The Florida Senate

121.101  Cost-of-living adjustment of benefits.--

(1)  The purpose of this section is to provide cost-of-living adjustments to the monthly benefits payable to all retired members of state-supported retirement systems.

(2)  As used in this section, "initial benefit" means the first monthly benefit payable to a retiree or beneficiary in accordance with the laws governing the determination of such benefit at the time of retirement or earlier death.

(3)  Commencing July 1, 1987, the benefit of each retiree and annuitant shall be adjusted on each July 1 thereafter, as follows:

(a)  For those retirees and annuitants who have never received a cost-of-living adjustment under this section, the amount of the monthly benefit payable for the 12-month period commencing on the adjustment date shall be the amount of the member's initial benefit plus an amount equal to a percentage of the member's initial benefit; this percentage is derived by dividing the number of months the member has received an initial benefit by 12, and multiplying the result by 3.

(b)  For those retirees and annuitants who have received a cost-of-living adjustment under this section, the adjusted monthly benefit shall be the amount of the monthly benefit being received on June 30 immediately preceding the adjustment date plus an amount equal to 3 percent of this benefit.

(4)  In no event shall a retiree's or annuitant's monthly retirement benefit be reduced, by the application of this section, below the benefit he or she was receiving as of July 1, 1970, or at the date of retirement, if later, nor shall the benefit be reduced below the minimum monthly benefit provided him or her under s. 112.362

(5)  The initial benefit of a retiree who elected an optional form of benefit payment which provided for a percentage of the benefit to be continued to a beneficiary after his or her death shall be reduced at the death of the retiree by application of the stated percentage.

(6)  The funds necessary to pay for the cost-of-living adjustment provided by this section are hereby annually appropriated from the System Trust Fund.

(7)  The purpose of this subsection is to establish a supplemental cost-of-living adjustment for certain retirees and beneficiaries who receive monthly retirement benefits under the provisions of this chapter and the existing systems consolidated therein, s. 112.05 for certain state officers and employees, and s. 238.171 for certain elderly incapacitated teachers.

(a)  On July 1, 1996, each such retiree retiring prior to July 1, 1976, and each annuitant of such a retiree, who had 25 or more years of service, who is neither receiving nor eligible to receive social security benefits, and whose monthly benefit as of July 1, 1996, is less than $1,000, shall, upon application to the administrator, receive a supplemental cost-of-living adjustment. Such supplemental cost-of-living adjustment shall be applied by adjusting the retiree's or annuitant's monthly benefit to an amount equal to the sum of the monthly benefit being received on July 1, 1996, plus a percentage of the July 1, 1996, benefit. This percentage shall equal the product of 1 percent multiplied by the number of complete years that have elapsed between the member's date of retirement and July 1, 1996. However, if the supplemental cost-of-living adjustment plus the July 1, 1996, monthly benefit would exceed $1,000, the adjustment shall be reduced to an amount which would result in a monthly benefit equal to $1,000.

(b)  Application for the supplemental cost-of-living adjustment provided by this subsection shall include certification by the retiree or annuitant that he or she is not receiving, and is not eligible to receive, social security benefits and shall include written authorization for the department to have access to information from the Social Security Administration concerning his or her entitlement to, or eligibility for, social security benefits. Such supplemental cost-of-living adjustment shall not be paid unless and until the application requirements of this paragraph are met.

History.--s. 10, ch. 70-112; s. 8, ch. 74-302; s. 4, ch. 80-242; s. 6, ch. 81-307; s. 37, ch. 83-217; s. 11, ch. 84-266; s. 1, ch. 87-534; s. 774, ch. 95-147; s. 8, ch. 96-368; s. 38, ch. 99-255.