An Act to provide for the retirement of officers and members of the Metropolitan Police force, the Fire Department of the District of Columbia, the United States Park police force, the White House Police force, and of certain officers and members of the U
PL 91-509 (S.2695), enacted 10/26/1970

1136 
PUBLIC LAW 91-509-OCT. 26, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
82 Stat. 167. 
"§622. Relation to State laws 
"This title does not annul, alter, affect, or exempt any person subject 
to the provisions of this title from complying with the laws of any 
State with respect to the collection, distribution, or use of any informa-
tion on consumers, except to the extent that those laws are inconsistent 
with any provision of this title, and then only to the extent of the 
inconsistency." 
E F r E C T I \ ^ DATE 
SEC. 602. Section 504 of the Consumer Credit Protection Act is 
amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: 
"(d) Title VI takes effect upon the expiration of one hundred and 
eighty days folloAving the date of its enactment." 
Approved October 26, 1970. 
Public Law 91-509 
October 26, 1970 
[S.2695] 
Policemen and 
Firemen's Retire-
ment and Disabil-
ity Act Amend-
ments of 1970. 
Definitions. 
71 Stat. 391. 
Deductions. 
71 Stat. 393; 
72 Stat. 686. 
AN ACT 
To provide for the retirement of officers and members of the Metropolitan Police 
force, the Fire Department of the District of Columbia, the United States 
Park Police force, the Executive Protective Service, and of certain officers 
and members of the United States Secret Service, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress asserribled^ That section 12 of 
the Act of September 1,1916 (39 Stat. 718), as amended (D.C. Code, 
sec. 4-521 et seq.) is amended as follows: 
(1) Paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of such section (D.C. Code, 
sec. 4-521) is amended to read as follows: 
"(4) The term 'widower' means the surviving husband of a mem-
ber who was married to such individual while she was a member.". 
(2) Paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of such section (D.C. Code, 
sec. 4-521) IS amended to read as follows: 
"(5) (A) The term 'child' means an unmarried child, including (i) 
an adopted child, and (ii) a stepchild or recognized natural child who 
lives with the member in a regular parent-child relationship, under 
the age of eighteen years, or such unmarried child regardless of age 
who, because of physical or mental disability incurred before the age 
of eighteen, is incapable of self-support. 
"(B) The term 'student child' means an unmarried child who is a 
student between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two years, inclusive, 
and who is regularly pursuing a full-time course of study or training 
in residence or in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational 
institute, junior college, college, university, or comparable recognized 
educational institution.". 
(3) Suhsection (d) of such section (D.C. Code, sec. 4-524) is 
amended as follows: 
(A) Paragraph (1) of such subsection is amended to read as follows: 
"(1) On and after the first day of the first pay period which begins 
on or after the effective date of the Policemen and Firemen's Retire-
ment and Disability Act Amendments of 1970 there shall be deducted 
and withheld from each member's basic salary an amount equal to 7 
per centum of such basic salary. Such deductions and withholdings 
shall be paid to the Collector of Taxes of the District of Columbia, and 
shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the District of 
Columbia.". 
(B) Paragraph (3) of such subsection is amended by inserting 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-509-OCT. 26, 1970 
1137 
immediately before the period at the end thereof a colon and the 
following: '•^Provided^ That if no natural person is determined to be 
entitled thereto such payment shall escheat to the government of the 
District of Columbia.". 
(C) Such subsection is amended by adding at the end thereof the 
Persons enti-
following new paragraiDh: 
I'^MlZl^:::, 
"(4) In order to facilitate the settlement of the accounts of each order. 
former member coming under the provisions of this section who dies yj^gtlue's^e!^' 
after retirement (1) leaving no survivor entitled to receive an annuity 
D. c.code 4-
under the provisions of this section and (2) before the aggregate 524. 
amount of the annuity paid to such former member equals the total 
amount deducted and withheld for retirement from his salary as a 
member, the Commissioner shall pay the difference to the person or 
persons surviving at the time of death in the following order of 
precedence, and such payment shall be a bar to recovery by any other 
person of the amount so paid: 
"First, to the beneficiary or beneficiaries designated in writing 
by such former member, filed with the Commissioner and received 
by him prior to the death of such former member; 
"Second, if there be no such beneficiary, to the child or children 
of such deceased former member and the descendants of deceased 
children by representation; 
"Third, if there be none of the above, to the parents of such 
former member, or the survivor of them; and 
"Fourth, if there be none of the above, to the duly appointed 
legal representative of the estate of the deceased former member, 
or if there be none to the person or persons determined to be 
entitled thereto under the laws of the domicile of the deceased 
former member: Provided^ That if no natural person is determined 
to be entitled thereto such payment shall escheat to the govern-
ment of the District of Columbia." 
(4) Subsection (g) of such section (D.C. Code, sec. 4-527) is ^fjt^"*'""'' '•'*^'"''" 
amended by deleting "2 per centum" wherever it appears therein and ^^•^i *stat. 394; 
inserting in lieu thereof 2l^ per centum". 
76 stat. 1133. 
(5) Paragraph (1) of subsection (h) of such section (D.C. Code, 
optional retire-
sec. 4-528) is amended— 
'"*"'* 
(A) by striking out "attains the age of fifty years and"; and 
(B) by striking out "2 per centum" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"21/^ per centum". 
(6) Paragraph (3) of subsection (h) of such section is amended 
by striking out "70 per centum" and inserting in lieu thereof "80 per 
centum". 
(7) Subsection (j) of such section (D.C. Code, sec. 4-530) is 
Disability re-
amended by deleting "fifty-five" wherever it appears therein and ''°"'^^' 
insertiiig in lieu thereof "fifty". 
(8) Subsection (k) of such section (D.C. Code, sec. 4^531) is 
survivor annui-
amended to read as follows: 
"^^' 
" ( k ) ( l ) In the event that any member dies in the performance 
of duty, and such death is determined by the Commissioner to have 
been the sole and direct result of a personal injury sustained while 
performing such duty, leaving a survivor who received more than one-
half his support from a member, such survivor shall be entitled to 
Amount. 
receive a lump sum payment of $50,000: Provided^ That if such death 
is caused by the willful misconduct of the member or hj the member's 
intention to bring about the death of himself, or if intoxication of 
the injured member is the proximate cause of such death, no such 
lump sum payment shall be made: And provided further^ That if such 
Ante, p . 354. 
1138 
PUBLIC LAW 91-509-OCT. 26, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
member is survived by more than one person who received more than 
one-half of his support from the member, each such survivor shall be 
entitled to receive an equal share of such lump-sum payment. 
" (2) In case of the death of any member before retirement, or of any 
former member after retirement, leaving a widow or widower, such 
widow or widower shall be entitled to receive an annuity in the greater 
amount of (1) 40 per centum of such member's basic salary at the time 
of death, or 40 per centum of the basis upon which the annuity, relief, 
or retirement compensation being received by such former member 
at the time of death was computed, or (2) 40 per centum of the 
corresponding salary for step 6, subclass (a), class 1 of the District of 
Columbia Police and Firemen's Salary Act salary schedule currently 
in effect at the time of such member or former member's death: 
Provided, 
That such annuity shall not exceed the current rate of 
compensation of the position occupied by such member at the time 
of death, or by such former member immediately prior to retirement. 
"(3) Each surviving child or student-child of any member who dies 
before retirement, or of any former member who dies after retirement, 
shall be entitled to receive an annuity equal to the smallest of (1) 60 
per centum of the member's basic salary at the time of his death or of 
the basis upon which the former member's annuity at the time of his 
death was computed, divided by the number of eligible children; (2) 
$996; or (3) $2,988 divided by the number of eligible children: 
Provided, That such member or former member is survived by a wife 
or husband. If such member or former member is not survived by a 
wife or husband, each surviving child or student-child shall be paid 
an annuity equal to the smallest of (1) 75 per centum of the member's 
basic salary at the time of his death or of the basis upon which the 
former member's annuity at the time of his death was computed, 
divided by the number of eligible children; (2) $1,200; or (3) $3,600 
divided by the number of eligible children. 
"(4) Each widow or widower who, on the effective date of the 
Policemen and Firemen's Retirement and Disability Act Amendments 
of 1970, was receiving relief or annuity computed in accordance with 
the provisions of this subsection shall be entitled to receive an annuity 
in the greater amount of (1) $3,144; or (2) 35 per centum of the basis 
upon which such relief or annuity was computed. Each child who, on 
said effective date, was receiving relief or annuity computed in accord-
ance with the provisions of this subsection, shall be entitled to benefits 
computed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this 
subsection. 
Annuities, com. 
"(5) xhe annuity of any widow or widower under this subsection 
f/rmlnatlon.^"'* 
shall begin on the first day of the month in which the member or 
former member dies, and such annuity or any right thereto shall 
terminate upon the survivor's death or remarriage before age sixty: 
Provided, That an;^ annuity terminated by remarriage may be restored 
if such remarriage is later terminated by death, annulment, or divorce. 
The annuity of any child under this subsection shall begin on the first 
day of the month in which the member or former member dies, and 
such annuity of such child or any right thereto shall terminate upon 
(A) his attaining age eighteen, unless incapable of self-support, (B) 
his becoming capable of self-support after age eighteen, (C) his 
marriage, or (D) his death. The annuity of any student-child under 
this subsection shall begin on the first day of the month in which 
the member or former member dies, and such annuity of such child 
or any right thereto shall terminate upon (i) his ceasing to be a 
student, (ii) his attaining age twenty-two, (iii) his marriage, or (iv) 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-509-OCT. 26, 1970 
1139 
D.C. Code 4-
to 4-528. 
26 
his death. Such student-child whose birthday falls during the school 
year (September 1 to June 30) shall be considered not to have reached 
age twenty-two until July 1 following his actual twenty-second 
birthday. 
" (6) Any member retiring under subsection (f), (g), or (h) of this 
Reduced annuity, 
section, may, at the time of such retirement, elect to receive a reduced ^^7i's°at. 394; 
annuity in lieu of full annuity, and designate in writing the person to Ante^p.^1137' 
receive an increased annuity after the retired annuitant's death: Pro-
vided, That the person so designated be the surviving spouse or child 
of the retiring member. Whenever such an election is made, the annuity 
of the designee shall be increased by an amount equal to the amount by 
which the annuity of such retiring member is reduced. The annuity 
payable to the member making such election shall be reduced by 10 per 
centum of the annuity computed as provided in subsection (f), (g), or 
(h). Such increase in annuity payable to the designee shall be reduced 
by 5 per centum for each full five years the designee is younger than 
the retiring member, but such total reduction shall not exceed 40 per 
centum. The increase in annuity payable to the designee pursuant to 
this paragraph shall be paid in addition to the annuity provided for 
such designee pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection and 
shall be subject to the same limitations as to duration and other condi-
tions as the annuity paid pursuant to paragraphs (2), (3), and (5) of 
this subsection. If, at any time after such former member's retirement, 
the designee dies, and is survived by such former member, the annuity 
payable to such former member shall be increased to the amount com-
puted as provided in subsection ( f ) , ( g ) , o r ( h ) . 
"(7) (i) Each month after the effective date of this subsection the 
Commissioner shall determine the per centum change in the price 
index. On the basis of this determination, and effective the first day of 
the third month which begins after the price index shall have equaled 
the rise of at least 3 per centum for three consecutive months over the 
price index for the base month, each annuity payable under this sub-
section which has a commencing date not later than such effective date 
shall be increased by 1 per centum plus the per centum rise in the 
price index (calculated on the highest level of the price index during 
the three consecutive months) adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of 
1 per centum. 
"(ii) The monthly installment of annuity after adjustment under 
this subsection shall be fixed at the nearest dollar, except that such 
installment shall after adjustment reflect an increase of at least $1. 
"(iii) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'price index' shall 
mean the Consumer Price Index (all items—^United States city aver-
age) published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The term 
'base month' shall mean the month for which the price index showed 
a per centum rise, forming the basis for a cost-of-living annuity 
increase." 
SEC. 2. The provisions of this Act shall take effect on the first day 
of the first pay period which begins on or after the date of enactment. 
SEC, 3. This Act may be cited as the "Policemen and Firemen's 
Eetirement and Disability Act Amendments of 1970". 
Approved October 26, 1970. 
Annuity in-
crease. 
'Price index. 
" B a s e month." 
Effective date. 
Short title.