Arizona-2024-HB2206-Chaptered

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 38-755, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE38-755. Member's account information; beneficiary designation; spousal consent; confidentiality; exception

A. ASRS shall make information concerning a member's account accessible to the member in written or electronic form. This information shall include the member's current account balance, contact information, beneficiary election, estimated retirement date and estimated benefit amount.

B. The member may change the member's beneficiary at any time in a manner established by ASRS.

C. A member who is married shall name and maintain the member's current spouse as a beneficiary to receive at least fifty percent of the member's account, unless naming or maintaining the current spouse as a beneficiary violates another law, an existing contract or a court order. The member's current spouse may consent to a waiver of this requirement pursuant to section 38-776.

D. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION F OF THIS SECTION, in order to protect a member's identity from fraud, abuse, theft or civil or criminal activity, information about a member is not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2, except that the following information about a member is subject to inspection:

1. The member's name.

2. Whether the member is an active member as defined in section 38-711, an inactive member as defined in section 38-711 or a retired member as defined in section 38-711.

3. The member's current or most recent employer.

4. For a retired member, the average monthly compensation, as defined in section 38-711, used to calculate the member's retirement benefit.

5. The credited service as defined in section 38-711 on account for an active or inactive member or the credited service used to calculate the retirement benefit for a retired member.

6. The gross pension amount actually paid to a retired member.

7. The most recent retirement date.

8. The current account balance for an active or inactive member.

9. The gross long-term disability program benefit actually paid to a member with a disability pursuant to article 2.1 of this chapter.

10. The amount paid to purchase credited service pursuant to section 38-743, 38-744 or 38-745.

11. The amount of credited service purchased pursuant to section 38-743, 38-744 or 38-745.

E. ASRS shall not permit any unredacted record to be inspected that contains a member's social security number, bank account information, address, telephone number, e-mail email address, medical records, health insurance information, beneficiary or survivor information or disability information or any information that is protected by any federal or state law.

f. asrs may provide the value of the member's benefit to a member's current or former spouse on receipt of proof of service of a petition for annulment, dissolution of marriage or legal separation for the purposes of section 38-773. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 38-760, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE38-760. Optional forms of retirement benefits

A. On retirement, members may elect an optional form of retirement benefit as provided in this section.

B. The optional retirement benefits available under this section include the following:

1. Joint and survivor life annuity in a reduced amount payable to the retiring member during life, with the provisions that after the member's death all, two-thirds or one-half of the retirement income, as the member elects, shall be continued during the lifetime of the contingent annuitant designated by the retiring member subject to the restrictions prescribed in section 38-764. The amount of retirement income shall be the actuarial equivalent of the retirement income to which the member would be entitled under normal or early retirement. The election in a manner prescribed by the board shall name the contingent annuitant. The election may be revoked at any time before the member's effective date of retirement. At any time after benefits have commenced, the member may name a different contingent annuitant or rescind the election by written notice to the board as follows:

(a) If a different contingent annuitant is named, the life annuity of the member under the same joint and survivor life annuity option previously elected shall be adjusted to the actuarial equivalent of the original annuity, based on the age of the new contingent annuitant. The adjustment shall include all postretirement increases in retirement income that are authorized by law after the member's date of retirement. Payment of this adjusted life annuity shall continue under the provisions of the option previously elected by the member.

(b) If the member rescinds the election, the member shall thereafter receive a straight life annuity equal to what the member would otherwise be entitled to receive if the member had not elected the joint and survivor life annuity option, including all postretirement increases in retirement income that are authorized by law after the date of retirement. The increased payment shall continue during the remainder of the member's lifetime.

(c) If a member whose original date of retirement is before July 1, 2008 rescinds the joint and survivor life annuity option previously elected and receives the straight life annuity pursuant to subdivision (b) of this paragraph, the member may again elect the same joint and survivor life annuity option previously elected subject to the same restrictions prescribed in subdivision (a) of this paragraph.

(d) A member whose original date of retirement is on or after July 1, 2008 may exercise a one-time onetime election to rescind the joint and survivor life annuity option elected by the member if the contingent annuitant dies or ceases to be a contingent annuitant pursuant to the terms of a qualified domestic relations order.

(e) If the member's contingent annuitant is the member's current spouse, the member shall obtain the consent of the contingent annuitant pursuant to section 38-776 before the member names a new contingent annuitant or before the member rescinds the election, except that consent is not required if the rescission is pursuant to subdivision (d) of this paragraph.

2. A period certain and life annuity actuarially reduced with payments for five, ten or fifteen years that are not dependent on the continued lifetime of the member but whose payments continue for the member's lifetime beyond the five, ten or fifteen year period. At the time of electing this option, the member shall name a one or more period certain beneficiary or beneficiaries contingent annuitants who are entitled to receive the payments for any portion of the period certain beyond the lifetime of the member. The member may name a different beneficiary contingent annuitant at any time. If no beneficiary contingent annuitant survives the member, any remaining payments are the property of the member's estate. A member who retires after August 9, 2001 and before July 1, 2008 may rescind the election of a period certain and life annuity. If the member rescinds the election of a period certain and life annuity, the member shall thereafter receive a straight life annuity equal to what the member would otherwise be entitled to receive if the member had not elected the period certain and life annuity option, including all postretirement increases in retirement income that are authorized by law after the date of retirement. The increased payment shall continue during the remainder of the member's lifetime. If the member reverts to a straight life annuity pursuant to this paragraph, the member may again elect a period certain and life annuity subject to the same provisions of the period certain and life annuity previously elected by the member. If the member's contingent annuitant is the member's current spouse, the member shall obtain the consent of the contingent annuitant pursuant to section 38-776 before the member rescinds the election of a period certain and life annuity or again elects a period certain and life annuity. A member whose original date of retirement is on or after July 1, 2008 may exercise a one-time onetime election to rescind the period certain and life annuity option elected by the member if the beneficiary contingent annuitant dies or ceases to be a beneficiary contingent annuitant pursuant to the terms of a qualified domestic relations order or at the expiration of the member's period certain term.

3. Beginning on July 1, 2002, a lump sum payment equal to not more than thirty-six months of the member's retirement benefits based on the actuarial equivalent of the retirement income to which the member would be entitled under normal or early retirement. The member's benefit shall be actuarially reduced to provide for the lump sum payment. The lump sum payment shall be made at the time of retirement. If a member has received an overpayment pursuant to section 38-765 or 38-797.08, ASRS shall withhold the overpayment amount plus any required income tax withholding from the partial lump sum. Any benefit increase granted to a member who elects a lump sum payment pursuant to this paragraph is subject to the following conditions:

(a) If the benefit increase is a percentage increase of the member's retirement benefit, the increase shall be based on the actuarially reduced retirement benefit of the member.

(b) If the benefit increase is pursuant to section 38-767, the amount of the member's benefit increase shall be calculated without regard to the lump sum payment pursuant to this paragraph.

4. Other forms of actuarially reduced optional benefits prescribed by the board.

C. A member who is married at the time of retirement shall elect a joint and survivor life annuity pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 1 of this section, and the member's current spouse shall be the contingent annuitant unless the member's current spouse consents to a waiver of this requirement pursuant to section 38-776 or the election would violate another law, an existing contract or a court order. If the married member does not elect a type of joint and survivor life annuity for the member's current spouse and the member's current spouse has not waived the requirements of this subsection, ASRS shall cancel the member's retirement. The member may reapply for retirement at any time in a manner established by ASRS. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 38-783, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE38-783. Retired members; dependents; health insurance; premium payment; separate account; definitions

A. Subject to subsections G, H and I of this section, the board shall pay from ASRS assets part of the single coverage premium of any health and accident insurance for each retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability of ASRS if the member elects to participate in the coverage provided by ASRS or section 38-651.01 or elects to participate in a health and accident insurance program provided or administered by an employer or paid for, in whole or in part, by an employer to an insurer. A contingent annuitant must be receiving a monthly retirement benefit from ASRS in order to obtain any premium payment provided by this section. The board shall pay:

1. Up to $150 per month for a member of ASRS who is not eligible for medicare if the retired member or member with a disability has ten or more years of credited service.

2. Up to $100 per month for each member of ASRS who is eligible for medicare if the retired member or member with a disability has ten or more years of credited service.

B. Subject to subsections G, H and I of this section, the board shall pay from ASRS assets part of the family coverage premium of any health and accident insurance for a retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability of ASRS who elects family coverage and who otherwise qualifies for payment pursuant to subsection A of this section. If a member of ASRS and the member's spouse are both either retired or have disabilities under ASRS and apply for family coverage, the member who elects family coverage is entitled to receive the payments under this section as if they were both applying under a single coverage premium unless the payment under this section for family coverage is greater. Payment under this subsection is in the following amounts:

1. Up to $260 per month if the member of ASRS and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare.

2. Up to $170 per month if the member of ASRS and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare.

3. Up to $215 per month if either:

(a) The member of ASRS is not eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare.

(b) The member of ASRS is eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare.

C. In addition each retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability of ASRS with less than ten years of credited service and a dependent of such a retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability who elects to participate in the coverage provided by ASRS or section 38-651.01 or who elects to participate in a health and accident insurance program provided or administered by an employer or paid for, in whole or in part, by an employer to an insurer is entitled to receive a proportion of the full benefit prescribed by subsection A or B of this section according to the following schedule:

1. 9.0 to 9.9 years of credited service, ninety percent.

2. 8.0 to 8.9 years of credited service, eighty percent.

3. 7.0 to 7.9 years of credited service, seventy percent.

4. 6.0 to 6.9 years of credited service, sixty percent.

5. 5.0 to 5.9 years of credited service, fifty percent.

6. Those with less than five years of credited service do not qualify for the benefit.

D. The board shall not pay more than the amount prescribed in this section for a member of ASRS.

E. Notwithstanding subsections A, B and C of this section, for a member who retires on or after August 2, 2012, the board shall not make a payment under this section to a retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability who is enrolled in an employer's active employee group health and accident insurance program either as the insured or as a dependent, except that if the retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability is enrolled as a dependent and the premium paid to the employer's active employee group health and accident insurance program is not subsidized by the employer, the retired member, contingent annuitant or member with a disability is entitled to receive the amount provided in subsection A of this section.

F. The board shall establish a separate account that consists of the benefits provided by this section. The board shall not use or divert any part of the corpus or income of the account for any purpose other than the provision of and the cost of administering the benefits under this section or the self-insurance program pursuant to section 38-782 unless the liabilities of ASRS to provide the benefits are satisfied. If the liabilities of ASRS to provide the benefits described in this section and section 38-782 are satisfied, the board shall return any amount remaining in the account to the employer.

G. Payment of the benefits provided by this section is subject to the following conditions:

1. The payment of the benefits is subordinate to the payment of retirement benefits payable by ASRS.

2. The total of contributions for the benefits and actual contributions for life insurance protection, if any, shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the total actual employer and employee contributions to ASRS, less contributions to fund past service credits, after the day the account is established.

3. The board shall deposit the benefits provided by this section in the account.

4. The contributions by the employer to the account shall be reasonable and ascertainable.

H. A member who elects to receive a retirement benefit pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 1 may elect at the time of retirement an optional form of health and accident insurance premium benefit payment pursuant to this subsection as follows:

1. The optional premium benefit payment shall be an amount prescribed by subsection A, B or C of this section that is actuarially reduced to the retiring member for life. The amount of the optional premium benefit payment shall be the actuarial equivalent of the premium benefit payment to which the retired member would otherwise be entitled. The election in a manner prescribed by the board shall name the contingent annuitant and may be revoked at any time before the retiring member's effective date of retirement. At any time after benefits have commenced, the member may name a different contingent annuitant or rescind the election by written notice to the board as follows:

(a) If the retired member names a different contingent annuitant, the optional premium benefit payment shall be adjusted to the actuarial equivalent of the original premium benefit payment based on the age of the new contingent annuitant. The adjustment shall include all postretirement increases or decreases in amounts prescribed by subsection A, B or C of this section that are authorized by law after the retired member's date of retirement. Payment of this adjusted premium benefit payment shall continue under the provisions of the optional premium benefit payment previously elected by the retired member. A retired member cannot name a different contingent annuitant if the retired member has at any time rescinded the optional form of health and accident insurance premium benefit payment.

(b) If the retired member rescinds the election, the retired member shall thereafter receive the premium benefit payment that the retired member would otherwise be entitled to receive if the retired member had not elected the optional premium benefit payment, including all postretirement increases or decreases in amounts prescribed by subsection A, B or C of this section that are authorized by law after the member's date of retirement. The increased benefit payment shall continue during the remainder of the retired member's lifetime. The decision to rescind shall be irrevocable.

2. If, at the time of the retired member's death:

(a) The retired member was receiving a reduced premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection B or C of this section and the contingent annuitant is eligible for family health and accident insurance coverage, the contingent annuitant is entitled to receive a premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection B or C of this section times the reduction factor applied to the retired member's premium benefit payment times the joint and survivor option reduction factor elected by the retired member at the time of retirement pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 1.

(b) The retired member was receiving a reduced premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection A or C of this section and the contingent annuitant is eligible for single health and accident insurance coverage, the contingent annuitant is entitled to receive a premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection A or C of this section times the reduction factor applied to the retired member's premium benefit payment times the joint and survivor option reduction factor elected by the retired member at the time of retirement pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 1.

(c) The retired member was receiving a reduced premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection B or C of this section and the contingent annuitant is not eligible for family health and accident insurance coverage, the contingent annuitant is entitled to receive a premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection A or C of this section times the reduction factor applied to the retired member's premium benefit payment times the joint and survivor option reduction factor elected by the retired member at the time of retirement pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 1.

I. A member who elects to receive a retirement benefit pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 2 may elect at the time of retirement an optional form of health and accident insurance premium benefit payment pursuant to this subsection as follows:

1. The optional premium benefit payment shall be an amount prescribed by subsection A, B or C of this section that is actuarially reduced with payments for five, ten or fifteen years that are not dependent on the continued lifetime of the retired member but whose payments continue for the retired member's lifetime beyond the five, ten or fifteen year period. The election in a manner prescribed by the board shall name the one contingent annuitant to receive the optional premium benefit payment and may be revoked at any time before the retiring member's effective date of retirement. At any time after benefits have commenced, the member may name a different contingent annuitant or rescind the election by written notice to the board. If the retired member rescinds the election, the retired member shall thereafter receive the premium benefit payment that the retired member would otherwise be entitled to receive if the retired member had not elected the optional premium benefit payment, including all postretirement increases or decreases in amounts prescribed by subsection A, B or C of this section that are authorized by law after the member's date of retirement. The increased benefit payment shall continue during the remainder of the retired member's lifetime. The decision to rescind shall be irrevocable.

2. If, at the time of the retired member's death:

(a) The retired member was receiving a reduced premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection B or C of this section and the contingent annuitant is eligible for family health and accident insurance coverage, the contingent annuitant is entitled to receive a premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection B or C of this section times the period certain and life option reduction factor elected by the retired member at the time of retirement pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 2.

(b) The retired member was receiving a reduced premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection A or C of this section and the contingent annuitant is eligible for single health and accident insurance coverage, the contingent annuitant is entitled to receive a premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection A or C of this section times the period certain and life option reduction factor elected by the retired member at the time of retirement pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 2.

(c) The retired member was receiving a reduced premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection B or C of this section and the contingent annuitant is not eligible for family health and accident insurance coverage, the contingent annuitant is entitled to receive a premium benefit payment based on an amount prescribed in subsection A or C of this section times the period certain and life option reduction factor elected by the retired member at the time of retirement pursuant to section 38-760, subsection B, paragraph 2.

J. If, at the time of retirement, a retiring member does not elect to receive a reduced premium benefit payment pursuant to subsection H or I of this section, the retired member's contingent annuitant is not eligible at any time for the optional premium benefit payment.

K. If a member who is eligible for benefits pursuant to this section forfeits the member's interest in the account before the termination of ASRS, an amount equal to the amount of the forfeiture shall be applied as soon as possible to reduce employer contributions to fund the benefits provided by this section.

L. A contingent annuitant is not eligible for any premium benefit payment if the contingent annuitant was not enrolled in an eligible health and accident insurance plan at the time of the retired member's death or if the contingent annuitant is not the dependent beneficiary or insured surviving dependent as provided in section 38-782.

M. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Account" means the separate account established pursuant to subsection F of this section.

2. "Credited service" includes prior service.

3. "Prior service" means service for this state or a political subdivision of this state before membership in the defined contribution program administered by ASRS.

4. "Subsidized" means a portion of the total premium is paid by the employer, but does not necessarily mean a plan in which the employer uses blended rates to determine the total premium. END_STATUTE