SB-0689, As Passed Senate, August 30, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

SENATE BILL NO. 689

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1943 PA 240, entitled

 

"State employees' retirement act,"

 

(MCL 38.1 to 38.69) by adding section 19k.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 19k. (1) Notwithstanding section 19, a member may retire

 

and receive a retirement allowance computed under this section if

 

the member meets all of the following requirements:

 

     (a) On or before December 31, 2007, or on the effective date

 

of his or her retirement, whichever is earlier, the member's

 

combined age and length of credited service is equal to or greater

 

than 75 years.

 

     (b) The member is within the classified state civil service,

 

is an employee of the judicial branch, or is an individual not

 

described in subsection (2)(b).


 

     (c) Except as provided in section 13(8), the member was

 

employed by this state for the 6-month period ending on the

 

effective date of his or her retirement or was an employee of the

 

state judicial council on September 30, 1996 as described in

 

section 44a. A member who is on layoff status from state employment

 

is considered to have met the employment requirement of this

 

subdivision.

 

     (d) Except as may be provided otherwise in subsection (5), the

 

member executes and files a written application with the retirement

 

board, on or after August 1, 2007, but not later than October 31,

 

2007, stating a date on or after November 1, 2007, but not later

 

than December 31, 2007, on which he or she desires to retire. A

 

member may withdraw a written application on or before December 15,

 

2007 or 7 days after the rejection of an extension requested under

 

subsection (5), whichever is later. A written application submitted

 

by a member and not withdrawn on or before December 15, 2007 or 7

 

days after the rejection of an extension requested under subsection

 

(5), whichever is later, is irrevocable.

 

     (e) The member is not employed in a covered position defined

 

in section 45.

 

     (f) The member is not a conservation officer as described in

 

section 48.

 

     (2) Notwithstanding section 19, a member may retire and

 

receive a retirement allowance computed under this section if the

 

member meets all of the following requirements:

 

     (a) On or before December 31, 2007, or on the effective date

 

of his or her retirement, whichever is earlier, the member's


 

combined age and length of credited service is equal to or greater

 

than 75 years.

 

     (b) The member is an employee of the legislature, is an

 

employee of the office of governor, or is an unclassified employee

 

within the executive branch.

 

     (c) Except as provided in section 13(8), the member was

 

employed by this state or the legislature for the 6-month period

 

ending on the effective date of his or her retirement. A member who

 

is on layoff status from state employment is considered to have met

 

the employment requirement of this subdivision.

 

     (d) Except as may be provided otherwise in subsection (5), the

 

member executes and files a written application with the retirement

 

board, on or after August 1, 2007, but not later than October 31,

 

2007, stating a date on or after November 1, 2007, but not later

 

than December 31, 2007, on which he or she desires to retire. A

 

member may withdraw a written application on or before December 15,

 

2007 or 7 days after the rejection of an extension requested under

 

subsection (5), whichever is later. A written application submitted

 

by a member and not withdrawn on or before December 15, 2007 or 7

 

days after the rejection of an extension requested under subsection

 

(5), whichever is later, is irrevocable.

 

     (e) The member is not employed in a covered position defined

 

in section 45.

 

     (f) The member is not a conservation officer as described in

 

section 48.

 

     (3) Any amount that a member retiring under this section would

 

otherwise be entitled to receive in a lump sum at retirement on


 

account of accumulated sick leave shall be paid in 60 consecutive

 

equal monthly installments beginning on or after November 1, 2007.

 

Payments received under this subsection shall not be used to

 

purchase service credit under this act. These payments for

 

accumulated sick leave are to be paid from funds appropriated to

 

the appointing authority and not from funds of the retirement

 

system. These payments are not pensions, annuities, retirement

 

allowances, optional benefits, or any other rights described in

 

section 40(1), are not exempt from taxation, are subject to

 

execution, garnishment, attachment, the operation of bankruptcy or

 

insolvency laws, or other process of law, and may be assignable as

 

provided in this act.

 

     (4) Any amount that a member retiring under this section is

 

entitled to receive in a lump sum at retirement on account of

 

accumulated annual leave or any other accumulated leave otherwise

 

paid in a lump sum at retirement, if applicable, shall be paid in

 

60 consecutive equal monthly installments on or after November 1,

 

2007. These payments are not pensions, annuities, retirement

 

allowances, optional benefits, or any other rights described in

 

section 40(1), are not exempt from taxation, are subject to

 

execution, garnishment, attachment, the operation of bankruptcy or

 

insolvency laws, or other process of law, and may be assignable as

 

provided in this act.

 

     (5) The director of a principal department may request that

 

the effective date of retirement under subsection (1) of a member

 

employed by that department be extended to a date not later than

 

December 31, 2010. To make a request under this subsection, the


 

director shall submit a written request and the written concurrence

 

of the member to the office of the state employer and the state

 

budget office on or before December 31, 2007. Upon receipt of the

 

written request and concurrence, the office of the state employer

 

and the state budget office may extend the effective date of

 

retirement of a member otherwise eligible to retire under

 

subsection (1) to a date not later than December 31, 2010. Upon

 

written approval of the senate majority leader for a member who is

 

an employee of the senate, the speaker of the house of

 

representatives for a member who is an employee of the house of

 

representatives, the senate majority leader and the speaker of the

 

house of representatives for a member who is an employee of the

 

office of the auditor general, director or chair of the legislative

 

retirement system for a member who is an employee of the

 

legislative retirement system, or the chair and alternate chair of

 

the legislative council for a member who is an employee of an

 

agency under the jurisdiction of the legislative council, and upon

 

written concurrence of the member, the effective date of retirement

 

for that member under subsection (2) may be extended to a date not

 

later than December 31, 2010. Upon written approval of the chief

 

justice for a member who is an employee of the judicial branch,

 

including, but not limited to, members described in section 44a,

 

and upon written concurrence of the member, the effective date of

 

retirement for that member under subsection (1) may be extended to

 

a date not later than December 31, 2010. The individual or

 

individuals who approve the extension of an effective date of

 

retirement for a member who is an employee of the legislature,


 

supreme court, or court of appeals shall submit written

 

notification to the office of retirement services of all extensions

 

approved on or before December 31, 2007. A member who has elected

 

to extend his or her effective date of retirement under this

 

section shall not receive a retirement allowance under this section

 

until on or after the extended effective date of retirement. The

 

retirement allowance of a member who has elected to extend his or

 

her retirement under this section shall be calculated under

 

subsection (6) without taking into account the additional years of

 

service or final average compensation accruing as a result of the

 

extension.

 

     (6) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (5), upon his

 

or her retirement as provided in this section, a member who did not

 

make an election under section 50 to terminate membership in Tier 1

 

and become a qualified participant in Tier 2 shall receive a

 

retirement allowance equal to the member's number of years and

 

fraction of a year of credited service multiplied by 1-3/4% of his

 

or her final average compensation. Except for the calculation

 

provided in this subsection, the member's retirement allowance is

 

subject to section 20. The member's retirement allowance is not

 

subject to reduction pursuant to section 19(2).

 

     (7) Upon his or her retirement as provided in this section, a

 

former member who made an election under section 50 to terminate

 

membership in Tier 1 and become a qualified participant in Tier 2

 

shall receive a retirement allowance equal to the member's number

 

of years and fraction of a year of credited service multiplied by

 

1/4% of his or her final average compensation. Except for the


 

calculation provided in this subsection, the former member's

 

retirement allowance is subject to section 20. The former member's

 

retirement allowance is not subject to reduction pursuant to

 

section 19(2).

 

     (8) For purposes of this section, an individual who elected to

 

terminate membership under section 50 and who, but for that

 

election, would otherwise be eligible for membership in Tier 1

 

under section 13, shall be considered a member of Tier 1 for the

 

limited purpose of receiving a retirement allowance calculated

 

under this section and paid by the retirement system.