§ 19-959. Money not liable to attachment, garnishment, levy or seizure - Exception of qualified domestic orders.

A.  Except as otherwise provided by this section, sums of money due or to become due to any employee or retired employee shall not be liable to attachment, garnishment, levy, or seizure in any manner under any legal or equitable process, whether such sums remain in the hands of the treasurer of the retirement system or of any official or agent of the Board of Trustees of any retirement system, or are in the course of transmission to the employee or retired employee entitled thereto, but shall inure wholly to the benefit of such employee or retired employee.

B.  1.  The provisions of subsection A of this section shall not apply to a qualified domestic order as provided in this subsection.

2.  The term "qualified domestic order" means an order issued by a district court of this state, pursuant to the domestic relations laws of the State of Oklahoma, which relates to the provision of marital property rights to a spouse or former spouse of a member of a retirement system authorized by Section 951 et seq. of this title, or to the provision of support for a minor child or children, and which creates or recognizes the existence of the right of an alternate payee, or assigns to an alternate payee the right, to receive a portion of the benefits payable with respect to a member and amounts payable to a plan participant of any retirement system authorized by Section 951 et seq. of this title.

3.  For purposes of the payment of marital property, to qualify as an alternate payee, a spouse or former spouse must have been married to the related member for a period of not less than thirty (30) continuous months immediately preceding the commencement of the proceedings from which the qualified domestic order issues.

4.  A qualified domestic order is valid and binding on the Board of Trustees and the related member only if it meets the requirements of this subsection.

5.  A qualified domestic order shall clearly specify:

a.the name and last-known mailing address, if any, of the member and the name and mailing address of the alternate payee covered by the order,

b.the amount or percentage of the member's benefits to be paid by the retirement system to the alternate payee,

c.the number of payments or period to which such order applies,

d.the characterization of the benefit as to marital property rights or child support, and

e.each plan to which such order applies.

6.  A qualified domestic order meets the requirements of this subsection only if such order:

a.does not require the retirement system to provide any type or form of benefit, or any option not otherwise provided under state law as relates to the retirement system,

b.does not require the retirement system to provide increased benefits, and

c.does not require the payment of benefits to an alternate payee which are required to be paid to another alternate payee pursuant to another order previously determined to be a qualified domestic order or an order recognized by the retirement plan as a valid order prior to the effective date of this section.

7.  A qualified domestic order shall not require payment of benefits to an alternate payee prior to the actual retirement date or withdrawal of the related member.

8.  The obligation of the retirement system to pay an alternate payee pursuant to a qualified domestic order shall cease upon the death of the related member.

9.  This subsection shall not be subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 29 U.S.C.A., Section 1001 et seq., as amended from time to time, or rules promulgated thereunder, and court cases interpreting said act.

10.  The Board of Trustees may adopt such provisions as are necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection.

11.  An alternate payee who has acquired beneficiary rights pursuant to a valid qualified domestic order shall fully comply with all provisions of the requirements imposed by the Board of Trustees pursuant to this section in order to continue receiving benefits.

Added by Laws 1963, c. 182, § 4, emerg. eff. June 10, 1963.  Amended by Laws 1998, c. 198, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1998.