Sec. 61.
(1) The retirement system shall provide an opportunity for each member who is a member on March 30, 1997, to elect in writing to terminate membership in Tier 1 and elect to become a qualified participant in Tier 2. An election made by a member under this subsection is irrevocable. The retirement system shall accept written elections under this subsection from members during the period beginning on January 2, 1998 and ending on April 30, 1998. A member who does not make a written election or who does not file the election during the period specified in this subsection continues to be a member of Tier 1. A member who makes and files a written election under this subsection elects to do all of the following:
(a) Cease to be a member of Tier 1 effective 12 midnight May 31, 1998.
(b) Become a qualified participant in Tier 2 effective 12:01 a.m., June 1, 1998.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, waive all of his or her rights to a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, an insurance benefit, or any other benefit under this act effective 12 midnight May 31, 1998. This subdivision does not affect a person's right to health benefits provided under this act pursuant to section 79.
(2) If an individual who was a deferred vested member on March 30, 1997, or an individual who was a former nonvested member on March 30, 1997 becomes a legislator or lieutenant governor and is again eligible for membership in Tier 1, the individual shall elect in writing to remain a member of Tier 1 or to terminate membership in Tier 1 and become a qualified participant in Tier 2. An election made by a deferred vested member or a former nonvested member under this subsection is irrevocable. The retirement system shall accept written elections under this subsection from a deferred vested member or a former nonvested member during the period beginning on the date of the individual's eligibility for membership and ending upon the expiration of 60 days after the date of that eligibility. A deferred vested member or former nonvested member who makes and files a written election to remain a member of Tier 1 retains all rights and is subject to all conditions as a member of Tier 1 under this act. A deferred vested member or former nonvested member who does not make a written election or who does not file the election during the period specified in this subsection continues to be a member of Tier 1. A deferred vested member or former nonvested member who makes and files a written election to terminate membership in Tier 1 elects to do all of the following:
(a) Cease to be a member of Tier 1 effective 12 midnight on the last day of the payroll period that includes the date of the election.
(b) Become a qualified participant in Tier 2 effective 12:01 a.m. on the first day of the payroll period immediately following the date of the election.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, waive all of his or her rights to a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, an insurance benefit, or any other benefit under Tier 1 effective 12 midnight on the last day of the payroll period that includes the date of the election. This subdivision does not affect an individual's right to health benefits provided under this act pursuant to section 79.
(3) After consultation with the retirement system's actuary, the retirement board shall determine the method by which a member, deferred vested member, or former nonvested member shall make a written election under this section. If the member, deferred vested member, or former nonvested member is married at the time of the election, the election is not effective unless the election is signed by the individual's spouse. However, the retirement board may waive this requirement if the spouse's signature cannot be obtained because of extenuating circumstances.
(4) An election under this section is subject to the eligible domestic relations order act, 1991 PA 46, MCL 38.1701 to 38.1711.
(5) If the board receives notification from the United States internal revenue service that this section or any portion of this section will cause the retirement system to be disqualified for tax purposes under the internal revenue code, then the portion that will cause the disqualification does not apply.
History: Add. 1996, Act 486, Eff. Mar. 31, 1997 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 97, Imd. Eff. Mar. 27, 2002 Compiler's Notes: Section 2 of Act 486 of 1996 provides:“Section 2. If any section or part of a section of this act is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, the holding does not affect the validity of the remaining sections of this act or the act in its entirety.
Structure Michigan Compiled Laws
Chapter 38 - Civil Service and Retirement
Act 261 of 1957 - Michigan Legislative Retirement System Act (38.1001 - 38.1080)
Section 38.1001 - Retirement System; Creation.
Section 38.1002 - Michigan Legislative Retirement System; Name.
Section 38.1003 - Construction of Terms.
Section 38.1004 - “Retirement System” Defined.
Section 38.1005 - Board; Definition.
Section 38.1006 - “Member” Defined.
Section 38.1007 - Repealed. 1981, Act 123, Imd. Eff. July 23, 1981.
Section 38.1007a - “Direct Rollover” and “Distributee” Defined.
Section 38.1008 - Repealed. 1981, Act 123, Imd. Eff. July 23, 1981.
Section 38.1008a - Definitions.
Section 38.1009 - “Salary” Defined.
Section 38.1010 - Repealed. 1981, Act 123, Imd. Eff. July 23, 1981.
Section 38.1012 - “Retirement Allowance” Defined.
Section 38.1013 - “Retirant” Defined.
Section 38.1013a - “Survivor,”“eligible Child,” and “Surviving Spouse” Defined.
Section 38.1014 - “Refund Beneficiary” Defined.
Section 38.1015 - Actuarial Tables; Definition.
Section 38.1016 - Prescribed Rate of Interest; Definition.
Section 38.1017 - “Fiscal Year” Defined.
Section 38.1017a - “Deferred Vested Member” Defined.
Section 38.1017b - “Leadership Position” Defined.
Section 38.1017c - “Legislator” Defined.
Section 38.1017d - “Tier 1” and “Tier 2” Defined.
Section 38.1019 - Repealed. 1981, Act 123, Imd. Eff. July 23, 1981.
Section 38.1021a - Member Contributions Picked Up by State.
Section 38.1022a - Income Fund; Creation; Purpose; Interest, Dividends, and Other Income; Expenses.
Section 38.1022b - Prorating and Allocating Annual Appropriations to Retirement System.
Section 38.1023a - Repealed. 1974, Act 215, Eff. Dec. 31, 1974.
Section 38.1023c - Increase of Retirement Allowance.
Section 38.1023d - Disabled Member; Retirement Allowance; Annual Examination.
Section 38.1024a - Remarriage of Surviving Spouse.
Section 38.1027 - First Board of Trustees; Organizational Meeting, Election of Officers.
Section 38.1028 - Vacancy in Trusteeship.
Section 38.1029 - Trustees; Compensation and Expenses.
Section 38.1030 - Board of Trustees; Quorum, Proxy.
Section 38.1031 - Board of Trustees; Powers and Duties.
Section 38.1033 - Board of Trustees; Authority as to Retirement Allowances, Suspensions and Refunds.
Section 38.1035 - Board of Trustees; Estimate of Appropriation.
Section 38.1036 - Repealed. 1987, Act 58, Imd. Eff. June 23, 1987.
Section 38.1036a - Reinstatement of Suspended Contributions.
Section 38.1037 - Repealed. 1981, Act 123, Imd. Eff. July 23, 1981.
Section 38.1039 - Board of Trustees; Appointment of Secretary and Administrative Personnel.
Section 38.1040 - Board of Trustees; Record of Proceedings; Individual Accounts; Actuarial Data.
Section 38.1041 - Board of Trustees; Audit of Accounts; Annual Statement.
Section 38.1042 - Acceptance of Gift, Grant, or Bequest by Board.
Section 38.1043 - Individual Statement.
Section 38.1044 - Rules and Bylaws.
Section 38.1045 - Secretary of Board; Powers and Duties.
Section 38.1046 - Actuary; Technical Advisor of Board, Powers and Duties.
Section 38.1047 - State Treasurer as Ex Officio Treasurer of Retirement System; Duties.
Section 38.1049 - Payroll Voucher.
Section 38.1050 - Investment and Reinvestment of Cash Assets; Nonapplicability to Tier 2.
Section 38.1053 - Vested Interest in Refunds; Payment of Member Contributions; Discharge of Claims.
Section 38.1054 - Payments as Obligations of State; Disposition of Revenues.
Section 38.1056 - Undivided Interest in Assets of System.
Section 38.1058 - Retirement System Records; Falsification, Penalty.
Section 38.1058a - Correction of Error; Adjustment of Payment.
Section 38.1059 - Payment of Benefits; Commencement.
Section 38.1060 - Short Title.
Section 38.1064 - Meanings of Words and Phrases; “Accumulated Balance” Defined.
Section 38.1065 - “Employer,”“former Qualified Participant,” and “Health Benefit Dependent” Defined.
Section 38.1066 - “Qualified Participant,”“refund Beneficiary,” and “State Treasurer” Defined.
Section 38.1070 - Tier 2; Payment of Administrative Expenses.
Section 38.1071 - Participation in Other Public Sector Retirement Benefits Plan.
Section 38.1076 - Crediting Years of Accrued Service.
Section 38.1077 - Refund Beneficiary; Nomination.
Section 38.1078 - Distribution of Accumulated Balance.
Section 38.1079 - Health Insurance Coverage; Election; Eligibility.