§ 74-913.4. Elected officials - Election to participate in plan - Computation factor - Benefits.

A.  1.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, an elected official may elect to participate in the System and if he or she elects to do so shall have the option of participating at any one of the computation factors set forth in paragraph 3 or 4 of this subsection and will receive retirement benefits in accordance with the computation factor chosen.  The election on participation in the System must be in writing, must specify the computation factor chosen, and must be filed with the System within ninety (90) days after the elected official takes office.  The election to participate and the election of a computation factor shall be irrevocable.  Reelection to the same office will not permit new elections.  Failure of an elected official to file such election form within the ninety-day period shall be deemed an irrevocable election to participate in the System at the maximum computation factor.

2.  Contributions and benefits will be based upon the elected official's annual compensation as defined in Section 902 of this title.  Employer and elected official contributions shall be remitted at least monthly, or as the Board may otherwise provide, to the System for deposit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement Fund.  Effective July 1, 1994, and thereafter, the participating employer shall contribute as provided in Section 920 of this title.

3.  Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this subsection, effective July 1, 1994, the computation factor selected and the corresponding elected official contribution rate shall be as follows:

Elected officialComputationAlternate

Contribution RateFactorFormula

4.5%1.9%              $12.50

6%2.5%              $20.00

7.5%3.0%              $25.00

8.5%3.4%              $27.50

9%3.6%              $30.00

10%4.0%              $40.00

4.  Elected officials who are first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2010, shall elect a computation factor of either 1.9% or 4%.  The elected official contribution rate for the 1.9% computation factor is currently 4.5% and the contribution rate for the 4% computation factor is currently 10%.  All other computation factors and contribution rates set forth in paragraph 3 of this subsection shall not be available to any person first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2010.

5.  The contribution rate for elected officials who are first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2011, shall be in the amount specified in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of Section 919.1 of this title.  The amount of the retirement benefit for elected officials who are first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2011, shall be based on the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection A of Section 915 of this title.

6.  The computation factors and corresponding elected official contribution rates provided for in paragraphs 3 and 4 of this subsection shall be based on the entire compensation as an elected official subject to the definition and maximum compensation levels as set forth in paragraph (9) of Section 902 of this title.

7.  Elected officials who are first elected or appointed on or after November 1, 2011, shall also be eligible to make the election of an alternate multiplier and contribution rate pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection A of Section 915 of this title.

B.  The normal retirement date for an elected official shall be the first day of the month coinciding with or following the official's sixtieth birthday or the first day of the month coinciding with or following the date at which the sum of the elected official's age and number of years of credited service total eighty (80).  The normal retirement date for an elected official first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2011, shall be the first day of the month coinciding with or following the official's sixty-fifth birthday or the date upon which the elected or appointed official attains the age of sixty-two (62) and who has at least ten (10) years of elected or appointed service.  Any elected official first elected or appointed to an elected office before November 1, 2011, who has a minimum of ten (10) years' participating service may retire under the early retirement provisions of this act, including those electing a vested benefit and shall receive an adjustment of annual benefits in accordance with the following percentage schedule:

Percentage of Normal

AgeRetirement Benefits

60100%

5994%

5888%

5782%

5676%

5570%

Any elected official first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2011, who has a minimum of ten (10) years' participating service may retire under the early retirement provisions of this act, including those electing a vested benefit and shall receive an adjustment of annual benefits in accordance with the following percentage schedule:

Percentage of Normal

AgeRetirement Benefits

62100%

6193.33%

6086.67%

              C.  1.  Any elected official shall receive annual benefits computed based upon the computation factor selected multiplied by the member's highest annual compensation received as an elected official prior to retirement or termination of employment multiplied by the number of years of credited service.  No elected official shall retire using such highest annual compensation unless the elected official has made the required election and has paid the required contributions on such salary.

2.  The retirement benefit may be computed pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection A of Section 915 of this title if the benefit would be higher.  Elected officials who have a vested benefit prior to July 1, 1980, may elect to receive annual benefits based on the alternate formula provided above.  Such annual benefits shall be paid in equal monthly installments.

3.  Elected officials who become members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System on or after August 22, 2008, will receive retirement benefits in accordance with the computation factor selected pursuant to subsection A of this section multiplied by the member's highest annual compensation received as an elected official and only for those years of credited service the member served as an elected official.  If such elected official has participating service as a nonelected member, then such nonelected service shall be computed separately pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection A of Section 915 of this title with the final benefit result added to the final benefit result for elected service.  In no event shall the elected official be entitled to apply the computation factor selected pursuant to subsection A of this section or the compensation received as an elected official to the computation of nonelected service.

4.  Elected officials who are first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after August 22, 2008, may not receive a maximum benefit greater than their single highest annual compensation received as a member of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

D.  Any elected official making an election to participate at a computation factor less than the maximum and later selecting a higher computation factor shall contribute to the System a sum equal to the amount which the elected official would have contributed if the elected official had made such election at the time the elected official first became eligible, plus interest as determined by the Board, in order to receive the additional benefits for all service as an elected official; otherwise, the additional benefits shall be applicable only to service for which the elected official pays the appropriate percent of contributions to the System.

E.  The surviving spouse of a deceased elected official who was first elected or appointed to an elected office before November 1, 2011, and who has at least six (6) years of participating service and the surviving spouse of a deceased elected official who was first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2011, and who has at least eight (8) years of participating service shall be entitled to receive survivor benefits in the amount herein prescribed, if married to the decedent continuously for a period of at least three (3) years immediately preceding the elected official's death.  Provided the elected official had met the service requirements, survivor benefits shall be payable when the deceased member would have met the requirements for normal or early retirement.  The amount of the benefits the surviving spouse may receive shall be fifty percent (50%) of the amount of benefits the deceased elected official was receiving or will be eligible to receive.  Remarriage of a surviving spouse shall disqualify the spouse for the receipt of survivor benefits.  Elected officials may elect a retirement option as provided in Section 918 of this title in lieu of the survivors benefit provided above.

F.  Any elected official who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, as defined in paragraph (23) of Section 902 of this title, prior to membership in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System shall be granted credited service of not to exceed five (5) years for those periods of active military service during which the elected official was a war veteran.

G.  Anyone appointed or elected to an elected position after July 1, 1990, shall not be eligible to receive benefits as provided in this section until such person has participated as an elected official for six (6) years.  Anyone appointed or elected to an elected position on or after November 1, 2011, shall not be eligible to receive benefits as provided in this section until such person has participated as an elected official for eight (8) years.

H.  Elected officials who terminate participation in the System and who have a minimum of six (6) years of participating service shall be entitled to elect a vested benefit and shall be entitled to the retirement options as provided in Section 918 of this title in lieu of the survivors benefit provided in subsection E of this section.  Elected officials, first elected or appointed to an elected office on or after November 1, 2011, who terminate participation in the System and who have a minimum of eight (8) years of participating service shall be entitled to elect a vested benefit and shall be entitled to retirement options as provided in Section 918 of this title in lieu of the survivors benefits provided in subsection E of this section.

I.  In determining the number of years of credited service, a fractional year of six (6) months or more shall be considered as one (1) year, and less than six (6) months or more shall be disregarded.  For members who joined the System on or after November 1, 2011, the number of years of credited service shall be based on actual years and months of credited service without rounding up or down.

Added by Laws 1980, c. 317, § 4, eff. July 1, 1980.  Amended by Laws 1982, c. 319, § 4, operative July 1, 1982; Laws 1986, c. 238, § 6, operative July 1, 1986; Laws 1987, c. 236, § 185, emerg. eff. July 20, 1987; Laws 1988, c. 267, § 31, operative July 1, 1988; Laws 1989, c. 251, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Laws 1990, c. 57, § 1, eff. July 1, 1990; Laws 1994, c. 383, § 9, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 1995, c. 1, § 36, emerg. eff. March 2, 1995; Laws 1995, c. 302, § 3, eff. July 1, 1995; Laws 1998, c. 317, § 11, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 257, § 35, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 486, § 5, eff. Jan. 1, 2004; Laws 2008, c. 105, § 1; Laws 2010, c. 435, § 2, eff. July 1, 2010; Laws 2011, c. 206, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2012, c. 109, § 2, eff. July 1, 2012; Laws 2013, c. 15, § 113, emerg. eff. April 8, 2013.

Note

NOTE:  Laws 1987, c. 206, § 91 vetoed July 1, 1987.

NOTE:  Laws 1994, c. 381, § 4 repealed by Laws 1995, c. 1, § 40, emerg. eff. March 2, 1995.  Laws 2012, c. 155, § 2 repealed by Laws 2013, c. 15, § 114, emerg. eff. April 8, 2013.