of the 12-month limitation

26  period shall give timely notice of this fact in writing to his

27  or her employer and to the division Department of Management

28  Services and shall have his or her retirement benefits

29  suspended for the balance of the 12-month limitation period.

30  Any person employed in violation of this paragraph and any

31  employing agency which knowingly employs or appoints such

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 1  person without notifying the division department to suspend

 2  retirement benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

 3  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

 4  paid during the reemployment limitation period.  To avoid

 5  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

 6  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

 7  a state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement

 8  benefits received while reemployed during this reemployment

 9  limitation period shall be repaid to the retirement trust

10  fund, and retirement benefits shall remain suspended until

11  such repayment has been made.  Benefits suspended beyond the

12  reemployment limitation shall apply toward repayment of

13  benefits received in violation of the reemployment limitation.

14         (c)  A district school board may reemploy a retired

15  member as a substitute or hourly teacher on a noncontractual

16  basis after he or she has been retired for 1 calendar month,

17  in accordance with s. 121.021(39).  Any retired member who is

18  reemployed within 1 calendar month after retirement shall void

19  his or her application for retirement benefits.  District

20  school boards reemploying such teachers are subject to the

21  retirement contribution required by paragraph (g).

22  Reemployment of a retired member as a substitute or hourly

23  teacher is limited to 780 hours during the first 12 months of

24  his or her retirement.  Any retired member reemployed for more

25  than 780 hours during his or her first 12 months of retirement

26  shall give timely notice in writing to his or her employer and

27  to the division department of the date he or she will exceed

28  the limitation.  The division department shall suspend his or

29  her retirement benefits for the remainder of his or her first

30  12 months of retirement.  Any person employed in violation of

31  this paragraph and any employing agency which knowingly

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 1  employs or appoints such person without notifying the division

 2  department to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

 3  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

 4  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

 5  period.  To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have

 6  a written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

 7  retired from a state-administered retirement system.  Any

 8  retirement benefits received by a retired member while

 9  reemployed in excess of 780 hours during his or her first 12

10  months of retirement shall be repaid to the Retirement System

11  Trust Fund, and his or her retirement benefits shall remain

12  suspended until repayment is made.  Benefits suspended beyond

13  the end of the retired member's first 12 months of retirement

14  shall apply toward repayment of benefits received in violation

15  of the 780-hour reemployment limitation.

16         (d)  A community college board of trustees may reemploy

17  a retired member as an adjunct instructor, that is, an

18  instructor who is noncontractual and part time, or as a

19  participant in a phased retirement program within a community

20  college, after he or she has been retired for 1 calendar

21  month, in accordance with s. 121.021(39).  Any retired member

22  who is reemployed within 1 calendar month after retirement

23  shall void his or her application for retirement benefits.

24  Boards of trustees reemploying such instructors are subject to

25  the retirement contribution required in paragraph (g).  A

26  retired member may be reemployed as an adjunct instructor for

27  no more than 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or

28  her retirement.  Any retired member reemployed for more than

29  780 hours during his or her first 12 months of retirement

30  shall give timely notice in writing to his or her employer and

31  to the division department of the date he or she will exceed

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 1  the limitation. The division department shall suspend his or

 2  her retirement benefits for the remainder of his or her first

 3  12 months of retirement.  Any person employed in violation of

 4  this paragraph and any employing agency which knowingly

 5  employs or appoints such person without notifying the division

 6  department to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

 7  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

 8  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

 9  period.  To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have

10  a written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

11  retired from a state-administered retirement system.  Any

12  retirement benefits received by a retired member while

13  reemployed in excess of 780 hours during his or her first 12

14  months of retirement shall be repaid to the Retirement System

15  Trust Fund, and retirement benefits shall remain suspended

16  until repayment is made. Benefits suspended beyond the end of

17  the retired member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply

18  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

19  780-hour reemployment limitation.

20         (e)  The Board of Trustees of the Florida School for

21  the Deaf and the Blind may reemploy a retired member as a

22  substitute teacher, substitute residential instructor, or

23  substitute nurse on a noncontractual basis after he or she has

24  been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

25  121.021(39). Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

26  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

27  application for retirement benefits. The Board of Trustees of

28  the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind reemploying such

29  teachers, residential instructors, or nurses is subject to the

30  retirement contribution required by paragraph (g).

31  Reemployment of a retired member as a substitute teacher,

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 1  substitute residential instructor, or substitute nurse is

 2  limited to 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her

 3  retirement. Any retired member reemployed for more than 780

 4  hours during his or her first 12 months of retirement shall

 5  give timely notice in writing to his or her employer and to

 6  the division department of the date he or she will exceed the

 7  limitation.  The division department shall suspend his or her

 8  retirement benefits for the remainder of his or her first 12

 9  months of retirement.  Any person employed in violation of

10  this paragraph and any employing agency which knowingly

11  employs or appoints such person without notifying the division

12  department to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

13  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

14  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

15  period.  To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have

16  a written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

17  retired from a state-administered retirement system.  Any

18  retirement benefits received by a retired member while

19  reemployed in excess of 780 hours during his or her first 12

20  months of retirement shall be repaid to the Retirement System

21  Trust Fund, and his or her retirement benefits shall remain

22  suspended until payment is made.  Benefits suspended beyond

23  the end of the retired member's first 12 months of retirement

24  shall apply toward repayment of benefits received in violation

25  of the 780-hour reemployment limitation.

26         (f)  The State University System may reemploy a retired

27  member as an adjunct faculty member or as a participant in a

28  phased retirement program within the State University System

29  after the retired member has been retired for 1 calendar

30  month, in accordance with s. 121.021(39).  Any retired member

31  who is reemployed within 1 calendar month after retirement

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 1  shall void his or her application for retirement benefits. The

 2  State University System is subject to the retired contribution

 3  required in paragraph (g), as appropriate. A retired member

 4  may be reemployed as an adjunct faculty member or a

 5  participant in a phased retirement program for no more than

 6  780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her retirement.

 7  Any retired member reemployed for more than 780 hours during

 8  his or her first 12 months of retirement shall give timely

 9  notice in writing to his or her employer and to the division

10  department of the date he or she will exceed the limitation.

11  The division department shall suspend his or her retirement

12  benefits for the remainder of his or her first 12 months of

13  retirement.  Any person employed in violation of this

14  paragraph and any employing agency which knowingly employs or

15  appoints such person without notifying the division department

16  to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and severally

17  liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any

18  benefits paid during the reemployment limitation period.  To

19  avoid liability, such employing agency shall have a written

20  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

21  a state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement

22  benefits received by a retired member while reemployed in

23  excess of 780 hours during his or her first 12 months of

24  retirement shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust

25  Fund, and retirement benefits shall remain suspended until

26  repayment is made.  Benefits suspended beyond the end of the

27  retired member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply

28  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

29  780-hour reemployment limitation.

30         (g)  The employment by an employer of any retiree of a

31  state-administered retirement system shall have no effect on

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 1  the average final compensation or years of creditable service

 2  of such retiree.  Prior to July 1, 1991, upon employment of

 3  any person, other than an elected officer as provided in s.

 4  121.053, who has been retired under any state-administered

 5  retirement program, the employer shall pay retirement

 6  contributions in an amount equal to the unfunded actuarial

 7  accrued liability portion of the employer contribution which

 8  would be required for a regular member of the Florida

 9  Retirement System. Effective July 1, 1991, contributions shall

10  be made as provided in s. 121.122 for renewed membership.

11         (h)  The limitations of this subsection apply to

12  reemployment in any capacity with an "employer" as defined in

13  s. 121.021(10), irrespective of the category of funds from

14  which the person is compensated.

15         Section 75.  Section 238.32, Florida Statutes, is

16  amended to read:

17         238.32  Service credit in disputed cases.--The division

18  Department of Management Services may in its discretion allow

19  or deny a member service credit in disputed or doubtful cases

20  for employment in Florida and out-of-state schools in order to

21  serve the best interests of the state and the member, subject

22  to the membership dates set forth in s. 238.06(4).

23         Section 76.  Subsection (4) of section 650.02, Florida

24  Statutes, is amended to read:

25         650.02  Definitions.--For the purpose of this chapter:

26         (4)  The term "state agency" means the Division of

27  Retirement of the State Board of Administration Department of

28  Management Services.

29         Section 77.  Subsection (1) of section 650.06, Florida

30  Statutes, is amended to read:

31         650.06  Social Security Contribution Trust Fund.--

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 1         (1)  There is hereby established in the State Treasury

 2  to be administered by the State Board of Administration a

 3  special fund to be known as the "Social Security Contribution

 4  Trust Fund." Such fund shall consist of and there shall be

 5  deposited in such fund:

 6         (a)  All contributions, interest, and penalties

 7  collected under ss. 650.04 and 650.05;

 8         (b)  All moneys appropriated thereto under this

 9  chapter;

10         (c)  Any property or securities and earnings thereof

11  acquired through the use of moneys belonging to the fund;

12         (d)  Interest earned upon any moneys in the fund; and

13         (e)  All sums recovered upon the bond of the custodian

14  or otherwise for losses sustained by the fund and all other

15  moneys received for the fund from any other source.  All

16  moneys in the fund shall be mingled and undivided.  Subject to

17  the provisions of this chapter, the state agency is vested

18  with full power, authority and jurisdiction over the fund,

19  including all moneys and property or securities belonging

20  thereto, and may perform any and all acts whether or not

21  specifically designated, which are necessary to the

22  administration thereof and are consistent with the provisions

23  of this chapter.

24         Section 78.  The Department of Management Services may

25  contract with the State Board of Administration to administer

26  sections 112.05, 121.1815, 238.171, 250.22, and

27  112.351-112.362, Florida Statutes.

28         Section 79.  The Division of Retirement of the State

29  Board of Administration is a state agency for the purpose of

30  making payments under the retirement plans and other benefit

31  programs administered by the board and the Division of

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 1  Retirement.  The Department of Financial Services shall issue

 2  benefit payments to persons or governmental entities eligible

 3  for such payments under the retirement plans and other benefit

 4  programs administered by the board and the Division of

 5  Retirement.  The board is authorized to requisition the

 6  appropriate amounts from trust funds in the State Treasury

 7  established for this purpose.

 8         Section 80.  Subsections (1) and (6) of section 122.02,

 9  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

10         122.02  Definitions.--The following words and phrases

11  as used in this chapter shall have the following meaning

12  unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:

13         (1)  "State and county officers and employees" shall

14  include all full-time officers or employees who receive

15  compensation for services rendered from state or county funds,

16  or from funds of drainage districts or mosquito control

17  districts of a county or counties, or from funds of the State

18  Board of Administration or from funds of closed bank

19  receivership accounts or from funds of any state institution

20  or who receive compensation for employment or service from any

21  agency, branch, department, institution or board of the state,

22  or any county of the state, for service rendered the state or

23  county from funds from any source provided for their

24  employment or service regardless of whether the same is paid

25  by state or county warrant or not; provided that such

26  compensation in whatever form paid shall be specified in terms

27  of fixed monthly salaries by the employing state or county

28  agency or state or county official and shall not include

29  amounts allowed for professional employees for special or

30  particular service or for subsistence or travel expenses;

31  provided further the division department shall prescribe

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 1  appropriate procedure for contribution deduction out of such

 2  compensation in accordance with the provisions of this

 3  chapter, provided further that such officers and employees

 4  defined herein shall not include those officers and employees

 5  excepted from the provisions by s. 122.18 of this law.

 6         (6)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of the

 7  State Board of Administration "Department" means the

 8  Department of Management Services.

 9         Section 81.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) and

10  subsection (9) of section 122.03, Florida Statutes, are

11  amended to read:

12         122.03  Contributions; participants; prior service

13  credit.--

14         (6)  Any officer or employee who held office or was

15  employed by the state or a county of the state continuously

16  from May 1, 1959, and who has not previously received credit

17  for, or is not eligible to claim credit for, prior years of

18  service under subsection (2); or any officer or employee who

19  holds office or is employed by the state or a county of the

20  state on June 1, 1961, and is continuously employed; or any

21  officer or employee who holds office or is employed by the

22  state or county of the state after June 1, 1961, and who is

23  continuously employed for 3 years, during which period of time

24  no back payments may be made:

25         (d)  Prior service allowance may be made only for those

26  periods in which state or county records of service and salary

27  are available, or at least three affidavits and such other

28  information as might be required by the division department to

29  meet the provisions of this law.

30         (9)  The surviving spouse or other dependent of any

31  member whose employment is terminated by death shall, upon

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 1  application to the division department, be permitted to pay

 2  the required contributions for any service performed by the

 3  member which could have been claimed by the member at the time

 4  of death. Such service shall be added to the creditable

 5  service of the member and shall be used in the calculation of

 6  any benefits which may be payable to the surviving spouse or

 7  other surviving dependent.

 8         Section 82.  Subsection (2) of section 122.05, Florida

 9  Statutes, is amended to read:

10         122.05  Legislator services included.--

11         (2)  The division department and state officials

12  administering such said retirement system shall make the

13  contribution deductions required by law from the compensation

14  hereafter received by any of the said participating members of

15  the Legislature for service rendered the State Legislature in

16  the same manner as in the case of other state employment.

17         Section 83.  Subsection (2) of section 122.06, Florida

18  Statutes, is amended to read:

19         122.06  Legislative employee services included.--

20         (2)  The division department and other state officials

21  administering said retirement system shall make the

22  contribution deductions required by law from the compensation

23  hereafter received by any of the said participating attaches

24  for service rendered the State Legislature in the same manner

25  as in the case of other state employment.

26         Section 84.  Subsection (2) of section 122.07, Florida

27  Statutes, is amended to read:

28         122.07  Seasonal state employment included; time limit

29  and procedure for claiming.--

30         (2)  Any state employee as described in subsection (1)

31  in the classification set forth in s. 122.01 may elect to

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 1  receive credit as a state employee under the State and County

 2  Officers and Employees' Retirement System by providing to the

 3  division department a statement from the state in which he or

 4  she was employed, listing days employed and monthly earnings

 5  and such other information as may, in the opinion of the

 6  division department, be necessary or appropriate in the

 7  carrying out of this section. Credit shall be granted upon

 8  payment to the division department by such employee of an

 9  amount equal to the total retirement contribution that would

10  have been required had the member worked in this state during

11  the period based on the salary drawn by such employee during

12  his or her last full month of employment by the state or any

13  department thereof for each month during said fiscal year for

14  which such employee was not employed by the state or any

15  department thereof, but was employed by some other state, plus

16  interest compounded annually each June 30 from the date of the

17  service in another state to the date of payment at the rate of

18  4 percent until July 1, 1975, and 6.5 percent thereafter.  The

19  member shall have until his or her date of retirement to claim

20  and purchase credit for such employment in another state.

21         Section 85.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1), paragraph

22  (b) of subsection (4), and subsections (5) and (9) of section

23  122.08, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

24         122.08  Requirements for retirement;

25  classifications.--There shall be two retirement

26  classifications for all state and county officers and

27  employees participating herein as hereafter provided in this

28  section:

29         (1)(a)  Any state or county officer or employee who has

30  attained normal retirement age, which shall be age 60 for a

31  person who had become a member prior to July 1, 1963, and age

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 1  62 for a person who had or shall become a member on or after

 2  July 1, 1963, and has accumulated at least 10 years' service

 3  in the aggregate within the contemplation of this law, and who

 4  has made or makes contributions to the State and County

 5  Officers and Employees' Retirement Trust Fund for 5 or more

 6  years as prescribed in this law, may voluntarily retire from

 7  office or employment and be entitled to receive retirement

 8  compensation, the amount of which shall be 2 percent for each

 9  year of service rendered, based upon the average final

10  compensation, payable in equal monthly installments, upon his

11  or her own requisition.  Requisition requirements shall be set

12  by the division department.

13         (4)

14         (b)  A member who elects an option in paragraph (a)

15  shall on a form provided for that purpose designate his or her

16  spouse as beneficiary to receive the benefits which continue

17  to be payable upon the death of the member.  After such

18  benefits have commenced under an option in paragraph (a), the

19  retired member may change the designation of his or her spouse

20  as beneficiary only twice.  If such a retired member remarries

21  and wishes to make such a change, he or she may do so by

22  filing with the division department a notarized change of

23  spouse designation form and shall notify the former spouse in

24  writing of such change. Upon receipt of a completed change of

25  spouse designation form, the division department shall adjust

26  the member's monthly benefit by the application of actuarial

27  tables and calculations developed to ensure that the benefit

28  paid is the actuarial equivalent of the present value of the

29  member's current benefit. The consent of a retired member's

30  formerly designated spouse as beneficiary to any such change

31  shall not be required.

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 1         (5)  Tables for computing the actuarial equivalent

 2  shall be approved by the division department.

 3         (9)  Notwithstanding any other provision in this

 4  chapter to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply

 5  to any officer or employee who has accumulated at least 10

 6  years of service and dies:

 7         (a)  If the deceased member's surviving spouse has

 8  previously received a refund of the member's contributions

 9  made to the retirement trust fund, such spouse may pay to the

10  division department an amount equal to the sum of the amount

11  of the deceased member's contributions previously refunded and

12  interest at 3 percent compounded annually on the amount of

13  such refunded contributions from the date of refund until July

14  1, 1975, and thereafter at the rate of 6.5 percent interest

15  compounded annually to the date of payment to the division

16  department, and by so doing be entitled to receive the monthly

17  retirement benefit provided in paragraph (c).

18         (b)  If the deceased member's surviving spouse has not

19  received a refund of the deceased member's contributions, such

20  spouse shall, upon application to the division department,

21  receive the monthly retirement benefit provided in paragraph

22  (c).

23         (c)  The monthly benefit payable to the spouse

24  described in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) shall be the

25  amount which would have been payable to the deceased member's

26  spouse, assuming that the member retired on the date of death

27  and had selected the option in subsection (4) which would

28  afford the surviving spouse the greatest amount of benefits,

29  such benefit to be based on the ages of the spouse and member

30  as of the date of death of the member.  Such benefit shall

31  commence on the first day of the month following the payment

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 1  of the aforesaid amount to the division department, if

 2  paragraph (a) is applicable, or on the first day of the month

 3  following the receipt of the spouse's application by the

 4  division department, if paragraph (b) is applicable.

 5         Section 86.  Section 122.09, Florida Statutes, is

 6  amended to read:

 7         122.09  Disability retirement; medical

 8  examinations.--Whenever any officer or employee of the state

 9  or county of the state has service credit as such officer or

10  employee for 10 years within the contemplation of this law,

11  the last 5 years of which, except for a single break not to

12  exceed 1 year, must be continuous, unbroken service and who is

13  regularly contributing to the State and County Officers and

14  Employees' Retirement Trust Fund and shall while holding such

15  office or employment become permanently and totally disabled,

16  physically or mentally, or both, from rendering useful and

17  efficient service as such officer or employee, such officer or

18  employee may retire from his or her office or employment, and

19  upon such retirement the officer or employee shall be paid, so

20  long as the permanent and total disability continues, on his

21  or her own monthly requisition, from the State and County

22  Officers and Employees' Retirement Trust Fund hereinafter

23  established, retirement compensation as provided in s. 122.08;

24  provided that no officer or employee retiring under this

25  section shall receive less than 50 percent of his or her

26  average final compensation not to exceed $75.  No officer or

27  employee of the state and county of the state shall be

28  permitted to retire under the provisions of this section until

29  examined by a duly qualified physician or surgeon or board of

30  physicians and surgeons, to be selected by the Governor for

31  that purpose, and found to be disabled in the degree and in

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 1  the manner specified in this section.  Any officer or employee

 2  retiring under this section shall be examined periodically by

 3  a duly qualified physician or surgeon or board of physicians

 4  and surgeons to be selected by the Governor for that purpose

 5  and paid from the retirement trust fund herein provided for,

 6  at such time as the division Department of Management Services

 7  shall direct to determine if such total disability has

 8  continued and in the event it be disclosed by said examination

 9  that said total disability has ceased to exist, then such

10  officer or employee shall forthwith cease to be paid benefits

11  under this section.  Reference to s. 122.08 is for the purpose

12  of computing benefits only.  Any person heretofore retired

13  under this section shall be eligible to qualify for the

14  minimum benefits provided herein; however, minimum benefits

15  shall not be paid retroactively.

16         Section 87.  Subsection (4) of section 122.10, Florida

17  Statutes, is amended to read:

18         122.10  Separation from service; refund of

19  contributions.--

20         (4)  Should any officer or employee elect to receive a

21  refund as provided in this section, his or her application for

22  refund shall be submitted in the manner prescribed by the

23  regulations adopted by the division department and shall

24  accompany the payroll certification, submitted to the division

25  department, on which he or she was last paid prior to

26  termination.  The division department shall pay the entire

27  refund due within 45 days after the first day of the month

28  subsequent to receipt of such application for refund and said

29  payroll certification.

30         Section 88.  Subsection (1) of section 122.12, Florida

31  Statutes, is amended to read:

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 1         122.12  Designation of beneficiary; death of

 2  participant; forfeiture of contributions after benefits paid;

 3  survivor benefits.--

 4         (1)  Any officer or employee may file, in writing, a

 5  designation of beneficiary and it shall be the duty of the

 6  division department to refund 100 percent, without interest,

 7  of the contributions made to the retirement trust fund by such

 8  deceased officer or employee to such designated beneficiary.

 9  The officer or employee shall have the privilege of changing,

10  in writing, the designated beneficiary at any time. Upon

11  failure to designate a beneficiary, the refund shall be made

12  to the persons in the same order as designated in  s. 222.15,

13  for wages due deceased employees.  If the deceased officer or

14  employee has received any benefits under this law, no refund

15  shall be made unless such officer or employee has elected to

16  accept benefits under s. 122.08(3) or (4).

17         Section 89.  Section 122.13, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         122.13  Administration of law; appropriation.--The

20  division department shall make such rules as are necessary for

21  the effective administration of this chapter, and the cost is

22  hereby annually appropriated and shall be paid into the State

23  and County Officers and Employees' Retirement Trust Fund out

24  of the Intangible Tax Fund in the State Treasury in the amount

25  necessary to administer efficiently the state and county

26  retirement law.  At the end of each fiscal year, beginning

27  with fiscal year 1959-1960, the administrative cost of the

28  state and county retirement system for the fiscal year just

29  ended shall be refunded to the General Revenue Fund from

30  interest earned on investments made subsequent to June 30,

31  1959.

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 1         Section 90.  Subsection (2) of section 122.15, Florida

 2  Statutes, is amended to read:

 3         122.15  Benefits exempt from taxes and execution.--

 4         (2)  This subsection shall have no effect upon this

 5  section except that the division department may, upon written

 6  request from the retired member, deduct premiums for group

 7  hospitalization insurance from the retirement benefit paid

 8  such retired member.

 9         Section 91.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

10  122.16, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

11         122.16  Employment after retirement.--

12         (2)

13         (b)  Any person to whom the limitation in paragraph (a)

14  applies who violates such reemployment limitation and is

15  reemployed with any agency participating in the Florida

16  Retirement System prior to completion of the 12-month

17  limitation period shall give timely notice of this fact in

18  writing to his or her employer and to the division department;

19  and his or her retirement benefits shall be suspended for the

20  balance of the 12-month limitation period.  Any person

21  employed in violation of this subsection and any employing

22  agency which knowingly employs or appoints such person without

23  notifying the division department to suspend retirement

24  benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

25  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

26  paid during the reemployment limitation period.  To avoid

27  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

28  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

29  a state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement

30  benefits received by such person while he or she is reemployed

31  during this reemployment limitation period shall be repaid to

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 1  the retirement trust fund, and his or her retirement benefits

 2  shall remain suspended until such repayment has been made. Any

 3  benefits suspended beyond the reemployment limitation period

 4  shall apply toward the repayment of benefits received in

 5  violation of the reemployment limitation.

 6         Section 92.  Subsection (3) of section 122.23, Florida

 7  Statutes, is amended to read:

 8         122.23  Definitions; ss. 122.21-122.321.--In addition

 9  to those definitions set forth in s. 122.02 the following

10  words and phrases used in ss. 122.21-122.24, 122.26 to

11  122.321, inclusive, have the respective meanings set forth:

12         (3)  "Division" means the Division of Retirement of the

13  State Board of Administration "Department" means the

14  Department of Management Services.

15         Section 93.  Subsections (1) and (5) of section 122.30,

16  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

17         122.30  Appropriations.--

18         (1)  There is hereby annually appropriated from the

19  intangible tax fund of the state to the division department as

20  the state agency designated in chapter 650, a sum not to

21  exceed $10,000 to defray the expenses of such agency in

22  connection with its continuing duties in relation to the

23  social security coverage provided by this law.

24         (5)  In addition to amounts appropriated by other

25  provisions of this chapter or other laws to defray cost of

26  administration of this system, there is hereby appropriated

27  out of the Intangible Tax Fund of the state for use of the

28  division department in its administration of the two divisions

29  of this system, the sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may

30  be required for that purpose.

31  

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 1         Section 94.  Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1)

 2  and subsection (11) of section 122.34, Florida Statutes, are

 3  amended to read:

 4         122.34  Special provisions for certain sheriffs and

 5  full-time deputy sheriffs.--

 6         (1)

 7         (b)  Only those members who are full-time criminal law

 8  enforcement officers or agents, as certified by the employing

 9  authority, who perform duties according to rule, order, or

10  established custom as full-time criminal law enforcement

11  officers or agents shall be certified to the division

12  department as high hazard members, and only such members will

13  be approved by the division department.

14         (c)  The division department shall make such rules as

15  are necessary for the effective administration of the intent

16  of this section.

17         (11)  No high hazard member shall be permitted to

18  receive benefits under this section until examined by a duly

19  qualified physician or surgeon, or board of physicians and

20  surgeons, to be selected by the Governor for that purpose, and

21  found to be disabled in the degree and in the manner specified

22  in this section.  At such time as the division Department of

23  Management Services directs, any high hazard member receiving

24  disability benefits under this section shall submit to a

25  medical examination to determine if such disability has

26  continued, and the cost of such examination shall be paid from

27  the retirement trust fund herein provided for; and in the

28  event it is declared by said examination that said disability

29  has cleared, such member shall be ordered to return to active

30  duty with the same rank and salary that he or she had at the

31  time of disability.  Any such member who shall fail to return

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 1  to duty following such order shall forfeit all rights and

 2  claims under this law.  Every high hazard member retiring

 3  under this provision shall be paid so long as the member's

 4  permanent total or partial disability continues, on his or her

 5  own requisition.

 6         Section 95.  Section 122.351, Florida Statutes, is

 7  amended to read:

 8         122.351  Funding by local agencies.--Commencing on July

 9  1, 1969, all county and local agencies covered under the

10  provisions of s. 122.35 shall accumulate and be responsible

11  for the payment of social security and retirement matching

12  costs as required under s. 122.35, from the intangible tax

13  allocation of that county and any other source available to

14  the local governmental units, except that all agencies, other

15  than the school boards, shall be given credit for 50 percent

16  of their 1967-1969 actual employer matching cost, actual cost

17  being that cost in cash actually paid by the employer for

18  matching retirement and social security into the fund by the

19  agency for said biennium. The above credit of 50 percent shall

20  be calculated by the division department.

21         Section 96.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

22  

23          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
24                      Senate Bill CS/SB 1258

25                                 

26  The committee substitute transfers the Teachers Retirement
    System and the State and County Officers and Employees
27  Retirement Systems to the State Board of Administration.

28  The committee substitute clarifies that the trust funds from
    which retirement benefits are paid will remain in the state
29  treasury and directs the Department of Financial Services to
    issue the benefit payments.
30  

31  

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