Mo. Rev. Stat. § 104.342 — MO Code / Chapter 104 / Section 104.342
104.342 Certain teachers employed by state to be members, when — may elect to ...
Status: in_force

104.343. Military service, purchase of prior service credit, refund to surviving spouse when death occurs before retirement, procedure, limitation. — 1. Any person hired by the state on or after August 13, 1986, in any of the positions described in this subsection shall be a member of the system from the date on which such employment begins. This subsection shall apply to any person duly certified under the law governing the certification of teachers who is employed full time:

(1) As a teacher by the division of youth services;

(2) As a teacher by a division of the state department of social services and who renders services in a school whose standards of education are set and which is supervised by a public school officer of the county in which the school is located, by the department of elementary and secondary education or by the coordinating board for higher education;

(3) As a teacher by the section of inmate education of the department of corrections;

(4) In either a teaching or supervisory teaching capacity by the department of mental health, in which his or her duties include participation in the educational program of the department of mental health.

2. Any person employed in any of the positions described in subsection 1 of this section immediately prior to and on August 13, 1986, may elect, in writing, to:

(1) Become a member of the Missouri state employees' retirement system effective January 1, 1987. Any person who, by virtue of an election made under this subdivision, becomes a member of the Missouri state employees' retirement system shall be entitled to creditable prior service credit for service rendered in any of the positions described in subsection 1 of this section. Members who so elect shall be eligible, upon written request filed with the public school retirement system, to receive a refund of their accumulated contributions including interest of six percent and upon payment of such refund, the public school retirement systems shall pay to the state employees' retirement system before June 30, 1987, an amount equal to the amount paid the public school retirement system on behalf of each member so electing by the member's employer; or

(2) Remain a member of the public school retirement system of Missouri created under sections 169.010 to 169.140 . Any person entitled to make the election provided by this subsection who does not make such election, in writing, by January 1, 1987, shall be deemed to have elected to be governed by subdivision (1) of this subsection.

3. Any person who is employed on a full-time basis by Truman State University, Northwest Missouri State University, University of Central Missouri, Southeast Missouri State University, Missouri State University, Harris-Stowe State College or Missouri Southern State University, and Missouri Western State University shall be a member of the system; except that any person who is duly certified under the laws governing the certification of teachers and who is a full-time employee of such institution or institutions on June 14, 1989, and is contributing because of such employment to a retirement system established under sections 169.010 to 169.140 or sections 169.410 to 169.540 , may make an election to continue in that retirement system if such election is made on or before December 31, 1989. This election shall not apply to any such person who commenced receiving retirement benefits prior to January 1, 1990, from any state retirement system because of such service.

4. Effective January 1, 1990, only after an affirmative referendum in accordance with section 105.353 , any person who is employed on a full-time basis by the department of elementary and secondary education shall be a member of the system; except that any person duly certified under the law governing the certification of teachers who is a full-time employee at any time during the period extending from June 14, 1989, through December 31, 1989, and is contributing because of such employment to the retirement system established under sections 169.010 to 169.140 , may elect to continue in that retirement system if such election is made on or before December 31, 1989. This election shall not apply to any such person who commenced receiving retirement benefits prior to January 1, 1990, from any state retirement system because of such service.

5. On June 14, 1989, all newly employed persons in the positions described in subsection 3 of this section shall become members of the Missouri state employees' retirement system. Effective January 1, 1990, and only after an affirmative referendum provided for in subsection 4 of this section, all newly employed persons in the positions described in subsection 4 of this section shall become members of the Missouri state employees' retirement system.

6. Any employee actively employed on June 14, 1989, who, because of employment in a position described in subsection 1, 3 or 4 of this section, has creditable service in this system for such employment which at the time the service was rendered was not covered by the federal Social Security Act, shall remain in this system and be entitled to the benefits provided under subdivision (1) of subsection 7 of this section; except that any such employee who has creditable service in this system because of employment in a position described in subsection 4 of this section which is not covered by the federal Social Security Act on January 1, 1990, shall not be entitled to the benefits provided under subdivision (1) of subsection 7 of this section for such creditable service.

7. Any person entitled to make the election provided by subsection 3 or 4 of this section, who does not make such election, in writing, on or before December 31, 1989, shall be deemed to have elected to be governed by subdivision (1) of this subsection:

(1) Those persons described in subsections 3 and 4 of this section who elect or have elected by written request filed with the board to be members of this system, shall be entitled to creditable prior service for service rendered in any of the positions described in subsections 1, 3 and 4 of this section. Any person who so elects shall be eligible, upon written request filed with the board on or before March 31, 1990, with the retirement system established under sections 169.010 to 169.140 or sections 169.410 to 169.540 , to receive a refund of the member's accumulated contributions for the creditable service in any of the positions described in subsections 1, 3 and 4 of this section, plus interest at an annual rate of six percent computed on the refundable balance, if any, in the member's account in that retirement system as of June 30, 1989. Such refunds shall be made prior to June 1, 1990. If any creditable prior service transferred under subsection 1, 3 or 4 of this section, or subsection 3 of section 104.372 , includes periods of service not covered by the federal Social Security Act, as provided in sections 105.300 to 105.430 , then, in calculating the benefit amount payable to such member, the normal annuity shall be an amount equal to two and one-tenth percent of the average compensation of the member multiplied by the number of years of such creditable service for the positions described in subsections 1, 3 and 4 of this section not covered by the federal Social Security Act in addition to an amount payable under section 104.374 for all service covered by the federal Social Security Act. The normal annuity as described in this subdivision shall be adjusted for early retirement, if applicable;

(2) Any person described in subsections 3 and 4 of this section, who elects to remain in one of the retirement systems established under sections 169.010 to 169.140 or sections 169.410 to 169.540 , shall, notwithstanding any provision of chapter 169 to the contrary, be a noncontributing member of such system and shall receive a refund of the member's accumulated contributions for the creditable service in any of the positions described in subsection 1, 3 or 4 of this section, plus interest at an annual rate of six percent computed on the refundable balance, if any, in the member's account in that retirement system as of June 30, 1989. Such refunds shall be made prior to June 1, 1990. At the time of retirement under the provisions of sections 169.010 to 169.140 or sections 169.410 to 169.540 , such person shall receive a retirement benefit computed under the then existing law of that retirement system; except that, for any person employed in a position described in subsection 4 of this section, the benefit shall be the amount computed as though the position were not covered by the federal Social Security Act, reduced by the amount of any federal Social Security benefit the person may receive which is attributable to service rendered in the positions described in subsection 4 of this section after December 31, 1989.

8. Upon payment of the refunds provided in subdivision (1) of subsection 7 of this section, each refunding retirement system shall pay to the state employees' retirement system, by December 31, 1990, an amount actuarially determined to equal the liability transferred from such retirement systems. At least ninety days before each regular session of the general assembly the board of trustees of the affected public school retirement system shall certify to the division of budget an actuarially determined estimate of the amount which will be necessary during the next appropriation period to pay all liabilities, including costs of administration, which shall exist or accrue under subsections 1 to * 7 of this section during such period. The estimate shall be computed as a level percentage of payroll compensation to cover the normal cost and to amortize the accrued liability over a period not to exceed forty years. The commissioner of administration shall request appropriation of the amount calculated under the provisions of this subsection. The commissioner of administration monthly shall requisition and certify the payment to the executive secretary of the appropriate school retirement system.

9. Notwithstanding any provisions of chapter 169 to the contrary, any member who becomes a member under the provisions of subsection 2, 5, or 7 of this section and who has creditable service with a public school retirement system under that chapter because of employment with any employer other than those defined in subsection 1, 3, or 4 of this section shall immediately vest in that public school retirement system and upon attainment of the minimum retirement age of that system shall be entitled to a monthly benefit based on such creditable service and the law in effect at that time, provided the person does not elect to withdraw the member's accumulated contributions for such creditable service from that public school retirement system.

10. Effective July 1, 1988, the Lincoln University board of curators shall terminate the Lincoln University retirement, disability and death benefit plan and shall purchase through competitive bids annuities adequate to cover the liability for all benefits presently being paid from such plan to former employees or their surviving beneficiaries upon the death of the employee as provided by such plan at the time of the commencement of benefits to such former employees or beneficiaries. Lincoln University shall pay to the Missouri state employees' retirement system on or before July 1, 1988, an amount equal to all funds and securities thereon contained in the Lincoln University retirement, disability and death benefit plan less the amount needed to purchase annuities for retiree and survivor benefits.

11. Effective July 1, 1988, the Lincoln University board of curators shall certify to the board of trustees of the Missouri state employees' retirement system all persons eligible to receive but not yet receiving benefits under the Lincoln University retirement, disability and death benefit plan, for service prior to June 30, 1988, together with the amounts payable and supporting documentation as to the methods, plan provisions and data used to calculate such benefits, to the satisfaction of the board of trustees of the Missouri state employees' retirement system, and the Missouri state employees' retirement system shall assume responsibility for payment of such benefits in the future.

12. Any person employed on a full-time basis by Lincoln University on or after July 1, 1988, shall become a member of the Missouri state employees' retirement system, and may elect in writing to receive creditable prior service for all full-time service to Lincoln University if such service is not now credited the member under the Missouri state employees' retirement system, and provided the member elects in writing to forfeit all rights accrued under the Lincoln University retirement, disability and death benefit plan for such service.

13. (1) Any person who is employed by Harris-Stowe State College as a teacher or administrator on August 28, 1995, who was employed full time by Harris-Stowe College prior to September 1, 1978, who became a member of the Missouri state employees' retirement system on or after September 1, 1978, and who has been continuously employed by the college, may purchase creditable prior service for any service rendered to Harris-Stowe College prior to September 1, 1978, which is not otherwise credited under the Missouri state employees' retirement system, not to exceed twelve years.

(2) Any person eligible to purchase creditable prior service under the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection may make written application to the board of trustees of the Missouri state employees' retirement system prior to retirement, but not later than April 1, 1996. The purchase shall be effected by the member and the public school retirement system of which the member was previously a member paying to the Missouri state employees' retirement system the following amounts:

(a) The amount contributed by the employee to the St. Louis public school retirement system during the years of prior service with Harris-Stowe College for which the employee seeks to purchase creditable prior service in the Missouri state employees' retirement system, including interest which may have been credited to the member's individual account with the system, or which would have been credited to the account had it remained with the St. Louis public school retirement system; and

(b) An amount which shall not be less than zero and which shall equal the actuarial accrued liability of the St. Louis public school retirement system for the prior service, determined as of the transfer date as if the member were still in active service covered by the St. Louis public school retirement system, less the amount stipulated in paragraph (a) of this subdivision;

(c) If the member had received a refund of contributions related to service covered by the St. Louis public school retirement system, the amount stipulated in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be paid to the Missouri state employees' retirement system by the member, otherwise, such amount shall be paid to the Missouri state employees' retirement system by the St. Louis public school retirement system.

(3) Any amount payable to the Missouri state employees' retirement system by the member may be paid in a lump sum or in monthly installments. If paid in monthly installments, the period over which payments are being made may not extend beyond the earlier of the member's retirement date or April 1, 1997, and shall include interest at a rate established by the board of trustees of the Missouri state employees' retirement system.

(4) Any amounts payable to the Missouri state employees' retirement system by the St. Louis public schools retirement system shall be paid in a lump sum and shall not be paid later than the earlier of the member's retirement date or April 1, 1997, and shall include interest at a rate established by the board of trustees of the Missouri state employees' retirement system.

(5) Any person who elects to purchase creditable prior service under the provisions of this section shall file with the St. Louis public school retirement system an irrevocable waiver and release of any rights and benefits in that system for the creditable prior service being purchased. The member shall file with the Missouri state employees' retirement system a copy of the waiver and an affidavit stating that he or she is no longer eligible to receive benefits or credits in any other retirement system for the creditable prior service being purchased.

14. In no event shall any person receive service credit for the same period of service under more than one retirement system.

(L. 1986 H.B. 1496, A.L. 1987 H.B. 713 merged with H.B. 384 Revision, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1100, et al., A.L. 1989 H.B. 610, A.L. 1995 H.B. 416, et al. merged with S.B. 340, A.L. 1997 H.B. 356, A.L. 2018 S.B. 975 & 1024 Revision) *Word "through" appears in original rolls.