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To amend sections 742.03, 742.14, 742.351, 742.37, | 1 |
742.3716, 742.46, and 742.63; to amend, for the | 2 |
purpose of adopting new section numbers as | 3 |
indicated in parentheses, sections 742.43 (742.113) | 4 |
and 742.44 (742.101); to enact new sections 742.43 | 5 |
and 742.44 and sections 742.441, 742.442, 742.443, | 6 |
742.444, 742.445, 742.446, and 742.447 of the | 7 |
Revised Code to provide for establishment of the | 8 |
Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund deferred | 9 |
retirement option plan. | 10 |
Section 1. That sections 742.03, 742.14, 742.351, 742.37, | 11 |
742.3716, 742.46, and 742.63 be amended; sections 742.43 (742.113) | 12 |
and 742.44 (742.101) be amended, for the purpose of adopting new | 13 |
section numbers as indicated in parentheses; and new sections | 14 |
742.43 and 742.44 and sections 742.441, 742.442, 742.443, 742.444, | 15 |
742.445, 742.446, and 742.447 of the Revised Code be enacted to | 16 |
read as follows: | 17 |
Sec. 742.03. (A) As used in this section and in sections | 18 |
742.04 and 742.05 of the Revised Code: | 19 |
(1) "Police officer" means a member of the fund who is or | 20 |
has been an employee of a police department and is not a police | 21 |
retirant. | 22 |
(2) "Firefighter" means a member of the fund who is or has | 23 |
been an employee of a fire department and is not a firefighter | 24 |
retirant. | 25 |
(3) "Firefighter retirant" means a member of the fund who is | 26 |
receiving an age and service or disability benefit as a result of | 27 |
service in a fire department or a surviving spouse of a deceased | 28 |
member who is receiving a benefit as a result of the deceased | 29 |
member's service in a fire department. "Firefighter retirant" does | 30 |
not include a member of the fund who is participating in the | 31 |
deferred retirement option plan established under section 742.43 | 32 |
of the Revised Code. | 33 |
(4) "Police retirant" means a member of the fund who is | 34 |
receiving an age and service or disability benefit as a result of | 35 |
service in a police department or a surviving spouse of a deceased | 36 |
member who is receiving a benefit as a result of the deceased | 37 |
member's service in a police department. "Police retirant" does | 38 |
not include a member of the fund who is participating in the | 39 |
deferred retirement option plan established under section 742.43 | 40 |
of the Revised Code. | 41 |
(B) The administration, control, and management of the Ohio | 42 |
police and fire pension fund, created under section 742.02 of the | 43 |
Revised Code, is vested in a board of trustees of the Ohio police | 44 |
and fire pension fund, which shall consist of nine members as | 45 |
follows: | 46 |
(1) The attorney general; | 47 |
(2) The auditor of state; | 48 |
(3) The fiscal officer of a municipal corporation who shall | 49 |
be appointed by the governor. This member's term shall be for | 50 |
three years, commencing on the fourth day of June and ending on | 51 |
the third day of June. The fiscal officer member shall hold | 52 |
office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for | 53 |
which appointed. Any fiscal officer member appointed to fill a | 54 |
vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which | 55 |
the fiscal officer member's predecessor was appointed shall hold | 56 |
office for the remainder of such term. Any fiscal officer member | 57 |
shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the | 58 |
fiscal officer member's term until such member's successor takes | 59 |
office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever | 60 |
occurs first. | 61 |
(4) Four members known as employee members. | 62 |
Two employee members shall be police officers elected by | 63 |
police officers. Two employee members shall be firefighters | 64 |
elected by firefighters. Employee members of the board shall be | 65 |
elected for terms of four years as provided by section 742.04 of | 66 |
the Revised Code. | 67 |
(5) One member known as the firefighter retirant member, who | 68 |
shall be a resident of this state elected by the firefighter | 69 |
retirants. The firefighter retirant member shall be elected for a | 70 |
term of four years as provided by section 742.04 of the Revised | 71 |
Code. | 72 |
(6) One member known as the police retirant member, who | 73 |
shall be a resident of this state elected by the police retirants. | 74 |
The police retirant member shall be elected for a term of four | 75 |
years as provided by section 742.04 of the Revised Code. | 76 |
(C) No employee member of the board who retires while a | 77 |
member of the board shall be eligible to become a retirant member | 78 |
for three years after the date of the member's retirement. | 79 |
| 80 |
police and fire pension fund shall estimate annually the amount | 81 |
required to pay its expenses for the ensuing year, and shall fix | 82 |
the amount which shall be transferred from the guarantee fund to | 83 |
the expense fund. | 84 |
| 85 |
to 742.61 of the Revised Code, no trustee and no employee of the | 86 |
board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund shall | 87 |
have any interest, direct or indirect, in the gains or profits of | 88 |
any investment made by the board nor as such, directly or | 89 |
indirectly, receive any pay or annual emolument for the trustee's | 90 |
or employee's services. No trustee or employee of said board | 91 |
shall, directly or indirectly, for self or as an agent or partner | 92 |
of others, borrow any funds or deposits over which the board has | 93 |
jurisdiction or use the same except to make such current and | 94 |
necessary payments as are authorized by the board; nor shall any | 95 |
member or employee of the said board become an endorser or surety | 96 |
or become in any manner an obligor for money loaned by or borrowed | 97 |
from the board. | 98 |
Sec. 742.14. (A) The board of trustees of the Ohio police | 99 |
and fire pension fund shall have prepared annually by or under the | 100 |
supervision of an actuary an actuarial valuation of the pension | 101 |
assets, liabilities, and funding requirements of the Ohio police | 102 |
and fire pension fund as established pursuant to sections 742.01 | 103 |
to 742.61 of the Revised Code. The actuary shall complete the | 104 |
valuation in accordance with actuarial standards of practice | 105 |
promulgated by the actuarial standards board of the American | 106 |
academy of actuaries and prepare a report of the valuation. The | 107 |
report shall include all of the following: | 108 |
(1) A summary of the benefit provisions evaluated; | 109 |
(2) A summary of the census data and financial information | 110 |
used in the valuation; | 111 |
(3) A description of the actuarial assumptions, actuarial | 112 |
cost method, and asset valuation method used in the valuation, | 113 |
including a statement of the assumed rate of payroll growth and | 114 |
assumed rate of growth or decline in the number of members of the | 115 |
fund contributing to the pension fund; | 116 |
(4) A summary of findings that includes a statement of the | 117 |
actuarial accrued pension liabilities and unfunded actuarial | 118 |
accrued pension liabilities; | 119 |
(5) A schedule showing the effect of any changes in the | 120 |
benefit provisions, actuarial assumptions, or cost methods since | 121 |
the last annual actuarial valuation; | 122 |
(6) A statement of whether contributions to the pension fund | 123 |
are expected to be sufficient to satisfy the funding objectives | 124 |
established by the board. | 125 |
The board shall submit the report to the Ohio retirement | 126 |
study council and the standing committees of the house of | 127 |
representatives and the senate with primary responsibility for | 128 |
retirement legislation not later than the first day of November | 129 |
following the year for which the valuation was made. | 130 |
(B) The board shall annually thereafter have prepared by an | 131 |
actuary a report showing the adequacy of the rate of the police | 132 |
officer employers' contribution provided for by section 742.33 of | 133 |
the Revised Code, and the adequacy of the rate of the firefighter | 134 |
employers' contribution provided for by section 742.34 of the | 135 |
Revised Code. | 136 |
(C) At such times as the board determines, and at least once | 137 |
in each quinquennial period, the board shall have prepared by or | 138 |
under the supervision of an actuary an actuarial investigation of | 139 |
the mortality, service, and other experience of the members of the | 140 |
fund and of other system retirants, as defined in section 742.26 | 141 |
of the Revised Code, who are members of a police department or a | 142 |
fire department to update the actuarial assumptions used in the | 143 |
actuarial valuation required by division (A) of this section. The | 144 |
actuary shall prepare a report of the actuarial investigation. The | 145 |
report shall be prepared and any recommended changes in actuarial | 146 |
assumptions shall be made in accordance with the actuarial | 147 |
standards of practice promulgated by the actuarial standards board | 148 |
of the American academy of actuaries. The report shall include | 149 |
all of the following: | 150 |
(1) A summary of relevant decrement and economic assumption | 151 |
experience observed over the period of the investigation; | 152 |
(2) Recommended changes in actuarial assumptions to be used | 153 |
in subsequent actuarial valuations required by division (A) of | 154 |
this section; | 155 |
(3) A measurement of the financial effect of the recommended | 156 |
changes in actuarial assumptions; | 157 |
(4) If the investigation required by this division includes | 158 |
the investigation required by division (F) of this section, a | 159 |
report of the result of that investigation. | 160 |
The board shall submit the report to the Ohio retirement | 161 |
study council and the standing committees of the house of | 162 |
representatives and the senate with primary responsibility for | 163 |
retirement legislation not later than the first day of November | 164 |
following the last fiscal year of the period the report covers. | 165 |
(D) The board shall have prepared by or under the | 166 |
supervision of an actuary an actuarial analysis of any introduced | 167 |
legislation expected to have a measurable financial impact on the | 168 |
pension fund. The actuarial analysis shall be completed in | 169 |
accordance with the actuarial standards of practice promulgated by | 170 |
the actuarial standards board of the American academy of | 171 |
actuaries. The actuary shall prepare a report of the actuarial | 172 |
analysis, which shall include all of the following: | 173 |
(1) A summary of the statutory changes that are being | 174 |
evaluated; | 175 |
(2) A description of or reference to the actuarial | 176 |
assumptions and actuarial cost method used in the report; | 177 |
(3) A description of the participant group or groups | 178 |
included in the report; | 179 |
(4) A statement of the financial impact of the legislation, | 180 |
including the resulting increase, if any, in the employer normal | 181 |
cost percentage; the increase, if any, in actuarial accrued | 182 |
liabilities; and the per cent of payroll that would be required to | 183 |
amortize the increase in actuarial accrued liabilities as a level | 184 |
per cent of covered payroll for all active members of the fund | 185 |
over a period not to exceed thirty years; | 186 |
(5) A statement of whether the scheduled contributions to | 187 |
the system after the proposed change is enacted are expected to be | 188 |
sufficient to satisfy the funding objectives established by the | 189 |
board. | 190 |
Not later than sixty days from the date of introduction of | 191 |
the legislation, the board shall submit a copy of the actuarial | 192 |
analysis to
| 193 |
service commission, the standing committees of the house of | 194 |
representatives and the senate with primary responsibility for | 195 |
retirement legislation, and the Ohio retirement study council. | 196 |
(E) The board shall have prepared annually a report giving a | 197 |
full accounting of the revenues and costs relating to the | 198 |
provision of benefits under section 742.45 of the Revised Code. | 199 |
The report shall be made as of December 31, 1997, and the | 200 |
thirty-first day of December of each year thereafter. The report | 201 |
shall include the following: | 202 |
(1) A description of the statutory authority for the | 203 |
benefits provided; | 204 |
(2) A summary of the benefits; | 205 |
(3) A summary of the eligibility requirements for the | 206 |
benefits; | 207 |
(4) A statement of the number of participants eligible for | 208 |
the benefits; | 209 |
(5) A description of the accounting, asset valuation, and | 210 |
funding method used to provide the benefits; | 211 |
(6) A statement of the net assets available for the | 212 |
provision of the benefits as of the last day of the fiscal year; | 213 |
(7) A statement of any changes in the net assets available | 214 |
for the provision of benefits, including participant and employer | 215 |
contributions, net investment income, administrative expenses, and | 216 |
benefits provided to participants, as of the last day of the | 217 |
fiscal year; | 218 |
(8) For the last six consecutive fiscal years, a schedule of | 219 |
the net assets available for the benefits, the annual cost of | 220 |
benefits, administrative expenses incurred, and annual employer | 221 |
contributions allocated for the provision of benefits; | 222 |
(9) A description of any significant changes that affect the | 223 |
comparability of the report required under this division; | 224 |
(10) A statement of the amount paid under division (C) of | 225 |
section 742.45 of the Revised Code. | 226 |
The board shall submit the report to the Ohio retirement | 227 |
study council and the standing committees of the house of | 228 |
representatives and the senate with primary responsibility for | 229 |
retirement legislation not later than the thirtieth day of June | 230 |
following the year for which the report was made. | 231 |
(F) At least once in each quinquennial period, the board | 232 |
shall have prepared by or under the supervision of an actuary an | 233 |
actuarial investigation of the deferred retirement option plan | 234 |
established under section 742.43 of the Revised Code. The | 235 |
investigation shall include an examination of the financial | 236 |
impact, if any, on the fund of offering the plan to members. | 237 |
The actuary shall prepare a report of the actuarial | 238 |
investigation. The report shall include a determination of | 239 |
whether the plan, as established or modified, has a negative | 240 |
financial impact on the fund and, if so, recommendations on how to | 241 |
modify the plan to eliminate the negative financial impact. If | 242 |
the actuarial report indicates that the plan has a negative | 243 |
financial impact on the fund, the board may modify the plan or | 244 |
cease to allow members who have not already done so to elect to | 245 |
participate in the plan. The firefighter and police officers | 246 |
employers' contributions shall not be increased to offset any | 247 |
negative financial impact of the plan. | 248 |
If the board ceases to allow members to elect to participate | 249 |
in the plan, the rights and obligations of members who have | 250 |
already elected to participate shall not be altered. | 251 |
The board may include the actuarial investigation required | 252 |
under this division as part of the actuarial investigation | 253 |
required under division (C) of this section. If the report of the | 254 |
actuarial investigation required by this division is not included | 255 |
in the report required by division (C) of this section, the board | 256 |
shall submit the report required by this division to the Ohio | 257 |
retirement study council and the standing committees of the house | 258 |
of representatives and the senate with primary responsibility for | 259 |
retirement legislation not later than the first day of November | 260 |
following the last fiscal year of the period the report covers. | 261 |
Sec. 742.351. (A) On receipt of written notice of a | 262 |
member's election to retire under division (C) of section 742.37 | 263 |
of the Revised Code or to terminate active service as described in | 264 |
division (B) of section 742.444 of the Revised Code, the Ohio | 265 |
police and fire pension fund shall request from the employer | 266 |
verification of the member's termination date and any other | 267 |
information the fund determines necessary to calculate and pay a | 268 |
pension under
| 269 |
Code. The request shall be on a form created by the fund and | 270 |
specify the date by which the information must be received by the | 271 |
fund, which shall be sixty days after the form is sent by the | 272 |
fund. | 273 |
(B)(1) On receipt of a request for information under | 274 |
division (A) of this section, the employer shall complete the form | 275 |
and return it to the fund not later than the date specified by the | 276 |
fund. | 277 |
(2) If the fund does not receive the completed form by the | 278 |
specified date, the fund shall send notice by certified mail to | 279 |
the employer that unless the completed form is received not later | 280 |
than thirty days after the specified date a penalty will be | 281 |
imposed. | 282 |
(C) The fund shall assess against an employer that fails to | 283 |
return the completed form by the end of the period described in | 284 |
division (B)(2) of this section a penalty determined under | 285 |
section 742.353 of the Revised Code. | 286 |
(D) The fund shall make one or more monthly payments to a | 287 |
member whose pension does not commence by the ninety-first day | 288 |
after the fund sends a request for information under division (A) | 289 |
of this section due to the employer's failure to return the | 290 |
completed form required under this section. Payment under this | 291 |
division shall commence on the first day of the second month | 292 |
following a month that includes a day for which an assessment | 293 |
against the employer is required under division (C) of this | 294 |
section. The payment shall be an amount equal to the penalty | 295 |
assessed under division (C) of this section less any | 296 |
administrative costs incurred by the fund in complying with this | 297 |
section. Payment shall continue on a monthly basis until the | 298 |
member receives the total amount attributable to the required | 299 |
penalty for an employer's failure to return the form that was | 300 |
requested for that member's information. | 301 |
Sec. 742.37. The board of trustees of the Ohio police and | 302 |
fire pension fund shall adopt rules for the management of the fund | 303 |
and for the disbursement of benefits and pensions as set forth in | 304 |
this section and section 742.39 of the Revised Code. Any payment | 305 |
of a benefit or pension under this section is subject to the | 306 |
provisions of section 742.461 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding | 307 |
any other provision of this section, no pension or benefit paid or | 308 |
determined under division (B) or (C) of this section or section | 309 |
742.39 of the Revised Code shall exceed the limit established by | 310 |
section 415 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. | 311 |
2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 415, as amended. | 312 |
(A) Persons who were receiving benefit or pension payments | 313 |
from a police relief and pension fund established under former | 314 |
section 741.32 of the Revised Code, or from a firemen's relief and | 315 |
pension fund established under former section 521.02 or 741.02 of | 316 |
the Revised Code, at the time the assets of the fund were | 317 |
transferred to the Ohio police and fire pension fund, known at | 318 |
that time as the police and firemen's disability and pension fund, | 319 |
shall receive benefit and pension payments from the Ohio police | 320 |
and fire pension fund in the same amount and subject to the same | 321 |
conditions as such payments were being made from the former fund | 322 |
on the date of the transfer. | 323 |
(B) A member of the fund who, pursuant to law, elected to | 324 |
receive benefits and pensions from a police relief and pension | 325 |
fund established under former section 741.32 of the Revised Code, | 326 |
or from a firemen's relief and pension fund established under | 327 |
former section 741.02 of the Revised Code, in accordance with the | 328 |
rules of the fund governing the granting of benefits or pensions | 329 |
therefrom in force on April 1, 1947, shall receive benefits and | 330 |
pensions from the Ohio police and fire pension fund in accordance | 331 |
with such rules; provided, that any member of the fund who is not | 332 |
receiving a benefit or pension from the fund on August 12, 1975, | 333 |
may, upon application for a benefit or pension to be received on | 334 |
or after August 12, 1975, elect to receive a benefit or pension in | 335 |
accordance with division (C) of this section. | 336 |
(C) Members of the fund who have not elected to receive | 337 |
benefits and pensions from a police relief and pension fund or a | 338 |
firemen's relief and pension fund in accordance with the rules of | 339 |
the fund in force on April 1, 1947, shall receive pensions and | 340 |
benefits in accordance with the following provisions: | 341 |
(1) A member of the fund who has completed twenty-five years | 342 |
of active service in a police or fire department and has attained | 343 |
forty-eight years of age may, at the member's election, retire | 344 |
from the police or fire department | 345 |
participating in the deferred retirement option plan established | 346 |
under section 742.43 of the Revised Code, upon notifying the board | 347 |
in writing of the election, the member shall receive an annual | 348 |
pension, payable in twelve monthly installments, in an amount | 349 |
equal to a percentage of the member's average annual salary. The | 350 |
percentage shall be the sum of two and one-half per cent for each | 351 |
of the first twenty years the member was in the active service of | 352 |
the department, plus two per cent for each of the twenty-first to | 353 |
twenty-fifth years the member was in the active service of the | 354 |
department, plus one and one-half per cent for each year in excess | 355 |
of twenty-five years the member was in the active service of the | 356 |
department. The annual pension shall not exceed seventy-two per | 357 |
cent of the member's average annual salary. | 358 |
A member who completed twenty-five years of active service, | 359 |
has resigned or been discharged, and has left the sum deducted | 360 |
from the member's salary on deposit in the pension fund shall, | 361 |
upon attaining forty-eight years of age, be entitled to receive a | 362 |
normal service pension benefit computed and paid under division | 363 |
(C)(1) of this section. | 364 |
(2) A member of the fund who has served fifteen or more | 365 |
years as an active member of a police or fire department and who | 366 |
voluntarily resigns or is discharged from the department for any | 367 |
reason other than dishonesty, cowardice, intemperate habits, or | 368 |
conviction of a felony, shall receive an annual pension, payable | 369 |
in twelve monthly installments, in an amount equal to one and | 370 |
one-half per cent of the member's average annual salary multiplied | 371 |
by the number of full years the member was in the active service | 372 |
of the department. The pension payments shall not commence until | 373 |
the member has attained the age of forty-eight years and until | 374 |
twenty-five years have elapsed from the date on which the member | 375 |
became a full-time regular police officer or firefighter in the | 376 |
department. | 377 |
(3) A member of the fund who has completed fifteen or more | 378 |
years of active service in a police or fire department and who has | 379 |
attained sixty-two years of age, may retire from the department | 380 |
and, upon notifying the board in writing of the election to | 381 |
retire, shall receive an annual pension, payable in twelve monthly | 382 |
installments, in an amount equal to a percentage of the member's | 383 |
average annual salary. The percentage shall be the sum of two and | 384 |
one-half per cent for each of the first twenty years the member | 385 |
was in the active service of the department, plus two per cent for | 386 |
each of the twenty-first to twenty-fifth years the member was in | 387 |
the active service of the department, plus one and one-half per | 388 |
cent for each year in excess of twenty-five years the member was | 389 |
in the active service of the department. The annual pension shall | 390 |
not exceed seventy-two per cent of the member's average annual | 391 |
salary. | 392 |
(4) With the exception of those persons who may make | 393 |
application for benefits as provided in section 742.26 of the | 394 |
Revised Code, no person receiving a pension or other benefit under | 395 |
division (C) of this section on or after July 24, 1986, shall be | 396 |
entitled to apply for any new, changed, or different benefit. | 397 |
If a member covered by division (C) of this section or | 398 |
section 742.38 of the Revised Code dies prior to the time the | 399 |
member has received a payment and leaves a surviving spouse or | 400 |
dependent child, the surviving spouse or dependent child shall | 401 |
receive a pension under division (D) or (E) of this section. | 402 |
(D)(1) Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this | 403 |
section, a surviving spouse of a deceased member of the fund or a | 404 |
surviving spouse described in division (D)(4) of this section | 405 |
shall receive a monthly pension as follows: | 406 |
(a) For the period beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June | 407 |
30, 2000, five hundred fifty dollars; | 408 |
(b) For the period beginning July 1, 2000, and the first day | 409 |
of July of each year thereafter and continuing for the following | 410 |
twelve months, an amount equal to the monthly amount paid during | 411 |
the prior twelve-month period plus sixteen dollars and fifty | 412 |
cents. | 413 |
(2) A surviving spouse of a deceased member of the fund | 414 |
shall receive a monthly pension of four hundred ten dollars if the | 415 |
surviving spouse is eligible for a benefit under division (B) or | 416 |
(D) of section 742.63 of the Revised Code. If the surviving | 417 |
spouse ceases to be eligible for a benefit under division (B) or | 418 |
(D) of section 742.63 of the Revised Code, the pension shall be | 419 |
increased, effective the first day of the first month following | 420 |
the day on which the surviving spouse ceases to be eligible for | 421 |
the benefit, to the amount it would be under division (D)(1) of | 422 |
this section had the spouse never been eligible for a benefit | 423 |
under division (B) or (D) of section 742.63 of the Revised Code. | 424 |
(3) A pension paid under this division shall continue during | 425 |
the natural life of the surviving spouse. Benefits to a deceased | 426 |
member's surviving spouse that were terminated under a former | 427 |
version of this section that required termination due to | 428 |
remarriage and were not resumed prior to September 16, 1998, shall | 429 |
resume on the first day of the month immediately following receipt | 430 |
by the board of an application on a form provided by the board. | 431 |
(4) A surviving spouse of a deceased member of or contributor | 432 |
to a fund established under former Chapter 521. or 741. of the | 433 |
Revised Code whose benefit or pension was terminated or not paid | 434 |
due to remarriage shall receive a monthly pension under division | 435 |
(D)(1) of this section. | 436 |
The pension shall commence on the first day of the month | 437 |
immediately following receipt by the board of a completed | 438 |
application on a form provided by the board and evidence | 439 |
acceptable to the board that at the time of death the deceased | 440 |
spouse was a member of or contributor to a police or firemen's | 441 |
relief and pension fund established under former Chapter 521. or | 442 |
741. of the Revised Code and that the surviving spouse's benefits | 443 |
were terminated or not granted due to remarriage. | 444 |
(E)(1) Each surviving child of a deceased member of the | 445 |
fund shall receive a monthly pension until the child attains the | 446 |
age of eighteen years, or marries, whichever event occurs first. A | 447 |
pension under this division, however, shall continue to be payable | 448 |
to a child under age twenty-two who is a student in and attending | 449 |
an institution of learning or training pursuant to a program | 450 |
designed to complete in each school year the equivalent of at | 451 |
least two-thirds of the full-time curriculum requirements of the | 452 |
institution, as determined by the board. If any surviving child, | 453 |
regardless of age at the time of the member's death, because of | 454 |
physical or mental disability, is totally dependent upon the | 455 |
deceased member for support at the time of death, the child shall | 456 |
receive a monthly pension under this division during the child's | 457 |
natural life or until the child has recovered from the disability. | 458 |
(2) An eligible surviving child shall receive a monthly | 459 |
pension as follows: | 460 |
(a) For the period beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June | 461 |
30, 2003, one hundred sixty-three dollars and fifty cents; | 462 |
(b) For the period beginning July 1, 2003, and the first day | 463 |
of each July thereafter and continuing for the following twelve | 464 |
months, an amount equal to the monthly amount paid during the | 465 |
prior twelve-month period plus four dollars and fifty cents. | 466 |
(F)(1) If a deceased member of the fund leaves no surviving | 467 |
spouse or surviving children, but leaves one or two parents | 468 |
dependent upon the deceased member for support, each parent shall | 469 |
be paid a monthly pension. The pensions provided for in this | 470 |
division shall be paid during the natural life of the surviving | 471 |
parents, or until dependency ceases, or until remarriage, | 472 |
whichever event occurs first. | 473 |
(2) Each eligible surviving parent shall be paid a monthly | 474 |
pension as follows: | 475 |
(a) For the period ending June 30, 2002, one hundred six | 476 |
dollars for each parent or two hundred twelve dollars for a sole | 477 |
dependent parent; | 478 |
(b) For the period beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June | 479 |
30, 2003, one hundred nine dollars for each parent or two hundred | 480 |
eighteen dollars for a sole dependent parent; | 481 |
(c) For the period beginning July 1, 2003, and the first day | 482 |
of each July thereafter and continuing for the following twelve | 483 |
months, an amount equal to the monthly amount paid during the | 484 |
prior twelve-month period plus three dollars for each parent or | 485 |
six dollars for a sole dependent parent. | 486 |
(G) Subject to the provisions of section 742.461 of the | 487 |
Revised Code, a member of the fund who voluntarily resigns or is | 488 |
removed from active service in a police or fire department is | 489 |
entitled to receive an amount equal to the sums deducted from the | 490 |
member's salary and credited to the member's account in the fund, | 491 |
except that a member receiving a disability benefit or service | 492 |
pension is not entitled to receive any return of contributions to | 493 |
the fund. | 494 |
(H) On and after January 1, 1970, all pensions shall be | 495 |
increased in accordance with the following provisions: | 496 |
(1) A member of the fund who retired prior to January 1, | 497 |
1967, has attained age sixty-five on January 1, 1970, and was | 498 |
receiving a pension on December 31, 1969, pursuant to division (B) | 499 |
or (C)(1) of this section or former division (C)(2), (3), (4), or | 500 |
(5) of this section, shall have the pension increased by ten per | 501 |
cent. | 502 |
(2) The monthly pension payable to eligible surviving | 503 |
spouses under division (D) of this section shall be increased by | 504 |
forty dollars for each surviving spouse receiving a pension on | 505 |
December 31, 1969. | 506 |
(3) The monthly pension payable to each eligible child under | 507 |
division (E) of this section shall be increased by ten dollars for | 508 |
each child receiving a pension on December 31, 1969. | 509 |
(4) The monthly pension payable to each eligible dependent | 510 |
parent under division (F) of this section shall be increased by | 511 |
thirty dollars for each parent receiving a pension on December 31, | 512 |
1969. | 513 |
(5) A member of the fund, including a survivor of a member, | 514 |
who is receiving a pension in accordance with the rules governing | 515 |
the granting of pensions and benefits in force on April 1, 1947, | 516 |
that provide an increase in the original pension from time to time | 517 |
pursuant to changes in the salaries of active members, shall not | 518 |
be eligible for the benefits provided in this division. | 519 |
(I) On and after January 1, 1977, a member of the fund who | 520 |
was receiving a pension or benefit on December 31, 1973, under | 521 |
division (A), (B), (C)(1), or former division (C)(2) or (7) of | 522 |
this section shall have the pension or benefit increased as | 523 |
follows: | 524 |
(1) If the member's annual pension or benefit is less than | 525 |
two thousand seven hundred dollars, it shall be increased to three | 526 |
thousand dollars. | 527 |
(2) If the member's annual pension or benefit is two | 528 |
thousand seven hundred dollars or more, it shall be increased by | 529 |
three hundred dollars. | 530 |
The following shall not be eligible to receive increased | 531 |
pensions or benefits as provided in this division: | 532 |
(a) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension or | 533 |
benefit in accordance with the rules in force on April 1, 1947, | 534 |
governing the granting of pensions and benefits, which provide an | 535 |
increase in the original pension or benefit from time to time | 536 |
pursuant to changes in the salaries of active members; | 537 |
(b) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension or | 538 |
benefit under division (A) or (B) of this section, based on funded | 539 |
volunteer or funded part-time service, or off-duty disability, or | 540 |
partial on-duty disability, or early vested service; | 541 |
(c) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension under | 542 |
division (C)(1) of this section, based on funded volunteer or | 543 |
funded part-time service. | 544 |
(J) On and after July 1, 1977, a member of the fund who was | 545 |
receiving an annual pension or benefit on December 31, 1973, | 546 |
pursuant to division (B) of this section, based upon partial | 547 |
disability, off-duty disability, or early vested service, or | 548 |
pursuant to former division (C)(3), (5), or (6) of this section, | 549 |
shall have such annual pension or benefit increased by three | 550 |
hundred dollars. | 551 |
The following are not eligible to receive the increase | 552 |
provided by this division: | 553 |
(1) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension or | 554 |
benefit in accordance with the rules in force on April 1, 1947, | 555 |
governing the granting of pensions and benefits, which provide an | 556 |
increase in the original pension or benefit from time to time | 557 |
pursuant to changes in the salaries of active members; | 558 |
(2) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension or | 559 |
benefit under division (B) or (C)(2) of this section or former | 560 |
division (C)(3), (5), or (6) of this section based on volunteer or | 561 |
part-time service. | 562 |
(K)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division, every | 563 |
person who on July 24, 1986, is receiving an age and service or | 564 |
disability pension, allowance, or benefit pursuant to this chapter | 565 |
in an amount less than thirteen thousand dollars a year that is | 566 |
based upon an award made effective prior to February 28, 1984, | 567 |
shall receive an increase of six hundred dollars a year or the | 568 |
amount necessary to increase the pension or benefit to four | 569 |
thousand two hundred dollars after all adjustments required by | 570 |
this section, whichever is greater. | 571 |
(2) Division (K)(1) of this section does not apply to the | 572 |
following: | 573 |
(a) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension or | 574 |
benefit in accordance with rules in force on April 1, 1947, that | 575 |
govern the granting of pensions and benefits and that provide an | 576 |
increase in the original pension or benefit from time to time | 577 |
pursuant to changes in the salaries of active members; | 578 |
(b) A member of the fund who is receiving a pension or | 579 |
benefit based on funded volunteer or funded part-time service. | 580 |
(L) On and after July 24, 1986: | 581 |
(1) The pension of each person receiving a pension under | 582 |
division (D) of this section on July 24, 1986, shall be increased | 583 |
to three hundred ten dollars per month. | 584 |
(2) The pension of each person receiving a pension under | 585 |
division (E) of this section on July 24, 1986, shall be increased | 586 |
to ninety-three dollars per month. | 587 |
Sec. 742.3716. (A) As used in this section: | 588 |
(1) "Eligible person" means a person who meets all of the | 589 |
following conditions: | 590 |
(a) Has been receiving a pension or benefit under this | 591 |
chapter for one year or more based on an award made on or after | 592 |
July 24, 1986; | 593 |
(b) Has not made the election provided for in division (B) | 594 |
of this section; | 595 |
(c) Is not the spouse or survivor of a person who has made | 596 |
the election provided for in division (B) of this section; | 597 |
(d) Is receiving a benefit in accordance with division (A), | 598 |
(B), or (C) of section 742.37, division (C)(2), (3), (4), or (5) | 599 |
of former section 742.37, section 742.3711, or section 742.39 of | 600 |
the Revised Code. | 601 |
(2) "Recalculated average annual salary" means the highest | 602 |
average annual compensation of a member of the Ohio police and | 603 |
fire pension fund during any three years of contributions, | 604 |
including amounts included in terminal pay attributable to such | 605 |
three years, determined by dividing the member's total earnings as | 606 |
an employee during such years by three. | 607 |
(B)(1) Notwithstanding section 742.37 or 742.39 of the | 608 |
Revised Code, a member of the fund who is not receiving a pension | 609 |
or benefit under this chapter and who on January 1, 1989, has | 610 |
completed fifteen or more years of active service in a police or | 611 |
fire department may elect to have any future benefit or pension | 612 |
paid to the member or the member's spouse or survivors under this | 613 |
chapter calculated on the basis of the member's recalculated | 614 |
average annual salary rather than the member's average annual | 615 |
salary. The election shall be made by the member prior to or at | 616 |
the time of making an election under section 742.3711 of the | 617 |
Revised Code. This division does not apply to a member of the fund | 618 |
who has elected to participate in the deferred retirement option | 619 |
plan established under section 742.43 of the Revised Code. | 620 |
(2) If the member eligible to make the election under | 621 |
division (B)(1) of this section dies prior to making the election | 622 |
and at the time of death is eligible to retire and receive a | 623 |
pension or benefit under division (C)(1) or (3) of section 742.37 | 624 |
of the Revised Code, the person entitled to receive a benefit | 625 |
under section 742.3714 of the Revised Code may make the election | 626 |
provided for in division (B)(1) of this section. | 627 |
(3) The election under division (B)(1) or (2) of this | 628 |
section shall be made on forms provided by the trustees of the | 629 |
fund. Once received by the fund, the election shall be | 630 |
irrevocable and shall bind the member and any other person who | 631 |
receives a pension or benefit based on the member's service. No | 632 |
person who receives a pension or benefit calculated in accordance | 633 |
with division (B) of this section is eligible to receive a | 634 |
cost-of-living allowance under this section. If the person making | 635 |
the election receives a benefit under section 742.3714 of the | 636 |
Revised Code, that person is not eligible to receive a | 637 |
cost-of-living allowance under section 742.3711 of the Revised | 638 |
Code. | 639 |
(C)(1) The board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire | 640 |
pension fund shall annually increase all benefits payable to | 641 |
eligible persons by three per cent, except that no benefit shall | 642 |
exceed the limit established by section 415 of the "Internal | 643 |
Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 415, as | 644 |
amended. | 645 |
The first increase is payable to all eligible persons who on | 646 |
July 1, 1988, have been receiving a pension or benefit for twelve | 647 |
months or longer. The increase is payable for the ensuing | 648 |
twelve-month period or until the next increase is granted under | 649 |
this section, whichever is later. | 650 |
The date of the first increase paid under this section shall | 651 |
be the anniversary date for future increases. The pension or | 652 |
benefit used in the first calculation of an increase under this | 653 |
section shall remain as the base for all future increases paid | 654 |
under this section, unless a new base is established by law. | 655 |
(2) Increases paid in years subsequent to the year of the | 656 |
first increase paid under this section shall be paid to all | 657 |
eligible persons who, on the date that the increase is authorized | 658 |
by the board, have been receiving a pension or benefit for twelve | 659 |
months. | 660 |
Sec. 742.43. The board of trustees of the Ohio police and | 661 |
fire pension fund shall establish and administer a deferred | 662 |
retirement option plan. In establishing and administering the | 663 |
plan, the board shall comply with sections 742.44 to 742.446 of | 664 |
the Revised Code and may do all things necessary to meet the | 665 |
requirements of section 401(a) of the "Internal Revenue Code of | 666 |
1986," as amended, applicable to governmental plans. | 667 |
The board shall adopt rules to implement this section and | 668 |
sections 742.44 to 742.446 of the Revised Code. The rules shall | 669 |
specify the date of initial implementation of the plan established | 670 |
under this section. The rules may also specify a period during | 671 |
which an election made under section 742.44 of the Revised Code | 672 |
may be rescinded. | 673 |
Sec. 742.44. Except as provided in section 742.14 of the | 674 |
Revised Code, at any time prior to filing an application for | 675 |
retirement under division (C)(1) of section 742.37 of the Revised | 676 |
Code, a member who is eligible to retire under that division may | 677 |
elect to participate in the deferred retirement option plan | 678 |
established under section 742.43 of the Revised Code. | 679 |
To make an election, an eligible member shall complete and | 680 |
submit to the Ohio police and fire pension fund a form prescribed | 681 |
by the fund. At this time the member may, but is not required to, | 682 |
elect under section 742.3711 of the Revised Code to have the | 683 |
member's monthly pension calculated as a retirement allowance | 684 |
payable throughout the member's life or a retirement allowance | 685 |
that continues to a surviving beneficiary. Unless rescinded | 686 |
during a period specified in rules adopted under section 742.43 of | 687 |
the Revised Code, the election is irrevocable from the date it is | 688 |
received by the fund until the employee ceases to participate in | 689 |
the plan as provided in section 742.444 of the Revised Code. | 690 |
A member is not required to specify the number of years or | 691 |
portion of a year the member will participate in the plan but must | 692 |
agree to terminate active service in a police or fire department | 693 |
and begin receiving the member's pension not later than the date | 694 |
that is eight years after the effective date of the election to | 695 |
participate in the plan or be subject to the forfeiture provisions | 696 |
of division (C) of section 742.444 of the Revised Code. | 697 |
The effective date of an election made under this section is | 698 |
the first day of the employer's first payroll period immediately | 699 |
following the board's receipt of the notice of election. | 700 |
Sec. 742.441. A member who makes an election under section | 701 |
742.44 of the Revised Code shall continue in the active service of | 702 |
a police or fire department but shall not earn service credit | 703 |
under this chapter for employment after the election's effective | 704 |
date. While the member is in the active service of a police or | 705 |
fire department, the member shall contribute to the Ohio police | 706 |
and fire pension fund in accordance with section 742.31 of the | 707 |
Revised Code and the employer shall contribute and report in | 708 |
accordance with either section 742.33 or 742.34 of the Revised | 709 |
Code. | 710 |
Neither the member nor the member's spouse and dependents | 711 |
are eligible for benefits under section 742.45 of the Revised Code | 712 |
while the member is participating in the deferred retirement | 713 |
option plan. | 714 |
Sec. 742.442. For each member who elects to participate in | 715 |
the deferred retirement option plan, the Ohio police and fire | 716 |
pension fund shall determine under division (C)(1) of section | 717 |
742.37 of the Revised Code the monthly pension amount that would | 718 |
be payable to the member had the member elected to receive a | 719 |
pension under that division. In determining the pension amount, | 720 |
the fund shall use the member's total service credit and average | 721 |
annual salary as of the last day of the employer's payroll period | 722 |
immediately prior to the effective date of the member's election | 723 |
to participate in the plan. The pension amount shall be | 724 |
calculated as a retirement allowance payable for the member's | 725 |
life, except that, if at the time of electing to participate in | 726 |
the plan the member selected another plan of payment, the pension | 727 |
shall be calculated using the plan of payment selected. | 728 |
A member who participates in the plan is not eligible to make | 729 |
an election under division (B) of section 742.3716 of the Revised | 730 |
Code. | 731 |
Sec. 742.443. (A) During the period beginning on the | 732 |
effective date of an election to participate in the deferred | 733 |
retirement option plan and ending on the date participation | 734 |
ceases, a member's monthly pension amount determined under section | 735 |
742.442 of the Revised Code shall accrue to the member's benefit. | 736 |
To this amount shall be added any benefit increases the member | 737 |
would be eligible for under division (C) of section 742.3716 of | 738 |
the Revised Code had the member, on the effective date of the | 739 |
member's election, retired under division (C)(1) of section 742.37 | 740 |
of the Revised Code. | 741 |
(B)(1) The amounts contributed under section 742.31 of the | 742 |
Revised Code by a member participating in the deferred retirement | 743 |
option plan shall accrue to the member's benefit as follows: | 744 |
(a) During the period beginning on the first day of the | 745 |
first payroll period after the election's effective date and | 746 |
ending on the earlier of the date that is two years thereafter or | 747 |
the date the member ceases participation in the plan, fifty per | 748 |
cent of the member's contributions for that period; | 749 |
(b) During the period beginning on the date that is two | 750 |
years and one day after accruals begin under this division and | 751 |
ending on the earlier of the date that is three years thereafter | 752 |
or the date the member ceases participation in the plan, | 753 |
seventy-five per cent of the member's contributions for that | 754 |
period; | 755 |
(c) During the period beginning on the date that is three | 756 |
years and one day after accruals begin under this section and | 757 |
ending on the date the member ceases participation in the plan, | 758 |
one hundred per cent of the member's contributions for that | 759 |
period. | 760 |
(2) The Ohio police and fire pension fund shall credit the | 761 |
portion of a member's contributions that are not accrued to the | 762 |
member's benefit under division (B)(1) of this section to the | 763 |
police officers' contribution fund or firefighters' contribution | 764 |
fund, as appropriate. | 765 |
(C) During the period beginning on the election's effective | 766 |
date and ending on the date the member ceases participation in the | 767 |
plan, the amounts described in divisions (A) and (B)(1) of this | 768 |
section shall earn interest at an annual rate established by the | 769 |
board of trustees of the fund and compounded annually using a | 770 |
method established by rule adopted under section 742.43 of the | 771 |
Revised Code. | 772 |
Sec. 742.444. (A) A member's participation in the deferred | 773 |
retirement option plan ceases on the occurrence of the earliest of | 774 |
the following: | 775 |
(1) Termination of the member's active service in a police or | 776 |
fire department; | 777 |
(2) The last day of the eight-year period that begins on the | 778 |
effective date of the member's election to participate in the | 779 |
plan; | 780 |
(3) Acceptance by the member of a disability benefit awarded | 781 |
by the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund, | 782 |
unless the acceptance is revoked by the member in accordance with | 783 |
rules adopted by the board; | 784 |
(4) The member's death. | 785 |
(B) If a member terminates active service in a police or | 786 |
fire department not later than eight years after the effective | 787 |
date of the member's election to participate in the plan, all of | 788 |
the following apply: | 789 |
(1) The member shall notify the Ohio police and fire pension | 790 |
fund of the date of termination on a form prescribed by the fund. | 791 |
The member is not eligible to make another election under section | 792 |
742.44 of the Revised Code. | 793 |
(2) If the member's termination of active service occurs on | 794 |
or after the date that is the first day of the fourth year after | 795 |
the effective date of the election to participate in the plan, the | 796 |
entire amount that has accrued to the member's benefit under the | 797 |
deferred retirement option plan shall be distributed to the member | 798 |
pursuant to the member's selection under division (B)(3) of this | 799 |
section. If the termination of active service occurs before the | 800 |
date that is four years after the effective date of the election | 801 |
to participate, the member shall forfeit the total amount of the | 802 |
interest credited under division (C) of section 742.443 of the | 803 |
Revised Code. | 804 |
(3) The member shall select one of the following as the | 805 |
method of distribution of the amount to be distributed to the | 806 |
member: | 807 |
(a) A single payment; | 808 |
(b) Periodic payments as determined by the board. | 809 |
The fund shall retain amounts accrued to the benefit of a | 810 |
member under the plan until a form specifying the method of | 811 |
distribution selected is filed with the fund by the member or an | 812 |
authorized representative of the member. | 813 |
The board shall afford a member who selects periodic payments | 814 |
the opportunity at least once during each calendar year to change | 815 |
the member's selection. | 816 |
(4) Distribution of the amount accrued to a member's benefit | 817 |
under the deferred retirement option plan shall not commence until | 818 |
the date that is the first day of the fourth year after the | 819 |
effective date of the election. | 820 |
(5) The member shall select a plan of payment under section | 821 |
742.3711 of the Revised Code for the pension payable to the member | 822 |
under division (C) of section 742.37 of the Revised Code, unless | 823 |
the member selected a plan of payment at the time of electing to | 824 |
participate in the plan. The pension shall commence on the first | 825 |
day of the second month following the date the employee ceases to | 826 |
participate in the plan. | 827 |
(C) If, at the end of the eight-year period that begins on | 828 |
the effective date of a member's election to participate in the | 829 |
plan, the member has failed to terminate active service in a | 830 |
police or fire department, all of the following apply: | 831 |
(1) No further amounts shall accrue to the member's benefit, | 832 |
and the member shall forfeit all amounts that have accrued to the | 833 |
member's benefit under section 742.443 of the Revised Code. The | 834 |
amounts forfeited shall be treated as if the member had continued | 835 |
in the active service of a police or fire department and not | 836 |
elected to participate in the plan. | 837 |
(2) The member shall be granted service credit for the period | 838 |
the member was participating in the plan, and when the member's | 839 |
pension is calculated under section 742.37 of the Revised Code, | 840 |
the calculation shall be made as though the member had never | 841 |
participated in the plan. | 842 |
(3) Further contributions, and service credit for those | 843 |
contributions, shall be credited as provided in sections 742.31 | 844 |
through 742.34 of the Revised Code. | 845 |
Sec. 742.445. If a member ceases participation in the | 846 |
deferred retirement option plan due to acceptance by the member of | 847 |
a disability benefit awarded by the board of trustees of the Ohio | 848 |
police and fire pension fund, both of the following apply: | 849 |
(A) The member shall forfeit all amounts that have accrued | 850 |
under section 742.443 of the Revised Code to the member's benefit | 851 |
under the deferred retirement option plan, and those amounts shall | 852 |
be treated as if the member had continued in the active service of | 853 |
a police or fire department and not participated in the plan. | 854 |
(B) The member shall be granted service credit for the | 855 |
period the member was participating in the plan. | 856 |
Sec. 742.446. (A) As used in this section, "killed in the | 857 |
line of duty" has the same meaning as in section 742.63 of the | 858 |
Revised Code. | 859 |
(B) If a member dies while participating in the deferred | 860 |
retirement option plan, all of the following apply: | 861 |
(1) The amounts accrued to the member's benefit shall be | 862 |
paid to the member's surviving spouse or, if there is no surviving | 863 |
spouse, the beneficiary designated by the member on a form | 864 |
provided by the Ohio police and fire pension fund. If there is no | 865 |
surviving spouse or designated beneficiary, the amounts accrued to | 866 |
the member's benefit shall be paid to the member's estate. A | 867 |
surviving spouse or designated beneficiary may select a method of | 868 |
distribution described in division (B)(3) of section 742.444 of | 869 |
the Revised Code. Any amount payable to the member's estate shall | 870 |
be paid in a single payment. | 871 |
(2) The surviving spouse shall receive a pension or benefit | 872 |
determined under division (D) of section 742.37 of the Revised | 873 |
Code and, if the member was killed in the line of duty, division | 874 |
(F) of section 742.63 of the Revised Code. | 875 |
(3) If eligible, each surviving child shall receive a | 876 |
pension or benefit determined under division (E) of section 742.37 | 877 |
of the Revised Code and, if the member was killed in the line of | 878 |
duty, division (G) of section 742.63 of the Revised Code. | 879 |
(4) If the member has no surviving spouse or surviving | 880 |
children, but has a parent or parents dependent on the member for | 881 |
support, the parent or parents shall receive a pension or benefit | 882 |
determined under division (F) of section 742.37 of the Revised | 883 |
Code and, if the member was killed in the line of duty, division | 884 |
(E) of section 742.63 of the Revised Code. | 885 |
(5) The member's surviving spouse or contingent dependent | 886 |
beneficiary shall receive the greater of a retirement allowance | 887 |
under section 742.3714 of the Revised Code or the retirement | 888 |
allowance resulting from an election made by the member under | 889 |
section 742.3711 of the Revised Code. | 890 |
(C) A pension, benefit, or allowance described in division | 891 |
(B) of this section is effective on the first day of the month | 892 |
after the member's date of death. Payments shall not commence | 893 |
until the board receives any documentation it requires pursuant to | 894 |
rules adopted by the board. | 895 |
Sec. 742.447. On receipt of written notice under division (B) | 896 |
of section 742.444 of the Revised Code of a member's termination | 897 |
of active service, the Ohio police and fire pension fund shall | 898 |
request from the employer verification of the member's termination | 899 |
date and any other information the fund determines necessary to | 900 |
calculate and pay a pension under that division. The verification | 901 |
of termination shall be filed in accordance with section 742.351 | 902 |
of the Revised Code. | 903 |
Sec. 742.46. The granting of a benefit or pension to any | 904 |
person under sections 742.01 to 742.61 of the Revised Code, other | 905 |
than a person participating in the deferred retirement option plan | 906 |
established under section 742.43 of the Revised Code, vests a | 907 |
right in such person to obtain and receive the amount of such | 908 |
benefit or pension granted to the person subject to sections | 909 |
742.01 to 742.61 of the Revised Code. Subject to section 742.444 | 910 |
of the Revised Code, a person participating in the deferred | 911 |
retirement option plan vests in the right to obtain and receive | 912 |
the amount accrued to the benefit of the person when the person | 913 |
ceases participating in the plan. | 914 |
Such right may be enforced by an action in mandamus | 915 |
instituted in the court of common pleas in the county in which the | 916 |
person granted such benefit or pension resides. | 917 |
Sec. 742.63. The board of trustees of the Ohio police and | 918 |
fire pension fund shall adopt rules for the management of the Ohio | 919 |
public safety officers death benefit fund and for disbursements of | 920 |
benefits as set forth in this section. | 921 |
(A) As used in this section: | 922 |
(1) "Member" means all of the following: | 923 |
(a) A member of the Ohio police and fire pension fund, | 924 |
including a member of the fund who has elected to participate in | 925 |
the deferred retirement option plan established under section | 926 |
742.43 of the Revised Code or a member of or contributor to a | 927 |
police or firemen's relief and pension fund established under | 928 |
former Chapter 521. or 741. of the Revised Code; | 929 |
(b) A member of the state highway patrol retirement system; | 930 |
(c) A member of the public employees retirement system who at | 931 |
the time of the member's death was one of the following: | 932 |
(i) A county sheriff or deputy sheriff; | 933 |
(ii) A full-time regular police officer in a municipal | 934 |
corporation or township; | 935 |
(iii) A full-time regular firefighter employed by the state, | 936 |
an instrumentality of the state, a municipal corporation, a | 937 |
township, a joint fire district, or another political subdivision; | 938 |
(iv) A full-time park district ranger or patrol trooper; | 939 |
(v) A full-time law enforcement officer of the department of | 940 |
natural resources; | 941 |
(vi) A full-time department of public safety enforcement | 942 |
agent; | 943 |
(vii) A full-time law enforcement officer of parks, waterway | 944 |
lands, or reservoir lands under the control of a municipal | 945 |
corporation; | 946 |
(viii) A full-time law enforcement officer of a conservancy | 947 |
district; | 948 |
(ix) A correction officer at an institution under the control | 949 |
of a county, a group of counties, a municipal corporation, or the | 950 |
department of rehabilitation and correction; | 951 |
(x) A state university law enforcement officer. | 952 |
(d) A member of a retirement system operated by a municipal | 953 |
corporation who at the time of death was a full-time law | 954 |
enforcement officer of parks, waterway lands, or reservoir lands | 955 |
under the control of the municipal corporation. | 956 |
(2) Notwithstanding section 742.01 of the Revised Code, | 957 |
"fire or police department" includes a fire department of the | 958 |
state or an instrumentality of the state or of a municipal | 959 |
corporation, township, joint fire district, or other political | 960 |
subdivision, the state highway patrol, a county sheriff's office, | 961 |
the security force of an institution under the control of the | 962 |
department of rehabilitation and correction, the security force of | 963 |
a jail or workhouse under the control of a county, group of | 964 |
counties, or municipal corporation, the security force of a | 965 |
metropolitan, county, or township park district, the security | 966 |
force of lands under the control of the department of natural | 967 |
resources, department of public safety enforcement agents, the | 968 |
security force of parks, waterway lands, or reservoir lands under | 969 |
the control of a municipal corporation, the security force of a | 970 |
conservancy district, the police department of a township or | 971 |
municipal corporation, and the police force of a state university. | 972 |
(3) "Firefighter or police officer" includes a state highway | 973 |
patrol trooper, a county sheriff or deputy sheriff, a correction | 974 |
officer at an institution under the control of a county, a group | 975 |
of counties, a municipal corporation, or the department of | 976 |
rehabilitation and correction, a police officer employed by a | 977 |
township or municipal corporation, a firefighter employed by the | 978 |
state, an instrumentality of the state, a municipal corporation, a | 979 |
township, a joint fire district, or another political subdivision, | 980 |
a full-time park district ranger or patrol trooper, a full-time | 981 |
law enforcement officer of the department of natural resources, a | 982 |
full-time department of public safety enforcement agent, a | 983 |
full-time law enforcement officer of parks, waterway lands, or | 984 |
reservoir lands under the control of a municipal corporation, a | 985 |
full-time law enforcement officer of a conservancy district, and a | 986 |
state university law enforcement officer. | 987 |
(4) "Correction officer" includes, in addition to any | 988 |
correction officer, any correction corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, | 989 |
or captain, and the equivalents of all such persons. | 990 |
(5) "A park district ranger or patrol trooper" means a peace | 991 |
officer commissioned to make arrests, execute warrants, and | 992 |
preserve the peace upon lands under the control of a board of park | 993 |
commissioners of a metropolitan, county, or township park | 994 |
district. | 995 |
(6) "Metropolitan, county, or township park district" means a | 996 |
park district created under the authority of Chapter 511. or 1545. | 997 |
of the Revised Code. | 998 |
(7) "Conservancy district" means a conservancy district | 999 |
created under the authority of Chapter 6101. of the Revised Code. | 1000 |
(8) "Law enforcement officer" means an officer commissioned | 1001 |
to make arrests, execute warrants, and preserve the peace upon | 1002 |
lands under the control of the governmental entity granting the | 1003 |
commission. | 1004 |
(9) "Department of natural resources law enforcement officer" | 1005 |
includes a forest officer designated pursuant to section 1503.29 | 1006 |
of the Revised Code, a preserve officer designated pursuant to | 1007 |
section 1517.10 of the Revised Code, a wildlife officer designated | 1008 |
pursuant to section 1531.13 of the Revised Code, a park officer | 1009 |
designated pursuant to section 1541.10 of the Revised Code, and a | 1010 |
state watercraft officer designated pursuant to section 1547.521 | 1011 |
of the Revised Code. | 1012 |
(10) "Retirement eligibility date" means the last day of the | 1013 |
month in which a deceased member would have first become eligible, | 1014 |
had the member lived, for the retirement pension provided under | 1015 |
section 145.33, Chapter 521. or 741., division (C)(1) of section | 1016 |
742.37, or division (A)(1) of section 5505.17 of the Revised Code | 1017 |
or provided by a retirement system operated by a municipal | 1018 |
corporation. | 1019 |
(11) "Death benefit amount" means an amount equal to the full | 1020 |
monthly salary received by a deceased member prior to death, minus | 1021 |
an amount equal to the benefit received under section 145.45, | 1022 |
742.37, 742.3714, or 5505.17 of the Revised Code or the benefit | 1023 |
received from a retirement system operated by a municipal | 1024 |
corporation, plus any increases in salary that would have been | 1025 |
granted the deceased member. | 1026 |
(12) "Killed in the line of duty" means either of the | 1027 |
following: | 1028 |
(a) Death in the line of duty; | 1029 |
(b) Death from injury sustained in the line of duty, | 1030 |
including heart attack or other fatal injury or illness caused | 1031 |
while in the line of duty. | 1032 |
(B) A spouse of a deceased member shall receive a death | 1033 |
benefit each month equal to the full death benefit amount, | 1034 |
provided that the deceased member was a firefighter or police | 1035 |
officer killed in the line of duty and there are no surviving | 1036 |
children eligible for a benefit under this section. The spouse | 1037 |
shall receive this benefit during the spouse's natural life until | 1038 |
the deceased member's retirement eligibility date, on which date | 1039 |
the benefit provided under this division shall terminate. | 1040 |
(C)(1) If a member killed in the line of duty as a | 1041 |
firefighter or police officer is survived only by a child or | 1042 |
children, the child or children shall receive a benefit each month | 1043 |
equal to the full death benefit amount. If there is more than one | 1044 |
surviving child, the benefit shall be divided equally among these | 1045 |
children. | 1046 |
(2) If the death benefit paid under this division is divided | 1047 |
among two or more surviving children and any of the children | 1048 |
become ineligible to continue receiving a portion of the benefit | 1049 |
as provided in division (H) of this section, the full death | 1050 |
benefit amount shall be paid to the remaining eligible child or | 1051 |
divided among the eligible children so that the benefit paid to | 1052 |
the remaining eligible child or children equals the full death | 1053 |
benefit amount. | 1054 |
(3) Notwithstanding divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this | 1055 |
section, all death benefits paid under this division shall | 1056 |
terminate on the deceased member's retirement eligibility date. | 1057 |
(D) If a member killed in the line of duty as a firefighter | 1058 |
or police officer is survived by both a spouse and a child or | 1059 |
children, the monthly benefit provided shall be as follows: | 1060 |
(1)(a) If there is a surviving spouse and one surviving | 1061 |
child, the spouse shall receive an amount each month equal to | 1062 |
one-half of the full death benefit amount and the child shall | 1063 |
receive an amount equal to one-half of the full death benefit | 1064 |
amount. | 1065 |
(b) If the surviving spouse dies or the child becomes | 1066 |
ineligible as provided in division (H) of this section, the | 1067 |
surviving spouse or child remaining eligible shall receive the | 1068 |
full death benefit amount. | 1069 |
(2)(a) If there is a surviving spouse and more than one | 1070 |
child, the spouse shall receive an amount each month equal to | 1071 |
one-third of the full death benefit amount and the children shall | 1072 |
receive an amount, equally divided among them, equal to two-thirds | 1073 |
of the full death benefit amount. | 1074 |
(b) If a spouse and more than one child each are receiving a | 1075 |
death benefit under division (D)(2)(a) of this section and the | 1076 |
spouse dies, the children shall receive an amount each month, | 1077 |
equally divided among them, equal to the full death benefit | 1078 |
amount. | 1079 |
(c) If a spouse and more than one child each are receiving a | 1080 |
benefit under division (D)(2)(a) of this section and any of the | 1081 |
children becomes ineligible to receive a benefit as provided in | 1082 |
division (H) of this section, the spouse and remaining eligible | 1083 |
child or children shall receive a death benefit as follows: | 1084 |
(i) If there are two or more remaining eligible children, | 1085 |
the spouse shall receive an amount each month equal to one-third | 1086 |
of the full death benefit amount and the children shall receive an | 1087 |
amount each month, equally divided among them, equal to two-thirds | 1088 |
of the full death benefit amount; | 1089 |
(ii) If there is one remaining eligible child, the spouse | 1090 |
shall receive an amount each month equal to one-half of the full | 1091 |
death benefit amount, and the child shall receive an amount each | 1092 |
month equal to one-half of the full death benefit amount. | 1093 |
(d) If a spouse and more than one child each are receiving a | 1094 |
benefit under division (D)(2)(a) of this section and all of the | 1095 |
children become ineligible to receive a benefit as provided in | 1096 |
division (H) of this section, the spouse shall receive the full | 1097 |
death benefit amount. | 1098 |
(3) Notwithstanding divisions (D)(1) and (2) of this | 1099 |
section, death benefits paid under this division to a surviving | 1100 |
spouse shall terminate on the member's retirement eligibility | 1101 |
date. Death benefits paid to a surviving child or children shall | 1102 |
terminate on the deceased member's retirement eligibility date | 1103 |
unless earlier terminated pursuant to division (H) of this | 1104 |
section. | 1105 |
(E) If a member, on or after January 1, 1980, is killed in | 1106 |
the line of duty as a firefighter or police officer and is | 1107 |
survived by only a parent or parents dependent upon the member for | 1108 |
support, the parent or parents shall receive an amount each month | 1109 |
equal to the full death benefit amount. If there is more than one | 1110 |
surviving parent dependent upon the deceased member for support, | 1111 |
the death benefit amount shall be divided equally among the | 1112 |
surviving parents. On the death of one of the surviving parents, | 1113 |
the full death benefit amount shall be paid to the other parent. | 1114 |
(F)(1) The following shall receive a monthly death benefit | 1115 |
under this division: | 1116 |
(a) A surviving spouse whose benefits are terminated in | 1117 |
accordance with division (B) or (D)(3) of this section on the | 1118 |
deceased member's retirement eligibility date, or who would | 1119 |
qualify for a benefit under division (B) or (D) of this section | 1120 |
except that the deceased member reached the member's retirement | 1121 |
eligibility date prior to the member's death; | 1122 |
(b) A qualified surviving spouse of a deceased member of or | 1123 |
contributor to a police or firemen's relief and pension fund | 1124 |
established under former Chapter 521. or 741. of the Revised Code | 1125 |
who was a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of | 1126 |
duty. | 1127 |
(2) The monthly death benefit shall be one-half of an amount | 1128 |
equal to the monthly salary received by the deceased member prior | 1129 |
to the member's death, plus any salary increases the deceased | 1130 |
member would have received prior to the member's retirement | 1131 |
eligibility date. The benefit shall terminate on the surviving | 1132 |
spouse's death. A death benefit payable under this division shall | 1133 |
be reduced by an amount equal to any allowance or benefit payable | 1134 |
to the surviving spouse under section 742.3714 of the Revised | 1135 |
Code. | 1136 |
(3) A benefit granted to a surviving spouse under division | 1137 |
(F)(1)(b) of this section shall commence on the first day of the | 1138 |
month immediately following receipt by the board of a completed | 1139 |
application on a form provided by the board and any evidence the | 1140 |
board may require to establish that the deceased spouse was killed | 1141 |
in the line of duty. | 1142 |
(G)(1) If there is not a surviving spouse eligible to | 1143 |
receive a death benefit under division (F) of this section or the | 1144 |
surviving spouse receiving a death benefit under that division | 1145 |
dies, a surviving child or children whose benefits under division | 1146 |
(C) or (D) of this section are or have been terminated pursuant to | 1147 |
division (C)(3) or (D)(3) of this section or who would qualify for | 1148 |
a benefit under division (C) or (D) of this section except that | 1149 |
the deceased member reached the member's retirement eligibility | 1150 |
date prior to the member's death shall receive a monthly death | 1151 |
benefit under this division. The monthly death benefit shall be | 1152 |
one-half of an amount equal to the monthly salary received by the | 1153 |
deceased member prior to the member's death, plus any salary | 1154 |
increases the member would have received prior to the member's | 1155 |
retirement eligibility date. If there is more than one surviving | 1156 |
child, the benefit shall be divided equally among the surviving | 1157 |
children. | 1158 |
(2) If two or more surviving children each are receiving a | 1159 |
benefit under this division and any of those children becomes | 1160 |
ineligible to continue receiving a benefit as provided in division | 1161 |
(H) of this section, the remaining eligible child or children | 1162 |
shall receive an amount equal to one-half of the monthly salary | 1163 |
received by the deceased member prior to death, plus any salary | 1164 |
increases the deceased member would have received prior to the | 1165 |
retirement eligibility date. If there is more than one remaining | 1166 |
eligible child, the benefit shall be divided equally among the | 1167 |
eligible children. | 1168 |
(3) A death benefit, or portion of a death benefit, payable | 1169 |
to a surviving child under this division shall be reduced by an | 1170 |
amount equal to any allowance or benefit payable to that child | 1171 |
under section 742.3714 of the Revised Code, but the reduction in | 1172 |
that child's benefit shall not affect the amount payable to any | 1173 |
other surviving child entitled to a portion of the death benefit. | 1174 |
(H) A death benefit paid to a surviving child under division | 1175 |
(C), (D), or (G) of this section shall terminate on the death of | 1176 |
the child or, unless one of the following is the case, when the | 1177 |
child reaches age eighteen: | 1178 |
(1) The child, because of physical or mental disability, is | 1179 |
unable to provide the child's own support, in which case the death | 1180 |
benefit shall terminate when the disability is removed; | 1181 |
(2) The child is unmarried, under age twenty-two, and a | 1182 |
student in and attending an institution of learning or training | 1183 |
pursuant to a program designed to complete in each school year the | 1184 |
equivalent of at least two-thirds of the full-time curriculum | 1185 |
requirements of the institution, as determined by the trustees of | 1186 |
the fund. | 1187 |
(I) Acceptance of any death benefit under this section does | 1188 |
not prohibit a spouse or child from receiving other benefits | 1189 |
provided under the Ohio police and fire pension fund, the state | 1190 |
highway patrol retirement system, the public employees retirement | 1191 |
system, or a retirement system operated by a municipal | 1192 |
corporation. | 1193 |
(J) No person shall receive a benefit under this section if | 1194 |
any of the following occur: | 1195 |
(1) The person fails to exercise the right to a monthly | 1196 |
survivor benefit under division (A) or (B) of section 145.45, | 1197 |
division (D), (E), or (F) of section 742.37, or division (A)(3), | 1198 |
(4), or (7) of section 5505.17 of the Revised Code; to a monthly | 1199 |
survivor benefit from a retirement system operated by a municipal | 1200 |
corporation; or to a retirement allowance under section 742.3714 | 1201 |
of the Revised Code. | 1202 |
(2) The member's accumulated contributions under this | 1203 |
chapter or Chapter 145. or 5505. of the Revised Code are refunded | 1204 |
unless the member had been a member of the public employees | 1205 |
retirement system and had fewer than eighteen months of total | 1206 |
service credit at the time of death. | 1207 |
(3) In the case of a full-time park district ranger or | 1208 |
patrol trooper, a full-time law enforcement officer of the | 1209 |
department of natural resources, a full-time law enforcement | 1210 |
officer of parks, waterway lands, or reservoir lands under the | 1211 |
control of a municipal corporation, a full-time law enforcement | 1212 |
officer of a conservancy district, a correction officer at an | 1213 |
institution under the control of a county, group of counties, or | 1214 |
municipal corporation, or a member of a retirement system operated | 1215 |
by a municipal corporation who at the time of the member's death | 1216 |
was a full-time law enforcement officer of parks, waterway lands, | 1217 |
or reservoir lands under the control of the municipal corporation, | 1218 |
the member died prior to April 9, 1981, in the case of a benefit | 1219 |
under division (B), (C), or (D) of this section, or prior to | 1220 |
January 1, 1980, in the case of a benefit under division (E) of | 1221 |
this section. | 1222 |
(4) In the case of a full-time department of public safety | 1223 |
enforcement agent who prior to June 30, 1999, was a liquor control | 1224 |
investigator of the department of public safety, the member died | 1225 |
prior to December 23, 1986; | 1226 |
(5) In the case of a full-time department of public safety | 1227 |
enforcement agent other than an enforcement agent who, prior to | 1228 |
June 30, 1999, was a liquor control investigator, the member died | 1229 |
prior to June 30, 1999. | 1230 |
(K) A surviving spouse whose benefit was terminated prior to | 1231 |
June 30, 1999, due to remarriage shall receive a benefit under | 1232 |
division (B), (D), or (F) of this section beginning on the first | 1233 |
day of the month following receipt by the board of an application | 1234 |
on a form provided by the board. The benefit amount shall be | 1235 |
determined as of that date. | 1236 |
(1) If the benefit will begin prior to the deceased member's | 1237 |
retirement eligibility date, it shall be paid under division (B) | 1238 |
or (D) of this section and shall terminate as provided in those | 1239 |
divisions. A benefit paid to a surviving spouse under division | 1240 |
(D) of this section shall be determined in accordance with that | 1241 |
division, even if benefits paid to surviving children are reduced | 1242 |
as a result. | 1243 |
(2) If the benefit will begin on or after the deceased | 1244 |
member's retirement eligibility date, it shall be paid under | 1245 |
division (F) of this section and shall terminate as provided in | 1246 |
that division. A benefit paid to a surviving spouse under | 1247 |
division (F) of this section shall be determined in accordance | 1248 |
with that division, even if benefits paid to surviving children | 1249 |
are terminated as a result. | 1250 |
Section 2. That existing sections 742.03, 742.14, 742.351, | 1251 |
742.37, 742.3716, 742.43, 742.44, 742.46, and 742.63 of the | 1252 |
Revised Code are hereby repealed. | 1253 |