Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 24 - RETIREMENT AND PENSIONS (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-12-204) › Chapter 10 - ARKANSAS LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE RETIREMENT SYSTEM (§§ 24-10-101 — 24-10-709) › Subchapter 6 - BENEFITS (§§ 24-10-601 — 24-10-620) › Section 24-10-609 - Death of member in volunteer service

(a)
(1)
If an active member who has accrued five (5) or more years of credited service, including credited service for the year immediately preceding his or her death, or who has attained his or her normal retirement age dies in employer volunteer service before retirement, the applicable benefits provided in this subsection and subsection (c) of this section shall be paid, subject to §
24-10-610
.
(2)
His or her surviving spouse, who was married to the member at least one (1) year immediately preceding his or her death, shall receive an annuity computed in the same manner in all respects as if the member had:
(A)
Retired the date of his or her death with entitlement to an annuity provided for in §
24-10-602
;
(B)
Elected Option B50 survivor beneficiary annuity provided for in §
24-10-603
; and
(C)
Nominated the spouse as joint beneficiary.
(b)
(1)
If an active member dies in employer volunteer service before retirement as a result of a personal injury or disease that the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System finds to have arisen out of and in the course of his or her actual performance of duty as an employee, the applicable benefits provided in this subsection and subsection (c) of this section shall be paid, subject to §
24-10-610
.
(2)
His or her surviving spouse, who was married to the member at least one (1) year immediately preceding his or her death, shall receive an annuity computed in the same manner in all respects as if the member had:
(A)
Retired the date of his or her death with entitlement to an annuity provided for in §
24-10-602
;
(B)
Elected Option B50 survivor beneficiary annuity provided for in §
24-10-603
; and
(C)
Nominated the spouse as joint beneficiary.
(3)
For the sole purpose of computing the amount of the annuity on account of any member who does not have twenty-five (25) years of credited volunteer service in force at time of death, credited volunteer service shall be granted for the period from the date of his or her death to the date he or she would have completed twenty-five (25) years of credited volunteer service.
(c)
(1)
(A)
Upon a member's death while in volunteer service and in qualifying circumstances provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, his or her dependent children shall each receive an annuity of fifteen dollars ($15.00) monthly.
(B)
However, while there are three (3) or more dependent children, each dependent child shall receive an annuity of an equal share of forty dollars ($40.00) monthly.
(2)
Upon a child's ceasing to be a dependent child, his or her annuity shall terminate, and there shall be a redetermination of the amounts payable to any remaining dependent children.
(d)
Annuities payable under the provisions of this section shall commence the first day of the calendar month next following the date of the member's death or a later date specified for the commencement of annuity payments.
(e)
A member hired on or after July 1, 2013, shall accrue ten (10) years of actual service in order to be eligible for benefits under this section.
Amended by Act 2013, No. 1444,§ 1, eff. 4/22/2013.
Amended by Act 2013, No. 1065,§ 9, eff. 4/11/2013.
Acts 1981, No. 364, § 5; 1983, No. 654, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, § 12-3805; Acts 1995, No. 1031, § 2; 2003, No. 477, § 1.