Mo. Rev. Stat. § 86.900 — MO Code / Chapter 86 / Section 86.900
86.900 Definitions.
Status: in_force

86.910. Police retirement system created — election to continue system after decline in population. — The following words and phrases as used in sections 86.900 to 86.1280 shall have the following meanings unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:

(1) "Accumulated contributions" , the sum of all amounts deducted from the compensation of a member and paid to the retirement board, together with all amounts paid to the retirement board by a member or by a member's beneficiary, for the purchase of prior service credits or any other purpose permitted under sections 86.900 to 86.1280 ;

(2) "Actuarial cost" , the present value of a future payment or series of payments as calculated by applying the actuarial assumptions established according to subsection 8 of section 86.1270 ;

(3) "Beneficiary" , any person entitled, either currently or conditionally, to receive pension or other benefits provided in sections 86.900 to 86.1280 ;

(4) "Board of police commissioners" , the board composed of police commissioners authorized by law to employ and manage an organized police force in the cities;

(5) "City" or "cities" , any city which now has or may hereafter have a population of more than three hundred thousand and less than seven hundred thousand inhabitants, or any city that has made an election under section 86.910 to continue a police retirement system maintained under sections 86.900 to 86.1280 ;

(6) "Compensation" , the basic wage or salary paid a member for any period on the basis of the member's rank and position, excluding bonuses, overtime pay, expense allowances, and other extraordinary compensation; except that, notwithstanding such provision, compensation for any year for any member shall not exceed the amount permitted to be taken into account under Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code as applicable to such year;

(7) "Consultant" , unless otherwise specifically defined, a person retained by the retirement system as a special consultant on the problems of retirement, aging and related matters who, upon request of the retirement board, shall give opinions and be available to give opinions in writing or orally in response to such requests, as may be needed by the board;

(8) "Creditable service" , service qualifying as a determinant of a member's pension or other benefit under sections 86.900 to 86.1280 by meeting the requirements specified in said sections or section 105.691 ;

(9) "Final compensation" :

(a) For a Tier I member as described in subdivision (13) of this section, the average annual compensation of a member during the member's service if less than two years, or the twenty-four months of service for which the member received the highest salary whether consecutive or otherwise. In computing the average annual compensation of a member, compensation shall only be included for the periods in which the member made contributions as provided under section 86.1010 except as provided in subsection 3 of section 86.1110 ;

(b) For a Tier II member as described in subdivision (13) of this section, the average annual compensation of a member during the member's service if less than three years, or the thirty-six months of service for which the member received the highest salary whether consecutive or otherwise. In computing the average annual compensation of a member, compensation shall only be included for the periods in which the member made contributions as provided under section 86.1010 except as provided in subsection 3 of section 86.1110 ;

(c) For any period of time when a member is paid on a frequency other than monthly, the member's salary for such period shall be deemed to be the monthly equivalent of the member's annual rate of compensation for such period;

(10) "Fiscal year" , for the retirement system, the fiscal year of the cities;

(11) "Internal Revenue Code" , the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

(12) "Medical board" , not less than one nor more than three physicians appointed by the retirement board to arrange for and conduct medical examinations as directed by the retirement board;

(13) "Member" , a member of the police retirement system as described in section 86.1090 :

(a) "Tier I member" , any person who became a member prior to August 28, 2013, and who remains a member on August 28, 2013, shall remain a Tier I member until such member's membership is terminated as described in section 86.1130 ;

(b) "Tier I surviving spouse" , the surviving spouse of a Tier I member;

(c) "Tier II member" , any person who became a member on or after August 28, 2013;

(d) "Tier II surviving spouse" , the surviving spouse of a Tier II member;

(e) Any person whose membership is terminated as described in section 86.1130 and who reenters membership on or after August 28, 2013, shall become a member under paragraph (c) of this subdivision;

(14) "Pension" , annual payments for life, payable monthly, at the times described in section 86.1030 ;

(15) "Pension fund" , the fund resulting from contributions made thereto by the cities affected by sections 86.900 to 86.1280 and by the members of the police retirement system;

(16) "Police officer" , an officer or member of the police department of the cities employed for compensation by the boards of police commissioners of the cities for police duty who holds a rank or position for which an annual salary range is provided in section 84.480 or 84.510 ; in case of dispute as to whether any person is a police officer qualified for membership in the retirement system, the decision of the board of police commissioners shall be final;

(17) "Retirement board" or "board" , the board provided in section 86.920 to administer the retirement system;

(18) "Retirement system" , the police retirement system of the cities as defined in section 86.910 ;

(19) "Surviving spouse" , when determining whether a person is entitled to benefits under sections 86.900 to 86.1280 by reason of surviving a member, shall include only:

(a) A person who was married to a member at the time of the member's death in the line of duty or from an occupational disease arising out of and in the course of the member's employment and who had not, after the member's death and prior to August 28, 2000, remarried;

(b) With respect to a member who retired or died prior to August 28, 1997, a spouse who survives such member, whose marriage to such member occurred at least two years before the member's retirement or at least two years before the member's death while in service, and who had not remarried anyone other than the member prior to August 28, 2000;

(c) With respect to a member who retired or died while in service after August 28, 1997, and before August 28, 2000, a spouse who survives such member, was married to such member at the time of such member's retirement or of such member's death while in service, and had not, after the member's death and prior to August 28, 2000, remarried; and

(d) With respect to a member who retires or dies in service after August 28, 2000, a spouse who survives a member and was married to such member at the time of such member's retirement or death while in service.

(L. 2005 H.B. 323, A.L. 2011 H.B. 183 merged with H.B. 282, A.L. 2013 H.B. 116 merged with H.B. 418, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1301)