Source: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2019-2020/SL2020-29.html
Timestamp: 2020-07-12 02:46:41
Document Index: 128720627

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 135', '§ 128', '§ 120', '§ 147', '§ 147', '§ 120', 'art 4', '§ 143']

SL 2020-29 (SB 379)
SESSION LAW 2020-29
AN ACT TO MAKE CLARIFYING AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES TO LAWS RELATING TO THE STATE TREASURER, THE TEACHERS' AND STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, THE CONSOLIDATED JUDICIAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM, THE LEGISLATIVE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AND TO RELATED STATUTES, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE LEGISLATIVE SERVICES COMMISSION TO OBTAIN CRIMINAL RECORD CHECKS OF ANY PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, OR CONTRACTORS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 135‑4 reads as rewritten:
"§ 135‑4. Creditable service.
(b) The Board of Trustees shall fix and determine by appropriate rules and regulations how much service in any year is equivalent to one year of service, but in In no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all services in one year. Service rendered for the regular school year in any district shall be equivalent to one year's service. Service rendered by a school employee in a job‑sharing position shall be credited at the rate of one‑half year for each regular school year of employment.
(d) Any member may, up to his date of retirement and within one year thereafter, request the Board of Trustees to modify or correct his prior service credit.service credit that was earned prior to retirement.
(e1) On and after January 1, 1985, the The creditable service of a member who was a member of the Law‑Enforcement Officers' Retirement System at the time of the transfer of law‑enforcement officers employed by the State from that System to this Retirement System and whose accumulated contributions are transferred from that System to this Retirement System, shall include service that was creditable in the Law‑Enforcement Officers' Retirement System; and membership service with that System shall be membership service with this Retirement System; provided, notwithstanding any provision of this Article to the contrary, any inchoate or accrued rights of such a member to purchase creditable service for military service, withdrawn service and prior service under the rules and regulations of the Law‑Enforcement Officers' Retirement System shall not be diminished and may be purchased as creditable service with this Retirement System under the same conditions which would have otherwise applied.
(f) Armed Service Credit. –
a. For members who completed 10 years of membership service, and retired members who completed 10 years of membership service prior to retirement, whose membership began on or prior to July 1, 1981, and who make this purchase within three years after first becoming eligible, the cost shall be an amount equal to the monthly compensation the member earned when the member first entered membership service times the employee contribution rate at that time times the months of service to be purchased, with sufficient interest added thereto multiplied by a factor equivalent to the investment return assumptions determined by the Board of Trustees, compounded annually, from the initial year of membership to the year of payment so as to equal one‑half of the cost of allowing this service, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees.
Creditable service allowed under this subdivision shall be only for the initial period of "active duty", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(21), in the Armed Forces of the United States up to the date the member was first eligible to be separated and released and for subsequent periods of "active duty", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(21), as required by the Armed Forces of the United States up to the date of first eligibility for separation or release, but shall not include periods of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States creditable in any other retirement system except the National Guard or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, and shall not include periods of "active duty for training", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(22), or periods of "inactive duty training", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(23), rendered in any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States. Provided, creditable service may be allowed only for active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States of a member that resulted in a general or honorable discharge from duty. The member shall submit satisfactory evidence of the service claimed. For purposes of this subsection, membership service may include any membership or prior service credits transferred to this Retirement System pursuant to G.S. 135‑18.1.
(h) During periods when a member is on leave of absence and is receiving less than his the member's full compensation, he the member will be deemed to be in service only if he the member is contributing to the Retirement System as provided in G.S. 135‑8(b)(5). If he the member is so contributing, the annual rate of compensation paid to such employee immediately before the leave of absence began will be deemed to be the actual compensation rate of the employee during the leave of absence.
(k) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, any person who withdrew his or her contributions in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 128‑27(f) or G.S. 135‑5(f) or the rules and regulations of the Law‑Enforcement Officers' Retirement System and who subsequently returns to service may, upon completion of five years of membership service, repay in a total lump sum any and all of the accumulated contributions previously withdrawn with interest compounded annually at the rate of six and one‑half percent (6.5%) for each calendar year from the year of withdrawal to the year of repayment plus a fee to cover expense of handling which shall be determined by the Board of Trustees, and receive credit for the service forfeited at time of withdrawal. These provisions shall apply equally to retired members who had attained five years of membership service prior to retirement. The retirement allowance of a retired member who restores service under this subsection shall be increased the month following the month payment is received. The increase in the retirement allowance shall be the difference between the initial retirement allowance, under any optional allowance elected at the time of retirement, and the amount of the retirement allowance, under any optional allowance elected at the time of retirement, to which the retired member would have been entitled had the service not been previously forfeited, adjusted by any increases in the retirement accrual rate occurring between the member's date of retirement and the date of payment. The increase in the retirement allowance shall not include any adjustment for cost‑of‑living increases granted since the date of retirement.
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, on or before December 31, 2021, a law enforcement officer who was transferred from the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System to this Retirement System pursuant to Article 12C of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes and withdrew his or her accumulated contributions prior to January 1, 1985, in accordance with G.S. 128‑27(f) or G.S. 135‑5(f) for non‑law enforcement service and who has five years or more of membership service standing to his or her credit may repay in a total lump sum the accumulated contributions previously withdrawn with interest compounded annually at the rate of six and one‑half percent (6.5%) for each calendar year from the year of withdrawal to the year of repayment plus a fee to cover expense of handling which shall be determined by the Board of Trustees, and receive credit for the service forfeited at time of withdrawal(s). The retirement allowance of a retired member who restores service under this subsection shall be increased the month following the month payment is received. The increase in the retirement allowance shall be the difference between the initial retirement allowance, under any optional allowance elected at the time of retirement, and the amount of the retirement allowance, under any optional allowance elected at the time of retirement, to which the retired member would have been entitled had the service not been previously forfeited, adjusted by any increases in the retirement accrual rate occurring between the member's date of retirement and the date of payment. The increase in the retirement allowance shall not include any adjustment for cost‑of‑living increases granted since the date of retirement.
(k1) North Carolina Withdrawn Service Purchased On and After January 1, 2022. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary, on and after January 1, 2022, any member who withdrew his or her contributions in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 127‑27(f) or G.S. 135‑5(f) or the rules and regulations of the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System, and who subsequently returns to service and completes five years of membership service upon that return, while in service may purchase an amount of creditable service totaling the amount of the membership service associated with the withdrawn contributions, provided that the total of the creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed five years. The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
Subject to the requirements of this subsection, an employer may pay all or part of the cost of a service purchase of a member in service. To the extent that the purchase is paid by the employer, the cost paid by the employer shall be credited to the pension accumulation fund. To the extent that the purchase is paid by the member, the cost paid by the member shall be credited to the member's annuity savings account.
(l1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, any member and any retired member as herein described may purchase creditable service previously rendered to the federal government or to any state, territory, or other governmental subdivision of the United States other than this State by paying a total lump‑sum payment determined as follows:
(1) For members who completed 10 years of current membership service, and retired members who completed 10 years of current membership service prior to retirement, whose membership began on or before July 1, 1981, and who make such purchase within three years after first becoming eligible, the cost shall be an amount equal to the monthly compensation the member earned when he the member first entered membership service, times the employee contribution rate at that time, times the months of service to be purchased, times two, with sufficient interest added thereto multiplied by a factor equivalent to the investment return assumptions determined by the Board of Trustees, compounded annually, from the initial year of membership to the year of payment so as to equal the full cost of allowing such service, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees.
Current membership service shall mean membership service earned since the service previously rendered to any state, territory, or other governmental subdivision of the United States other than this State. Creditable service under this subsection shall be allowed only at the rate of one year of out‑of‑state service for each year of membership service in this State, with a maximum allowable of 10 years of out‑of‑state service. Such service is limited to full‑time service which would be allowable under the laws governing this System. Credit will be allowed only if no benefit is allowable in another public retirement system as a result of the service.
(l2) Notwithstanding any provision of this Chapter to the contrary, on and after January 1, 2021, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service previously rendered to the federal government or to any state, territory, or other governmental subdivision of the United States other than this State by paying a total lump sum payment. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
Creditable service under this subsection shall be allowed only at the rate of one year of out‑of‑state service for each year of membership service in this State, with a maximum allowable of five years of out‑of‑state service. Such service is limited to full‑time service that would be allowable under the laws governing this Retirement System. Credit will be allowed only if no benefit is allowable in another public retirement system as a result of the service.
(p) Credit for prior temporary State employment. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, a member may purchase service credit for temporary State employment upon completion of 10 years of membership service and subject to the condition that the member had been classified as a temporary employee for more than three years. Each employer shall certify to the Board of Trustees that an employee is eligible to purchase this service credit prior to the member making payment. Payment for the service credit shall be in a single lump sum based upon the amount the member would have contributed if he had been properly classified as a permanent employee and been a member of this retirement system.
(p1) Part‑Time Service Credit. –
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, upon completion of five years of membership service, any member may purchase service previously rendered as a part‑time teacher or employee of an employer as defined in G.S. 135‑1(11) or G.S. 128‑21(11), except for temporary or part‑time service rendered while a full‑time student in pursuit of a degree or diploma in a degree‑granting program.Payment shall be made in a single lump sum in an amount equal to the full actuarial cost of providing credit for the service, together with interest and an administrative fee, as determined by the Board of Trustees on the advice of the Retirement System's actuary. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 135‑4(b), the Board of Trustees shall fix and determine by appropriate rules and regulations how much service in any year, as based on compensation, is equivalent to one year of service in proportion to "earnable compensation", but in no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all service in one year. Service rendered for the regular school year in any district shall be equivalent to one year's service. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.
(2) Under all requirements and conditions set forth in the preceding subdivision of this subsection (p1), except for the requirement that the completion of five years of membership service be subsequent to service rendered as a part‑time teacher or employee of the State, any member with five or more years of membership service standing to his credit may purchase additional membership service for service rendered as a part‑time teacher or employee of the State if (i) the member terminates or has terminated employment in any capacity as a teacher or employee of the State, (ii) the purchase of the additional membership service causes the member to become eligible to commence an early or service retirement allowance, and (iii) the member immediately elects to commence retirement and become a beneficiary.
(3) Under all the requirements and conditions set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection, except for the condition that part‑time service rendered when a full‑time student in pursuit of a degree or diploma in a degree‑granting program is not eligible for purchase, any member with five or more years of membership service standing to the member's credit may purchase creditable service for service rendered as a part‑time teacher or employee of the State if that service was rendered on a permanent part‑time basis and required at least 20 hours of service per week.
(p2) Part‑Time Service Credit. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase service previously rendered as a part‑time teacher or employee of an employer, as defined in G.S. 135‑1(11) or G.S. 128‑21(11), except the following service may not be purchased:
(1) Part‑time service rendered as a bus driver to a public school while a full‑time high school student.
(2) Temporary or part‑time service rendered while a full‑time student in pursuit of a degree or diploma in a degree‑granting program, unless that service was rendered on a permanent part‑time basis and required at least 20 hours of service per week.
Payment for service purchased under this subsection shall be made in a single lump sum in an amount calculated by applying the ratio of actual gross compensation earned as a part‑time employee to the gross compensation that would have been earned as a full‑time employee to the period of service rendered in months. The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
The Board of Trustees shall adopt rules regarding how much service in any year, as based on compensation, is equivalent to one year of service in proportion to earnable compensation, but in no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all service in one year. Service rendered for the regular school year in any district shall be equivalent to one year of service.
(q) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, any member who entered service or was restored to service prior to July 1, 1982, and was excluded from membership service solely on account of having attained the age of 62 years, in accordance with former G.S. 135‑3(6), may purchase membership service credits of such excluded service by making a lump‑sum payment equal to the contributions that would have been deducted pursuant to G.S. 135‑8(b) had he been a member of the Retirement System, increased by interest calculated at a rate of seven percent (7%) per annum.
(3) Leaves of Absence Terminating On and After January 1, 1988. – The cost to a member whose employer approved leave of absence, when in receipt of benefits under the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act, terminates upon or before a return to service on and after January 1, 1988, shall be due and payable to the Annuity Savings Fund within six months from return to service end of the leave of absence and shall be a lump sum amount equal to the employee percentage rate of contribution in effect at the time of purchase applied to the annual rate of compensation of the member immediately prior to the leave of absence. For members electing to make this payment, the member's employer which granted the leave of absence, or the member's employer upon a return to service, or both, shall make a matching lump sum payment to the Pension Accumulation Fund within six months from return to service the end of the leave of absence equal to the employer percentage rate of contribution in effect at the time of purchase applied to the annual rate of compensation of the member immediately prior to the leave of absence. Such purchases of creditable service are applicable only when members have membership service credits within 30 days prior to the leave of absence and within 12 months following the leave of absence and such membership service is creditable service at the time of purchase. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, the cost to a member and to a member's employer or former employer or both employers whose amount due is not paid within six months from return to service shall be the amount due plus one percent (1%) per month penalty for each month or fraction thereof that the payment is made after the six‑month period.
Notwithstanding the requirement of this provision that a member return to service, a A member who is in receipt of Workers' Compensation during the period for which he or she would have otherwise been eligible to receive short‑term benefits as provided in G.S. 135‑105 and who subsequently becomes a beneficiary in receipt of a benefit as provided in G.S. 135‑106 may purchase creditable service for any period of employer approved leave of absence when in receipt of benefits under the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act. The cost to purchase such creditable service shall be as determined above provided the amount due if not paid within six months from the beginning of the long‑term disability period as determined in G.S. 135‑106 shall be the amount due plus one percent (1%) per month penalty for each month or fraction thereof that the payment is made after the six‑month period.
Whenever the creditable service purchased pursuant to this subsection is for a period that occurs during the four consecutive calendar years that would have produced the highest average annual compensation pursuant to G.S. 135‑1(5) had the member not been on leave of absence without pay, then the compensation that the member would have received during the purchased period shall be included in calculating the member's average final compensation. In such cases, the compensation that the member would have received during the purchased period shall be based on the annual rate of compensation of the member immediately prior to the leave of absence.
(s) Credit at Full Cost for Temporary Employment. – In addition to the provisions of subsection (p) above, any Any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service for State employment when classified as a temporary teacher or employee subject to all of the conditions that the:following conditions:
(1) Member The member was employed by an employer as defined in G.S. 135‑1(11) or G.S. 128‑21(11);G.S. 128‑21(11).
(2) Member's The member's temporary employment met all other requirements of G.S. 135‑1(10) or (25), or G.S. 128‑21(10);G.S. 128‑21(10).
(3) Member The member has completed five years or more of membership service;service.
(4) Member acquires The member has acquired from the employer such certifications of temporary employment as are required by the Board of Trustees; andTrustees.
(5) Member makes
The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. A member shall purchase this service by making a lump sum payment into the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the Retirement System's liabilities and shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the actuary, plus an administrative expense fee to be determined by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
The provisions of this subsection shall also apply to the purchase of creditable service for State employment when classified as a permanent hourly employee in accordance with G.S. 126‑5(c4).
(t) Credit at Full Cost for Local Government Employment. – Any member may purchase creditable service for any employment as an employee, as defined in G.S. 128‑21(10), of a local government employer not creditable in the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System upon completion of five years of membership service by making a lump‑sum payment into the Annuity Savings Fund. The payment by the member shall be equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the Retirement System's liabilities, taking into account the additional retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credits commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire with an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the actuary plus an administrative expense fee to be determined by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.
(u) Any member who was a wildlife protector who elected to become a member of the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System pursuant to Chapter 837 of the 1971 Session Laws by the transfer of accumulated contributions from this Retirement System to the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System and who has not subsequently applied for and received a return of accumulated contributions shall be entitled to creditable service for the service as a non‑law enforcement officer forfeited as a result of the transfer pursuant to Chapter 837 of the 1971 Session Laws.
(w) Credit at Full Cost for Federal Employment. – Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter, a member, upon the completion of five years of membership service, member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service for periods of federal employment, provided that the member is not receiving any retirement benefits resulting from this federal employment, and provided that the member is not vested in the particular federal retirement system to which the member may have belonged while a federal employee. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. The member shall purchase this service by making a lump sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the system's liabilities, and shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
Members On or before December 31, 2021, members in service may also purchase creditable service for periods of employment with public community service entities within the State funded entirely with federal funds, other than the federal government, that are not covered by the provisions of G.S. 128‑21(11) or G.S. 135‑1(11), under the same terms and conditions that are applicable to the purchase of creditable service for periods of federal employment in accordance with this subsection. "Public community service entities" as used in this subsection shall mean community action, human relations, manpower development, and community development programs as defined in Articles 19 and 21 of Chapter 160A and Article 18 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes and any other similar programs that the Board of Trustees may adopt.Statutes.
(z) Credit at Full Cost for Leave Due to Extended Illness. – Any member in service with five or more years of membership service standing to his credit may purchase creditable service for periods of interrupted service while on leave without pay status due to the member's illness or injury, excluding leave due to maternity, provided that any single such interrupted service shall have included such period of time during which the member failed to earn at least two months membership service, by making a lump sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the system's liabilities; and the calculation of the amount payable shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees.Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years.
(aa) Credit at Full Cost for Maternity Leave. Parental Leave, Pregnancy or Childbirth‑Related Leave, or Certain Involuntary Furloughs. – Notwithstanding other provisions of this Chapter, any member in service with five or more years of credited membership service may purchase creditable service for periods of service which were interrupted due to parental leave, pregnancy or childbirth, or involuntary administrative furlough due to a lack of funds to support the position by making a lump sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the system's liabilities; and the calculation of the amount payable shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees. Creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed six months per parental leave, pregnancy or childbirth, or involuntary administrative furlough due to a lack of funds to support the position. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the term "full liability" includes assumed annual postretirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years.
(bb) Credit at Full Cost for Probationary Local Government Employment Employment Purchased On or Before December 31, 2021. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, a member may purchase creditable service, prior to retirement, for employment with any local employer as defined in G.S. 128‑21(11) when considered to be in a probationary or employer‑imposed waiting period status, between the date of employment and the date of membership service with the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System, provided that the former employer of such a member has revoked this probationary employment or waiting period policy.
The member shall purchase this service by making a lump‑sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the retirement system, and the calculation of the amount payable shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the term "full liability" includes assumed annual postretirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.
(bb1) Credit at Full Cost for Probationary Local Government Employment Purchased On and After January 1, 2022. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on and after January 1, 2022, a member may purchase creditable service, prior to retirement, for employment with any local employer as defined in G.S. 128‑21(11) when considered to be in a probationary or employer‑imposed waiting period status, between the date of employment and the date of membership service with the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System.
The member shall purchase this service by making a lump sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
(hh) Credit at Full Cost for Service With The University of North Carolina During Which a Member Participated in the Optional Retirement Program. – Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter, a member upon the completion of five years of membership service Chapter to the contrary, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service for periods of employment with The University of North Carolina during which the member participated in the Optional Retirement Program as provided for in G.S. 135‑5.1, provided that the member is not receiving, and is not entitled to receive, any retirement benefits resulting from this employment. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. The member shall purchase this service by making a lump‑sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the system's liabilities and shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost," "full liability," and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual postretirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 128‑26 reads as rewritten:
"§ 128‑26. Allowance for service.
(b) The Board of Trustees shall fix and determine by appropriate rules and regulations how much service in any year is equivalent to one year of service, but in In no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all service in one calendar year.
In lieu of a determination of the actual compensation of the members that was received during such period of prior service, the Board of Trustees may use for the purpose of this Article the compensation rates which if they had progressed with the rates of salary increase shown in the tables as prescribed in subsection (o) of G.S. 128‑28 would have resulted in the same average salary of the member for the five years immediately preceding the date of participation of his employer, as the records show the member actually received.
(e) Creditable service at retirement on which the retirement allowance of a member shall be based shall consist of the membership service rendered by the member since he or she last became a member, and also if the member has a prior service certificate which is in full force and effect, the amount of the service certified on the prior service certificate; and if the member has sick leave standing to the member's credit upon retirement on or after July 1, 1971, one month of credit for each 20 days or portion thereof, but not less than one hour; sick leave shall not be counted in computing creditable service for the purpose of determining eligibility for disability retirement or for a vested deferred allowance. Creditable service for unused sick leave shall be allowed only for sick leave accrued monthly during employment under a duly adopted sick leave policy and for which the member may be able to take credits and be paid for sick leave without restriction. However, in no instance shall unused sick leave be credited to a member's account at retirement if the member's last day of actual service is more than 365 days prior to the effective date of the member's retirement. Days of sick leave standing to a member's credit at retirement shall be determined by dividing the member's total hours of sick leave at retirement by the hours per month such leave was awarded under the employer's duly adopted sick leave policy as the policy applied to the member when the leave was accrued.
(e1) On and after January 1, 1986, the creditable service of a member who was a member of the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System at the time of the transfer of law enforcement officers employed by participating employers from that System to this Retirement System and whose accumulated contributions are transferred from that System to this Retirement System, includes service that was creditable in the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System; and membership service with that System is membership service with this Retirement System; provided, notwithstanding any provisions of this Article to the contrary, any inchoate or accrued rights of such a member to purchase creditable service for military service, withdrawn service and prior service under the rules and regulations of the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System may not be diminished and may be purchased as creditable service with this Retirement System under the same conditions that would have otherwise applied.
(f) Effective January 1, 1955, there shall be three classes of prior service certificates, to be designated as Class A, Class B and Class C respectively. Each such certificate issued on account of service rendered to a Class A employer shall be a Class A prior service certificate; each such certificate issued on account of service rendered to a Class B employer shall be a Class B prior service certificate; and each such certificate issued on account of service rendered to a Class C employer shall be a Class C prior service certificate. Each Class C prior service certificate shall specify a prior service benefit percentage rate which shall be three per centum (3%) in the case of any member entitled to such certificate who is, at the date of participation of his employer, in a position covered by the Social Security Act under a federal‑State agreement and which shall be five per centum (5%) in the case of a member entitled to such certificate but who at the date of participation of his employer is in a position not so covered.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, any person who withdrew his or her contributions in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 128‑27(f) or 135‑5(f) or the rules and regulations of the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System and who subsequently returns to service may, upon completion of five years of prior and current membership service, repay in a total lump sum any and all of the accumulated contributions previously withdrawn with interest compounded annually at the rate of six and one‑half percent (6.5%) for each calendar year from the year of withdrawal to the year of repayment plus a fee to cover expense of handling which shall be determined by the Board of Trustees, and receive credit for the service forfeited at time of withdrawal(s). These provisions shall apply equally to retired members who had attained five years of prior and current membership service prior to retirement. The retirement allowance of a retired member who restores service under this subsection shall be increased the month following the month payment is received. The increase in the retirement allowance shall be the difference between the initial retirement allowance, under any optional allowance elected at the time of retirement, and the amount of the retirement allowance, under any optional allowance elected at the time of retirement, to which the retired member would have been entitled had the service not been previously forfeited, adjusted by any increases in the retirement accrual rate occurring between the member's date of retirement and the date of payment. The increase in the retirement allowance shall not include any adjustment for cost‑of‑living increases granted since the date of retirement.
(i1) North Carolina Withdrawn Service Purchased On and After January 1, 2022. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article to the contrary, on and after January 1, 2022, any member who withdrew his or her contributions in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 128‑27(f) or G.S. 135‑5(f) or the rules of the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System, and who subsequently returns to service and completes five years of membership service upon that return, while in service may purchase an amount of creditable service totaling the amount of the membership service associated with the withdrawn contributions, provided that the total of the creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
(1) For members who completed 10 years of membership service, and retired members who completed 10 years of membership service prior to retirement, and whose membership began on or prior to January 1, 1988, and who make such purchase within three years after first becoming eligible, the cost shall be an amount equal to the monthly compensation the member earned when the member first entered membership service times the employee contribution rate at that time times the months of service to be purchased with sufficient interest added thereto multiplied by a factor equivalent to the investment return assumptions determined by the Board of Trustees, compounded annually, from the initial year of membership to the year of payment so as to equal one‑half of the cost of allowing such service, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees.
Creditable service allowed under this subdivision shall be only for the initial period of "active duty", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(21), in the Armed Forces of the United States up to the date the member was first eligible to be separated and released and for subsequent periods of "active duty", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(21), as required by the Armed Forces of the United States up to the date of first eligibility for separation or release, but shall not include periods of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States creditable in any other retirement system except the National Guard or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, and shall not include periods of "active duty for training", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(22), or periods of "inactive duty training", as defined in 38 U.S. Code Section 101(23), rendered in any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States. Provided, creditable service may be allowed only for active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States of a member that resulted in a general or honorable discharge from duty. The member shall submit satisfactory evidence of the service claimed. For purposes of this subsection, membership service may include any membership or prior service credits transferred to this Retirement System pursuant to G.S. 128‑24.
(j2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, any member and any retired member as herein described may purchase creditable service previously rendered to the federal government or to any state, territory, or other governmental subdivision of the United States other than this State by paying a total lump‑sum payment determined as follows:
(1) For members who completed 10 years of prior and current membership service, and retired members who completed 10 years of prior and current membership service prior to retirement, and whose membership began on or before January 1, 1988, and who make such purchase within three years after first becoming eligible, the cost shall be an amount equal to the monthly compensation the member earned when he the member first entered membership service, times the employee contribution rate at that time, times the months of service to be purchased, times two, with sufficient interest added thereto multiplied by a factor equivalent to the investment return assumptions determined by the Board of Trustees, compounded annually, from the initial year of membership to the year of payment so as to equal the full cost of allowing such service, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees.
Current membership service shall mean membership service earned since the service previously rendered to any state, territory, or other governmental subdivision of the United States other than this State. Creditable service under this subsection shall be allowed only at the rate of one year of out‑of‑state service for each year of service in this State, with a maximum allowable of 10 years of out‑of‑state service. Such service is limited to full‑time service which would be allowable under the laws governing this System. Credit will be allowed only if no benefit is allowable in another public retirement system as a result of the service.
(j3) Notwithstanding any provision of this Article to the contrary, on and after January 1, 2022, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service previously rendered to the federal government or to any state, territory, or other governmental subdivision of the United States other than this State by paying a total lump sum payment. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
(2) Leaves of Absence Terminating On and After July 1, 1983. – The cost to a member whose employer approved leave of absence, when in receipt of benefits under the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act, terminates upon return to service on and after July 1, 1983, shall be a lump sum amount due and payable to the Annuity Savings Fund within six months from return to service end of the leave of absence equal to the total employee and employer percentage rates of contribution in effect at the time of purchase and based on the annual rate of compensation of the member immediately prior to the leave of absence; Provided, however, the cost to a member whose amount due is not paid within six months from return to service the end of the leave of absence shall be the amount due plus one percent (1%) per month penalty for each month or fraction thereof the payment is made beyond the six‑month period.
Whenever the creditable service purchased pursuant to this subsection is for a period that occurs during the four consecutive calendar years that would have produced the highest average annual compensation pursuant to G.S. 128‑21(5) had the member not been on leave of absence without pay, then the compensation that the member would have received during the purchased period shall be included in calculating the member's average final compensation. In such cases, the compensation that the member would have received during the purchased period shall be based on the annual rate of compensation of the member immediately prior to the leave of absence.
(o) Credit at Full Cost for Federal Employment. – Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter, a member, upon the completion of five years of membership service, member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service for periods of federal employment, provided that the member is not receiving any retirement benefits resulting from this federal employment, and provided that the member is not vested in the particular federal retirement system to which the member may have belonged while a federal employee. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. The member shall purchase this service by making a lump sum amount payable to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System; and the calculation of the amount payable shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees. increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
Members On or before December 31, 2021, members may also purchase creditable service for periods of employment with public community service entities within the State funded entirely with federal funds, other than the federal government, that are not covered by the provisions of G.S. 128‑21(11) or G.S. 135‑1(11), under the same terms and conditions that are applicable to the purchase of creditable service for periods of federal employment in accordance with this subsection. "Public community service entities" as used in this subsection shall mean community action, human relations, manpower development, and community development programs as defined in Articles 19 and 21 of Chapter 160A and Article 18 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes and any other similar programs that the Board of Trustees may adopt. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.Statutes.
(p) Part‑Time Service Credit. –
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, upon completion of five years of membership service, any member may purchase service previously rendered as a part‑time employee of a participating employer as defined in G.S. 128‑21(11) or G.S. 135‑1(11), except for temporary or part‑time service rendered while a full‑time student in pursuit of a degree or diploma in a degree‑granting program. Payment shall be made in a single lump sum in an amount equal to the full actuarial cost of providing credit for the service, together with interest and an administrative fee, as determined by the Board of Trustees on the advice of the Retirement System's actuary. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 128‑26(b), the Board of Trustees shall fix and determine by appropriate rules and regulations how much service in any year, as based on compensation, is equivalent to one year of service in proportion to "earnable compensation", but in no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all service in one year. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.
(2) Under all requirements and conditions set forth in the preceding subdivision of this subsection, except for the requirement that the completion of five years of membership service be subsequent to service rendered as a part‑time employee, any member with five or more years of membership service standing to his credit may purchase additional membership service for service rendered as a part‑time employee of an employer as defined in G.S. 128‑21(11) if (i) the member terminates or has terminated employment in any capacity as an employee, (ii) the purchase of the additional membership service causes the member to become eligible to commence an early or service retirement allowance, and (iii) the member immediately elects to commence retirement and become a beneficiary.
(p1) Part‑Time Service Credit. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article to the contrary, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase service previously rendered as a part‑time teacher or employee of an employer, as defined in G.S. 135‑1(11) or G.S. 128‑21(11), except the following service may not be purchased:
(q) Credit at Full Cost for Probationary Employment. Employment Purchased On or Before December 31, 2021. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on or before December 31, 2021, a member may purchase creditable service, prior to retirement, for employment with an employer as defined in this Article when considered to be in a probationary or employer imposed waiting period status and thereby not regularly employed, between date of employment and date of membership service with the retirement system, provided that the employer or former employer of such a member has revoked this probationary employment or waiting period policy.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.
(q1) Credit at Full Cost for Probationary Employment Purchased On or After January 1, 2022. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, on and after January 1, 2022, a member in service with five or more years of service may purchase creditable service for employment with an employer as defined in this Article when considered to be in a probationary or employer‑imposed waiting period status and thereby not regularly employed between date of employment and date of membership service with the retirement system. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed five years.
The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
(r) Credit at Full Cost for Temporary Government Employment. – Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service for government employment when classified as a temporary employee subject to the conditions that:all the following conditions:
(1) The member was employed by an employer as defined in G.S. 128‑21(11) or G.S. 135‑1(11);G.S. 135‑1(11).
(2) The member's temporary employment met all other requirements of G.S. 128‑21(10), or G.S. 135‑1(10) or (25);(25).
(3) The member has completed five years or more of membership service; service.
(4) The member acquires has acquired from the employer such certifications of temporary employment as are required by the Board of Trustees; andTrustees.
(5) The member makes
The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. A member shall purchase this service by making a lump sum payment into the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the retirement system's liabilities, and the calculation of the amount payable shall take into account the retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the actuary, plus an administrative fee to be determined by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
(s) Credit at Full Cost for Employment Not Otherwise Creditable. – Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter, any member in service with five or more years of membership service may purchase creditable service for any employment as an employee, as defined in G.S. 128‑21(10), of a local government employer not creditable in any other retirement system or plan, upon completion of five years of membership service by making a lump sum payment into the Annuity Savings Fund. The payment by the member shall be equal to the full liability of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for purposes of the actuarial valuation of the retirement system's liabilities, and the calculation of the amount payable shall take into account the additional retirement allowance arising on account of the additional service credits commencing at the earliest age at which the member could retire with an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the actuary plus an administrative fee to be determined by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual post‑retirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.plan, provided that the employer is, at the time of purchase, a participating employer in the Retirement System but was not a participating employer in the Retirement System at the time the service was rendered by the member. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. A member shall purchase this service by making a lump sum payment into the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 135‑1.1(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, any State board or agency charged with the duty of administering any law relating to the examination and licensing of persons to practice a profession, trade, or occupation, and who is subject to the provisions of the State Budget Act, Chapter 143C of the General Statutes, may make an irrevocable election by appropriate resolution of the board, on or before October 1, 2000, to become an employer in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System. Retirement System coverage shall be conditioned on the board's payment of all of the employer's contributions or matching funds from funds of the board and on the board's collecting from its employees the employees' contributions, at such rates as may be fixed by law and by the rules of the Board of Trustees of the Retirement System, under G.S. 135‑8, the Current Operations Appropriations Act, or any other applicable law, all of such funds to be paid to the Retirement System and placed in the appropriate funds. Any person who is was an employee of the board on the date the board makes an irrevocable election to participate in the Retirement System may purchase creditable service for periods of employment with the board prior to the election by making a lump‑sum payment equal to the full cost of the service credits calculated on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the system's liabilities, and shall take into account the additional retirement allowance arising on account of such additional service credit commencing at the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance, as determined by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary, plus an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision that provide for the purchase of service credits, the terms "full cost", "full liability", and "full actuarial cost" include assumed annual postretirement allowance increases, as determined by the Board of Trustees, from the earliest age at which a member could retire on an unreduced service allowance.election, provided that (i) the person is a member in service and (ii) the purchase is made on or before December 31, 2021. The amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed a total of five years. A member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the employee could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board."
SECTION 1.(d) G.S. 135‑56(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) When On or before December 31, 2021, when membership ceases as a result of a member's withdrawal of his or her accumulated contributions, the prior service and previous membership service of the member shall no longer be considered to be creditable service; provided, however, that if a member whose creditable service has been cancelled in accordance with this subsection subsequently returns to membership for a period of five years, he the member may thereafter repay in a lump sum the amount withdrawn plus regular interest thereon from the date of withdrawal through the date of repayment and thereby increase his or her creditable service by the amount of creditable service lost when he the member withdrew his or her accumulated contributions."
SECTION 1.(e) G.S. 135‑56 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(b1) On and after January 1, 2022, when membership ceases as a result of a member's withdrawal of his or her accumulated contributions, the prior service and previous membership service of the member shall no longer be creditable service. If a member whose creditable service has been cancelled in accordance with this subsection subsequently returns to membership service and completes five years of membership service upon that return, then the member may purchase an amount of creditable service corresponding to the total of the membership service associated with the withdrawn contributions, provided that the total amount of creditable service purchased under this subsection may not exceed five years. The member shall purchase this service by paying a lump sum amount to the Annuity Savings Fund equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The increases as set by the Board of Trustees upon the advice of the consulting actuary shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board.
Subject to the requirements of this subsection, an employer may pay all or part of the cost of a service purchase of a member in service. To the extent that the purchase is paid by the employer, the cost paid by the employer shall be credited to the pension accumulation fund. To the extent that the purchase is paid by the member, the cost paid by the member shall be credited to the member's annuity savings account."
SECTION 1.(f) G.S. 120‑4.15 reads as rewritten:
"§ 120‑4.15. Repayment of contributions.
(a) Repayment On or before December 31, 2021, repayment of contributions withdrawn from the Legislative Retirement Fund and System shall be at the rate of seven percent (7%) of the highest monthly compensation received as a legislator at the time of purchase for each month of creditable service restored plus an administrative fee to be paid in lump sum.
(b) On and after January 1, 2022, repayment of contributions withdrawn from the Legislative Retirement Fund and System shall be in an amount equal to the full liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System.
SECTION 1.(g) G.S. 120‑4.16(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) All repayments and purchases of service credit, allowed under this Article, shall be made within two years after the member first becomes eligible to make such repayments and purchases. All such repayments and purchases not made within two years after the member becomes eligible shall equal the full actuarial cost of the additional service credit as defined in G.S. 135‑4(m).liability increase due to the additional service credits on the basis of the assumptions used for the purposes of the actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Retirement System, except for the following assumptions specific to this calculation: (i) the allowance shall be assumed to commence at the earliest age at which the member could retire on an unreduced retirement allowance and (ii) assumed annual postretirement allowance increases as set by the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System upon the advice of the consulting actuary. The calculation of the amount payable shall also include an administrative fee to be set by the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System."
SECTION 1.(h) G.S. 126‑8.5(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) When the Director of the Budget determines that the closing of a State institution or a reduction in force will accomplish economies in the State Budget, he the Director of the Budget shall pay either a discontinued service retirement allowance or severance wages to any affected State employee, provided reemployment is not available. As used in this section, "economies in the State Budget" means economies resulting from elimination of a job and its responsibilities or from a lack of funds to support the job. In determining whether to pay a discontinued service retirement allowance or severance wages, the Director of the Budget shall consider the recommendation of the department head involved and any recommendation of the Director of the Office of State Human Resources. Severance wages shall not be paid to an employee who chooses a discontinued service retirement. Severance wages shall not be subject to employer or employee retirement contributions. Severance wages shall be paid according to the policies adopted by the State Human Resources Commission.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of the State's retirement laws, any employee of the State who is a member of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or the Law‑Enforcement Officers' Retirement System and who has his whose job is involuntarily terminated as a result of economies in the State Budget may be entitled to a discontinued service retirement allowance, subject to the approval of the employing agency and the availability of agency funds. An unreduced discontinued service retirement allowance, not otherwise allowed, may be approved for employees with 20 or more years of creditable retirement service who are at least 55 years of age; or a discontinued service retirement allowance, not otherwise allowed, may be approved for employees with 20 or more years of creditable retirement service who are at least 50 years of age, reduced by one‑fourth of one percent (1/4 of 1%) for each month that retirement precedes his the employee's fifty‑fifth birthday. In cases where a discontinued service retirement allowance is approved, the employing agency shall make a lump sum payment to the Administrator of the State Retirement Systems equal to the actuarial present value of the additional liabilities imposed upon the System, to be determined by the System's consulting actuary, as a result of the discontinued service retirement, plus an administrative fee to be determined by the Administrator.Administrator, plus an amount to be deposited in the Retiree Health Benefit Fund. The amount to be deposited in the Retiree Health Benefit Fund shall be calculated by multiplying the number of years between the employee's date of discontinued service retirement and the employee's earliest unreduced retirement date under G.S. 135‑5 by the most recent employer contribution rate to the Retiree Health Benefit Fund and then, if the employee is or would be eligible for retiree medical coverage under the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees, multiplying that figure by the salary used in the discontinued salary retirement calculation.
The salary used to determine severance wages under this section is the last annual salary except that if the employee was promoted within the previous 12 months, the last annual salary is that annual salary prior to the promotion. If the annual salary prior to the promotion is used, it shall be adjusted to account for any across‑the‑board legislative salary increases. Excluded from any calculation are any benefits such as, but not limited to, overtime pay, shift pay, holiday premium, or longevity pay. The salary used to determine the discontinued retirement allowance under this section is the same as the average final compensation under G.S. 135‑1(5)."
SECTION 1.(i) G.S. 135‑3(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3) Should any member in any period of six consecutive years after becoming a member be absent from service more than five years, or should he withdraw his accumulated contributions, or should he become a beneficiary or die, he shall thereupon cease to be a member: Provided that on and after July 1, 1967, should any member in any period of eight consecutive years after becoming a member be absent from service more than seven years, or should he withdraw his accumulated contributions, or should he become a beneficiary or die, he shall thereupon cease to be a member; provided further that the period of absence from service shall be computed from January 1, 1962, or later date of separation for any member whose contributions were not withdrawn prior to July 1, 1967: Provided that on and after July 1, 1971, a A member shall cease to be a member only if he the member withdraws his or her accumulated contributions, or becomes a beneficiary, or dies.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any persons whose membership was terminated under the provisions set forth above who had five or more years of creditable service and had not effected a return of contributions may elect to receive a retirement allowance on or after age 60; provided that this member may retire only upon electronic submission or written application to the Board of Trustees setting forth at which time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the execution and filing, he desires to be retired."
SECTION 1.(j) G.S. 128‑24(1a) reads as rewritten:
"(1a) Should any member in any period of eight consecutive years after becoming a member be absent from service more than seven years, or should he withdraw his accumulated contributions or should he become a beneficiary or die, he shall thereupon cease to be a member; provided that on and after July 1, 1971, a A member shall cease to be a member only if he the member withdraws his or her accumulated contributions, or becomes a beneficiary, or dies."
SECTION 1.(k) For all service purchases that are required to have been made by December 31, 2021, the Retirement Systems Division of the Department of State Treasurer shall accept and process all service purchase request forms that are received by the Retirement Systems Division on or before December 31, 2021.
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 135‑6 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(e1) Effect of Vote Related to Contributory Death Benefit. – No decision of the Board related to the Contributory Death Benefit provided for under this Chapter, Chapter 120, or Chapter 127A of the General Statutes, shall take effect unless and until this same decision has been made and voted on by the Board of Trustees of the Local Governmental Employees Retirement System."
SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 128‑28 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(f1) Effect of Vote Related to Contributory Death Benefit. – No decision of the Board related to the Contributory Death Benefit provided for under this Article shall take effect unless and until this same decision has been made and voted on by the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System."
SECTION 3. G.S. 143‑162.1 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(e) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall not apply to any call center operated under the Department of State Treasurer."
SECTION 4.(a) G.S. 135‑8(f)(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3) In the event the employee or employer contributions required under this section are not received by the date set by the Board of Trustees and provided that a one‑time exception has not been agreed upon in advance due to exigent circumstances, the Board shall assess the employer with a penalty, in lieu of interest, of 1% per month with a minimum penalty of twenty‑five dollars ($25.00). The Board may waive one penalty per employer every five years if the Board finds that the employer has consistently demonstrated good‑faith efforts to comply with the set deadline. If within 90 days after request therefor by the Board any employer shall not have provided the System with the records and other information required hereunder or if the full accrued amount of the contributions provided for under this section due from members employed by an employer or from an employer other than the State shall not have been received by the System from the chief fiscal officer of such employer within 30 days after the last due date as herein provided, then, notwithstanding anything herein or in the provisions of any other law to the contrary, upon notification by the Board to the State Treasurer as to the default of such employer as herein provided, any distributions which might otherwise be made to such employer from any funds of the State shall be withheld from such employer until notice from the Board to the State Treasurer that such employer is no longer in default.
In the event that an employer fails to submit payment of any required contributions or payments to the Retirement Systems Division, other than the one percent (1%) payment provided for in the first paragraph of this subdivision, within 90 days after the date set by the Board of Trustees, the Board shall notify the State Treasurer of its intent to collect the delinquent contributions and other payments due to the Retirement Systems Division and request an interception of State appropriations due to the participating employer.
Upon such Except as provided in this subdivision, upon notification by the Board of Trustees to the State Treasurer and the Office of State Budget and Management as to the default of the employer, the Office of State Budget and Management shall withhold from any State appropriation due to that employer an amount equal to the sum of all delinquent contributions and other debts due to the Retirement Systems Division and shall transmit that amount to the Retirement Systems Division. For the purposes of this subsection, the date set by the Board of Trustees for payment of the contribution‑based benefit cap liability shall be 12 months after the member's effective date of retirement."
SECTION 4.(b) G.S. 128‑30(g)(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3) In the event the employee or employer contributions required under this section are not received by the date set by the Board of Trustees and provided that a one‑time exception has not been agreed upon in advance due to exigent circumstances, the Board shall assess the employer with a penalty, in lieu of interest, of 1% per month with a minimum penalty of twenty‑five dollars ($25.00). The Board may waive one penalty per employer every five years if the Board finds that the employer has consistently demonstrated good‑faith efforts to comply with the set deadline. If within 90 days after request therefor by the Board any employer shall not have provided the System with the records and other information required hereunder or if the full accrued amount of the contributions provided for under this section due from members employed by an employer or from an employer shall not have been received by the System from the chief fiscal officer of such employer within 30 days after the last due date as herein provided, then, notwithstanding anything herein or in the provisions of any other law to the contrary, upon notification by the Board to the State Treasurer as to the default of such employer as herein provided, any distributions which might otherwise be made to such employer, or the municipality or county of which such employer is an integral part, from any funds of the State or any funds collected by the State shall be withheld from such employer until notice from the Board to the State Treasurer that such employer is no longer in default.
SECTION 5. G.S. 147‑68(b) reads as rewritten:
"§ 147‑68. To receive and disburse moneys; to make reports.
"(b) No moneys shall be paid out of the treasury except on warrant or pursuant to an electronic transfer initiated by the State, unless there one of the following applies:
(1) There is a legislative appropriation or authority to pay the same.
(2) There is an electronic debit initiated by the federal government or by the government of another state to satisfy a bona fide financial obligation of the State."
SECTION 6.(a) G.S. 143‑166.84(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c) For the purposes of this Article, the term "eligible service as sheriff" means membership service rendered since the person became sheriff and, if the person has sick leave standing to his or her credit accrued as a member of the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System and, after notification to the Retirement Systems Division by the retiring sheriff and the Department of Justice, elects to have all of that sick leave applied to service under this Article instead of service in the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System, one month of credit for each 20 days or portion thereof, but not less than one hour, and subject to all the requirements and restrictions of G.S. 128‑26(e)."
SECTION 6.(b) Section 5(b) of S.L. 2017‑128 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 5.(b) This section becomes effective July 1, 2017, and expires July 1, 2022.2017."
SECTION 6.(c) This section becomes effective October 1, 2020, and applies to all elections to have sick leave applied to service under the Sheriffs' Supplemental Pension Fund on or after that date.
SECTION 7.(a) G.S. 135‑3(8)c1 reads as rewritten:
"c1. Within 90 days of the end of each month in which a beneficiary is reemployed under the provisions of sub subdivision c. of this subdivision, each employer shall provide a report for that month on each reemployed beneficiary, including the terms of the reemployment, the date of the reemployment, and the amount of the monthly compensation. If such a the required report is not received within the required 90 days, the Board may assess do any or all the following:
1. Assess the employer with a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the compensation of the unreported reemployed beneficiaries during the months for which the employer did not report the reemployed beneficiaries, with a minimum penalty of twenty‑five dollars ($25.00). If after being assessed a penalty, an employer provides clear and convincing evidence that the failure to report resulted from a lack of oversight or some other event beyond the employer's control and was not a deliberate attempt to omit the reporting of reemployed beneficiaries, the Board may reduce the penalty to not less than two percent (2%) of the compensation of the unreported reemployed beneficiaries during the months for which the employer failed to report, with a minimum penalty of twenty five dollars ($25.00).
2. Require the employer to reimburse the Retirement System for any retirement allowance paid to the beneficiary during a period when the allowance would have been suspended under sub‑subdivision c. of this subdivision had the report been received within the required 90 days.
3. Require the employer to pay any amounts that the beneficiary would have been required to pay to the Retirement System under sub‑subdivision f. of this subdivision had the report been received within the required 90 days.
Upon receipt by the employer of notice that a penalty has been assessed under this sub subdivision, any payment is due to the Retirement System under this sub‑subdivision, the employer shall remit the payment of the penalty amount due to the Retirement System, in one lump sum, no later than 90 days from the date of the notice.
If an employer is required to make payments to the Retirement System under sub‑sub‑subdivision 2. or sub‑sub‑subdivision 3. of this sub‑subdivision, then (i) the beneficiary shall have no obligation to reimburse the Retirement System for related amounts under sub‑subdivisions c. or f. of this subdivision, (ii) the provisions of G.S. 135‑9(b) relating to offsetting overpayments against payments made from the Retirement System to the member or beneficiary shall not apply, (iii) the Retirement System shall have no duty under G.S. 143‑64.80 to pursue repayment of overpayments from the beneficiary, (iv) the overpayments shall not be considered a debt of the beneficiary under Chapter 105A of the General Statutes, and (v) the beneficiary's effective date of retirement shall be adjusted if the adjustment is required under sub‑subdivision f. of this subdivision."
SECTION 7.(b) G.S. 128‑24(5)c1 reads as rewritten:
"c1. Within 90 days of the end of each month in which a beneficiary is reemployed under the provisions of sub‑subdivision c. of this subdivision, each employer shall provide a report for that month on each reemployed beneficiary, including the terms of the reemployment, the date of the reemployment, and the amount of the monthly compensation. If such a the required report is not received within the required 90 days, the Board may assess do any or all the following:
1. Assess the employer with a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the compensation of the unreported reemployed beneficiaries during the months for which the employer did not report the reemployed beneficiaries, with a minimum penalty of twenty‑five dollars ($25.00). If after being assessed a penalty, an employer provides clear and convincing evidence that the failure to report resulted from a lack of oversight or some other event beyond the employer's control and was not a deliberate attempt to omit the reporting of reemployed beneficiaries, the Board may reduce the penalty to not less than two percent (2%) of the compensation of the unreported reemployed beneficiaries during the months for which the employer failed to report, with a minimum penalty of twenty‑five dollars ($25.00).
Upon receipt by the employer of notice that a penalty has been assessed under this sub-subdivision, any payment is due to the Retirement System under this sub‑subdivision, the employer shall remit the payment of the penalty amount due to the Retirement System, in one lump sum, no later than 90 days from the date of the notice.
If an employer is required to make payments to the Retirement System under sub‑sub‑subdivision 2. or sub‑sub‑subdivision 3. of this sub‑subdivision, then (i) the beneficiary shall have no obligation to reimburse the Retirement System for related amounts under sub‑subdivisions c. or e. of this subdivision, (ii) the provisions of G.S. 128‑31(b) relating to offsetting overpayments against payments made from the Retirement System to the member or beneficiary shall not apply, (iii) the Retirement System shall have no duty under G.S. 143‑64.80 to pursue repayment of overpayments from the beneficiary, (iv) the overpayments shall not be considered a debt of the beneficiary under Chapter 105A of the General Statutes, and (v) the beneficiary's effective date of retirement shall be adjusted if the adjustment is required under sub‑subdivision e. of this subdivision."
SECTION 7.(c) This section is effective July 1, 2021, and applies to reports required to be made on or after that date.
SECTION 8.(a) G.S. 135‑7(h) reads rewritten:
"(h) Legislative Enactment Implementation Arrangement. – The Legislative Enactment Implementation Arrangement (LEIA) is established effective October 1, 2017, and placed under the management of the Board of Trustees. The purpose of the LEIA is to provide for timely administrative implementation of legislative provisions regarding the retirement of, or payment of retirement benefits to, public officers or public employees. The LEIA shall have the following parameters:
(2) Funding of the LEIA. – In the event that the General Assembly creates or modifies any provision for the retirement of, or payment of retirement benefits to, public officers or public employees that has a cost savings as measured by actuarial note required by Article 15 of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes, the Board of Trustees may direct up to one hundredth percent (0.01%) of the required contributions to fund the LEIA. These funds must be deposited in a separate fund from the fund into which regular employer contributions are deposited for the Retirement System. The Board of Trustees shall not direct any employer contributions into the LEIA after November 1, 2021.2026.
SECTION 8.(b) G.S. 128‑29(g) reads as rewritten:
SECTION 9. Article 6 of Chapter 147 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 147‑75.1. Criminal record checks for the Department of State Treasurer.
(a) The Department of State Treasurer may obtain from the State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories or from any other lawful source the criminal history of any of the following individuals:
(1) A current or prospective permanent or temporary employee of the Department of State Treasurer.
(2) A contractor with the Department of State Treasurer.
(3) An employee or agent of a contractor with the Department of State Treasurer who is performing or will perform work for the Department of State Treasurer.
(4) A volunteer of the Department of State Treasurer.
(5) Any other individual otherwise engaged by the Department of State Treasurer who will have access to health or financial information or data maintained by the Department of State Treasurer that is confidential or otherwise nonpublic.
(b) The Department of State Treasurer may deny employment to or dismiss any individual identified under subdivisions (1), (2), (4), and (5) of subsection (a) of this section who refuses to consent to a criminal history record check or to the use of fingerprints or other identifying information required by the State or National Repositories of Criminal Histories. Any refusal shall constitute just cause for the employment denial or the dismissal from employment.
(c) The Department of State Treasurer may extend a conditional offer of employment pending the results of a criminal history record check authorized by this section."
SECTION 10. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are severable.
SECTION 11. G.S. 120‑32 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"§ 120‑32. Commission duties.
(2a) Obtain a criminal history record check of a prospective employee, volunteer, or contractor of the General Assembly. The criminal history record check shall be conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation as provided in G.S. 143B‑972. The criminal history report shall be provided to the Legislative Services Officer and is not a public record under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes.
SECTION 12.(a) Subpart D of Part 4 of Article 13 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 143B‑972. Criminal record checks for the Legislative Services Commission.
The Department of Public Safety may provide to the Legislative Services Officer from the State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories the criminal history of any prospective employee, volunteer, or contractor of the General Assembly. The Legislative Services Officer shall provide to the Department of Public Safety, along with the request, the fingerprints of the prospective employee, volunteer, or contractor, a form signed by the prospective employee, volunteer, or contractor consenting to the criminal record check and use of fingerprints and other identifying information required by the State and National Repositories and any additional information required by the Department of Public Safety. The fingerprints of the prospective employee, volunteer, or contractor shall be forwarded to the State Bureau of Investigation for a search of the State's criminal history record file, and the State Bureau of Investigation shall forward a set of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. The Legislative Services Officer shall keep all information obtained pursuant to this section confidential. The Department of Public Safety may charge a fee to offset the cost incurred by it to conduct a criminal record check under this section. The fee shall not exceed the actual cost of locating, editing, researching, and retrieving the information."
SECTION 12.(b) This section becomes effective October 1, 2020.