Montana Code Annotated
Part 7. Postretirement Benefits and Benefit Increases
19-6-710. Guaranteed annual benefit adjustment

19-6-710. Guaranteed annual benefit adjustment. (1) Subject to subsection (2), for members hired before July 1, 2013, on January 1 of each year, the permanent monthly benefit payable during the preceding January to each recipient who is eligible under subsection (3) must be increased by 3%.
(2) (a) If a recipient's benefit payable during the preceding January has been increased by one or more adjustments not provided for in this section and the adjustments amount to less than a 3% annualized increase, then the recipient's benefit must be adjusted by an amount that will provide a total annualized increase of 3% in the benefit paid since the preceding January.
(b) If a recipient's benefit payable during the preceding January has been increased by one or more adjustments not provided for in this section and the increases amount to more than a 3% annualized increase, then the benefit increase provided under this section must be 0%.
(3) Except as provided in 19-6-1007(3) and subsections (2)(b) and (4) of this section, a benefit recipient is eligible for and must receive the minimum annual benefit adjustment provided for in this section if:
(a) the benefit's commencement date is at least 12 months prior to January 1 of the year in which the adjustment is to be made; and
(b) the member either:
(i) first became an active member on or after July 1, 1997; or
(ii) filed a voluntary, irrevocable election to be covered under this section. The election must be filed with the board prior to January 1, 1998, and requires an active member to pay an increased contribution rate from July 1, 1997, forward. A retired member or the member's survivor who is receiving a monthly benefit before July 1, 1997, shall also file the voluntary, irrevocable election no later than January 1, 1998, to be covered under this section.
(4) If a member participated in the DROP and did not continue employment in a covered position after the member's participation, the guaranteed annual benefit adjustment provided for in this section must commence on January 1 immediately following the member's retirement and does not apply to the member's DROP benefit.
(5) The board shall adopt rules to administer the provisions of this section.
History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 287, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 51, Ch. 562, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 62, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 149, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 309, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 272, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 258, L. 2015.

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