2023 Florida Statutes › Title X - Public Officers, Employees, and Records › Chapter 121 - Florida Retirement System › Part II - Florida Retirement System Investment Plan (Ss. 121.4501-121.5912) › 121.4501 - Florida Retirement System Investment Plan.

121.4501 Florida Retirement System Investment Plan.—
(1) The Trustees of the State Board of Administration shall establish a defined contribution program called the “Florida Retirement System Investment Plan” or “investment plan” for members of the Florida Retirement System under which retirement benefits will be provided for eligible employees who elect to participate in the program. The retirement benefits shall be provided through member-directed investments, in accordance with s. 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations. The employer and employee shall make contributions, as provided in this section and ss. 121.571 and 121.71, to the Florida Retirement System Investment Plan Trust Fund toward the funding of benefits.
(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this part, the term:
(a) “Approved provider” or “provider” means a private sector company that is selected and approved by the state board to offer one or more investment products or services to the investment plan. The term includes a bundled provider that offers members a range of individually allocated or unallocated investment products and may offer a range of administrative and customer services, which may include accounting and administration of individual member benefits and contributions; individual member recordkeeping; asset purchase, control, and safekeeping; direct execution of the member’s instructions as to asset and contribution allocation; calculation of daily net asset values; direct access to member account information; periodic reporting to members, at least quarterly, on account balances and transactions; guidance, advice, and allocation services directly relating to the provider’s own investment options or products, but only if the bundled provider complies with the standard of care of s. 404(a)(1)(A-B) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and if providing such guidance, advice, or allocation services does not constitute a prohibited transaction under s. 4975(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code or s. 406 of ERISA, notwithstanding that such prohibited transaction provisions do not apply to the retirement program; a broad array of distribution options; asset allocation; and retirement counseling and education. Private sector companies include investment management companies, insurance companies, depositories, and mutual fund companies.
(b) “Average monthly compensation” means one-twelfth of average final compensation as defined in s. 121.021.
(c) “Covered employment” means employment in a regularly established position as defined in s. 121.021.
(d) “Electronic means” means by telephone, if the required information is received on a recorded line, or through Internet access, if the required information is captured online.
(e) “Eligible employee” means an officer or employee, as defined in s. 121.021, who:
1. Is a member of, or is eligible for membership in, the Florida Retirement System, including any renewed member of the Florida Retirement System initially enrolled before July 1, 2010;
2. Participates in, or is eligible to participate in, the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program as established under s. 121.055(6), the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program as established under s. 121.051(2)(c), or the State University System Optional Retirement Program established under s. 121.35; or
3. Is a retired member of the investment plan, the State University System Optional Retirement Program, the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program, or the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program who is reemployed in a regularly established position on or after July 1, 2017, and enrolled as a renewed member as provided in s. 121.122.
The term does not include any member participating in the Deferred Retirement Option Program established under s. 121.091(13), a retiree of the pension plan who is reemployed in a regularly established position on or after July 1, 2010, a retiree of a state-administered retirement system initially reemployed in a regularly established position on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2017, or a mandatory participant of the State University System Optional Retirement Program established under s. 121.35.
(f) “Employer” means an employer, as defined in s. 121.021, of an eligible employee.
(g) “Florida Retirement System Investment Plan” or “investment plan” means the defined contribution program established under this part.
(h) “Florida Retirement System Pension Plan” or “pension plan” means the defined benefit program of the Florida Retirement System administered under part I of this chapter.
(i) “Member” or “employee” means an eligible employee who enrolls in, or who defaults into, the investment plan as provided in subsection (4), a terminated Deferred Retirement Option Program member as described in subsection (21), or a beneficiary or alternate payee of a member or employee.
(j) “Member contributions” or “employee contributions” means the sum of all amounts deducted from the salary of a member by his or her employer in accordance with s. 121.71(3) and credited to his or her individual account in the investment plan, plus any earnings on such amounts and any contributions specified in paragraph (5)(e).
(k) “Retiree” means a former member of the investment plan who has terminated employment and taken a distribution of vested employee or employer contributions as provided in s. 121.591, except for a mandatory distribution of a de minimis account authorized by the state board or a minimum required distribution provided by s. 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(l) “Vested” or “vesting” means the guarantee that a member is eligible to receive a retirement benefit upon completion of the required years of service under the investment plan.
(3) RETIREMENT SERVICE CREDIT; TRANSFER OF BENEFITS.—
(a) An eligible employee who is employed in a regularly established position by a state employer on June 1, 2002; by a district school board employer on September 1, 2002; or by a local employer on December 1, 2002, and who is a member of the pension plan at the time of his or her election to participate in the investment plan shall retain all retirement service credit earned under the pension plan as credited under the system and is entitled to a deferred benefit upon termination. However, election to enroll in the investment plan terminates the active membership of the employee in the pension plan, and the service of a member in the investment plan is not creditable under the pension plan for purposes of benefit accrual but is creditable for purposes of vesting.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), an eligible employee who elects to participate in, or who defaults into, the investment plan and establishes one or more individual member accounts may elect to transfer to the investment plan a sum representing the present value of the employee’s accumulated benefit obligation under the pension plan, except as provided in paragraph (4)(b). Upon transfer, all service credit earned under the pension plan is nullified for purposes of entitlement to a future benefit under the pension plan. A member may not transfer the accumulated benefit obligation balance from the pension plan after the time period for enrolling in the investment plan has expired.
1. For purposes of this subsection, the present value of the member’s accumulated benefit obligation is based upon the member’s estimated creditable service and estimated average final compensation under the pension plan, subject to recomputation under subparagraph 2. For state employees, initial estimates shall be based upon creditable service and average final compensation as of midnight on June 30, 2002; for district school board employees, initial estimates shall be based upon creditable service and average final compensation as of midnight on September 30, 2002; and for local government employees, initial estimates shall be based upon creditable service and average final compensation as of midnight on December 31, 2002. The dates specified are the “estimate date” for these employees. The actuarial present value of the employee’s accumulated benefit obligation shall be based on the following:
a. The discount rate and other relevant actuarial assumptions used to value the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund at the time the amount to be transferred is determined, consistent with the factors provided in sub-subparagraphs b. and c.
b. A benefit commencement age, based on the member’s estimated creditable service as of the estimate date.
c. Except as provided under sub-subparagraph d., for a member initially enrolled:
(I) Before July 1, 2011, the benefit commencement age is the younger of the following, but may not be younger than the member’s age as of the estimate date:
(A) Age 62; or
(B) The age the member would attain if the member completed 30 years of service with an employer, assuming the member worked continuously from the estimate date, and disregarding any vesting requirement that would otherwise apply under the pension plan.
(II) On or after July 1, 2011, the benefit commencement age is the younger of the following, but may not be younger than the member’s age as of the estimate date:
(A) Age 65; or
(B) The age the member would attain if the member completed 33 years of service with an employer, assuming the member worked continuously from the estimate date, and disregarding any vesting requirement that would otherwise apply under the pension plan.
d. For members of the Special Risk Class and for members of the Special Risk Administrative Support Class entitled to retain the special risk normal retirement date, the benefit commencement age is the younger of the following, but may not be younger than the member’s age as of the estimate date:
(I) Age 55; or
(II) The age the member would attain if the member completed 25 years of service with an employer, assuming the member worked continuously from the estimate date, and disregarding any vesting requirement that would otherwise apply under the pension plan.
e. The calculation must disregard vesting requirements and early retirement reduction factors that would otherwise apply under the pension plan.
2. For each member who elects to transfer moneys from the pension plan to his or her account in the investment plan, the division shall recompute the amount transferred under subparagraph 1. within 60 days after the actual transfer of funds based upon the member’s actual creditable service and actual final average compensation as of the initial date of participation in the investment plan. If the recomputed amount differs from the amount transferred by $10 or more, the division shall:
a. Transfer, or cause to be transferred, from the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund to the member’s account the excess, if any, of the recomputed amount over the previously transferred amount together with interest from the initial date of transfer to the date of transfer under this subparagraph, based upon the effective annual interest equal to the assumed return on the actuarial investment which was used in the most recent actuarial valuation of the system, compounded annually.
b. Transfer, or cause to be transferred, from the member’s account to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund the excess, if any, of the previously transferred amount over the recomputed amount, together with interest from the initial date of transfer to the date of transfer under this subparagraph, based upon 6 percent effective annual interest, compounded annually, pro rata based on the member’s allocation plan.
3. If contribution adjustments are made as a result of employer errors or corrections, including plan corrections, following recomputation of the amount transferred under subparagraph 1., the member is entitled to the additional contributions or is responsible for returning any excess contributions resulting from the correction. However, a return of such erroneous excess pretax contribution by the plan must be made within the period allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. The present value of the member’s accumulated benefit obligation may not be recalculated.
4. As directed by the member, the state board shall transfer or cause to be transferred the appropriate amounts to the designated accounts within 30 days after the effective date of the member’s participation in the investment plan unless the major financial markets for securities available for a transfer are seriously disrupted by an unforeseen event that causes the suspension of trading on a national securities exchange in the country where the securities were issued. In that event, the 30-day period may be extended by a resolution of the state board. Transfers are not commissionable or subject to other fees and may be in the form of securities or cash, as determined by the state board. Such securities are valued as of the date of receipt in the member’s account.
5. If the state board or the division receives notification from the United States Internal Revenue Service that this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph will cause the retirement system, or a portion thereof, to be disqualified for tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code, the portion that will cause the disqualification does not apply. Upon such notice, the state board and the division shall notify the presiding officers of the Legislature.
(4) PARTICIPATION; ENROLLMENT.—
(a)1. Effective June 1, 2002, through February 28, 2003, a 90-day election period was provided to each eligible employee participating in the Florida Retirement System, preceded by a 90-day education period, permitting each eligible employee to elect membership in the investment plan. An employee who failed to elect the investment plan during the election period remained in the pension plan. An eligible employee who was employed in a regularly established position during the election period was granted the option to make one subsequent election, as provided in paragraph (f). With respect to an eligible employee who did not participate in the initial election period or who is initially employed in a regularly established position after the close of the initial election period but before January 1, 2018, such employee shall, by default, be enrolled in the pension plan at the commencement of employment and may, by the last business day of the 5th month following the employee’s month of hire, elect to participate in the investment plan. The employee’s election must be made in writing or by electronic means and must be filed with the third-party administrator. The election to participate in the investment plan is irrevocable, except as provided in paragraph (f).
a. If the employee files such election within the prescribed time period, enrollment in the investment plan is effective on the first day of employment. The retirement contributions paid through the month of the employee plan change shall be transferred to the investment program, and, effective the first day of the next month, the employer and employee must pay the applicable contributions based on the employee membership class in the program.
b. An employee who fails to elect to participate in the investment plan within the prescribed time period is deemed to have elected to retain membership in the pension plan, and the employee’s option to elect to participate in the investment plan is forfeited.
2. With respect to employees who become eligible to participate in the investment plan pursuant to s. 121.051(2)(c)3. or s. 121.35(3)(i), the employee may elect to participate in the investment plan in lieu of retaining his or her membership in the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program or the State University System Optional Retirement Program. The election must be made in writing or by electronic means and must be filed with the third-party administrator. This election is irrevocable, except as provided in paragraph (f). Upon making such election, the employee shall be enrolled as a member in the investment plan, the employee’s membership in the Florida Retirement System is governed by the provisions of this part, and the employee’s participation in the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program or the State University System Optional Retirement Program terminates. The employee’s enrollment in the investment plan is effective on the first day of the month for which a full month’s employer and employee contribution is made to the investment plan.
(b)1. With respect to employees who become eligible to participate in the investment plan by reason of employment in a regularly established position commencing on or after January 1, 2018, or who did not complete an election window before January 1, 2018, any such employee shall be enrolled in the pension plan at the commencement of employment and may, by the last business day of the eighth month following the employee’s month of hire, elect to participate in the pension plan or the investment plan. Eligible employees may make a plan election only if they are earning service credit in an employer-employee relationship consistent with s. 121.021(17)(b), excluding leaves of absence without pay.
2. The employee’s election must be made in writing or by electronic means and must be filed with the third-party administrator. The election to participate in the pension plan or investment plan is irrevocable, except as provided in paragraph (f).
3.a. Except as provided in subparagraph 4., if the employee fails to make an election to either the pension plan or the investment plan during the 8-month period following the month of hire, the employee is deemed to have elected the investment plan and shall default into the investment plan retroactively to the employee’s date of employment. The employee’s option to participate in the pension plan is forfeited, except as provided in paragraph (f).
b. The amount of the employee and employer contributions paid through the date of default to the investment plan shall be transferred to the investment plan and shall be placed in a default fund as designated by the State Board of Administration. The employee may move the contributions once an account is activated in the investment plan.
4. If the employee is employed in a position included in the Special Risk Class and fails to make an election to either the pension plan or the investment plan during the 8-month period following the month of hire, the employee is deemed to have elected the pension plan and shall default into the pension plan retroactively to the employee’s date of employment. The employee’s option to participate in the investment plan is forfeited, except as provided in paragraph (f).
5. Effective the first day of the month after an eligible employee makes a plan election of the pension plan or investment plan, or the first day of the month after default, the employee and employer shall pay the applicable contributions based on the employee membership class in the program.
(c) Contributions available for self-direction by a member who has not selected one or more specific investment products shall be allocated as prescribed by the state board. The third-party administrator shall notify the member at least quarterly that the member should take an affirmative action to make an asset allocation among the investment products.
(d) On or after July 1, 2011, a member of the pension plan who obtains a refund of employee contributions retains his or her prior plan choice upon return to employment in a regularly established position with a participating employer.
(e)1. A member of the investment plan who takes a distribution of any contributions from his or her investment plan account is considered a retiree. A retiree who is initially reemployed in a regularly established position on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2017, is not eligible for renewed membership, except as provided in s. 121.122.
2. A retiree who is reemployed on or after July 1, 2017, shall be enrolled as a renewed member as provided in s. 121.122.
(f) After the period during which an eligible employee had the choice to elect the pension plan or the investment plan, or the month following the receipt of the eligible employee’s plan election, if sooner, the employee shall have one opportunity, at the employee’s discretion, to choose to move from the pension plan to the investment plan or from the investment plan to the pension plan. Eligible employees may elect to move between plans only if they are earning service credit in an employer-employee relationship consistent with s. 121.021(17)(b), excluding leaves of absence without pay. Effective July 1, 2005, such elections are effective on the first day of the month following the receipt of the election by the third-party administrator and are not subject to the requirements regarding an employer-employee relationship or receipt of contributions for the eligible employee in the effective month, except when the election is received by the third-party administrator. This paragraph is contingent upon approval by the Internal Revenue Service.
1. If the employee chooses to move to the investment plan, the provisions of subsection (3) govern the transfer.
2. If the employee chooses to move to the pension plan, the employee must transfer from his or her investment plan account, and from other employee moneys as necessary, a sum representing the present value of that employee’s accumulated benefit obligation immediately following the time of such movement, determined assuming that attained service equals the sum of service in the pension plan and service in the investment plan. Benefit commencement occurs on the first date the employee is eligible for unreduced benefits, using the discount rate and other relevant actuarial assumptions that were used to value the pension plan liabilities in the most recent actuarial valuation. For any employee who, at the time of the second election, already maintains an accrued benefit amount in the pension plan, the then-present value of the accrued benefit is deemed part of the required transfer amount. The division must ensure that the transfer sum is prepared using a formula and methodology certified by an enrolled actuary. A refund of any employee contributions or additional member payments made which exceed the employee contributions that would have accrued had the member remained in the pension plan and not transferred to the investment plan is not permitted.
3. Notwithstanding subparagraph 2., an employee who chooses to move to the pension plan and who became eligible to participate in the investment plan by reason of employment in a regularly established position with a state employer after June 1, 2002; a district school board employer after September 1, 2002; or a local employer after December 1, 2002, must transfer from his or her investment plan account, and from other employee moneys as necessary, a sum representing the employee’s actuarial accrued liability. A refund of any employee contributions or additional member payments made which exceed the employee contributions that would have accrued had the member remained in the pension plan and not transferred to the investment plan is not permitted.
4. An employee’s ability to transfer from the pension plan to the investment plan pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b), and the ability of a current employee to have an option to later transfer back into the pension plan under subparagraph 2., shall be deemed a significant system amendment. Pursuant to s. 121.031(4), any resulting unfunded liability arising from actual original transfers from the pension plan to the investment plan must be amortized within 30 plan years as a separate unfunded actuarial base independent of the reserve stabilization mechanism defined in s. 121.031(3)(f). For the first 25 years, a direct amortization payment may not be calculated for this base. During this 25-year period, the separate base shall be used to offset the impact of employees exercising their second program election under this paragraph. The actuarial funded status of the pension plan will not be affected by such second program elections in any significant manner, after due recognition of the separate unfunded actuarial base. Following the initial 25-year period, any remaining balance of the original separate base shall be amortized over the remaining 5 years of the required 30-year amortization period.
5. If the employee chooses to transfer from the investment plan to the pension plan and retains an excess account balance in the investment plan after satisfying the buy-in requirements under this paragraph, the excess may not be distributed until the member retires from the pension plan. The excess account balance may be rolled over to the pension plan and used to purchase service credit or upgrade creditable service in the pension plan.
(5) CONTRIBUTIONS.—
(a) The employee and employer shall make the required contributions to the investment plan based on a percentage of the employee’s gross monthly compensation, as provided in part III of this chapter.
(b) Employee contributions shall be paid as provided in s. 121.71.
(c) The state board, acting as plan fiduciary, must ensure that all plan assets are held in a trust, pursuant to s. 401 of the Internal Revenue Code. The fiduciary must ensure that such contributions are allocated as follows:
1. The employer and employee contribution portion earmarked for member accounts shall be used to purchase interests in the appropriate investment vehicles as specified by the member, or in accordance with paragraph (4)(c).
2. The employer contribution portion earmarked for administrative and educational expenses shall be transferred to the state board’s Administrative Trust Fund.
3. The employer contribution portion earmarked for disability benefits and line-of-duty death benefits shall be transferred to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund.
(d) The third-party administrator is responsible for monitoring and notifying employers of the maximum contribution levels allowed for members under the Internal Revenue Code. If a member contributes to any other tax-deferred plan, the member is responsible for ensuring that total contributions made to the investment plan and to any other such plan do not exceed federally permitted maximums.
(e) The investment plan may accept for deposit into member accounts contributions in the form of rollovers or direct trustee-to-trustee transfers by or on behalf of members, reasonably determined by the state board to be eligible for rollover or transfer to the investment plan pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code, if such contributions are made in accordance with rules adopted by the board. Such contributions must be accounted for in accordance with applicable Internal Revenue Code requirements and rules of the state board.
(6) VESTING REQUIREMENTS.—
(a) A member is fully and immediately vested in all employee contributions paid to the investment plan as provided in s. 121.71, plus interest and earnings thereon and less investment fees and administrative charges.
(b)1. With respect to employer contributions paid on behalf of the member to the investment plan, plus interest and earnings thereon and less investment fees and administrative charges, a member is vested after completing 1 work year with an employer, including any service while the member was a member of the pension plan or an optional retirement program authorized under s. 121.051(2)(c) or s. 121.055(6).
2. If the member terminates employment before satisfying the vesting requirements, the nonvested accumulation must be transferred from the member’s accounts to the state board for deposit and investment by the state board in its suspense account created within the Florida Retirement System Investment Plan Trust Fund. If the terminated member is reemployed as an eligible employee within 5 years, the state board shall transfer to the member’s account any amount previously transferred from the member’s accounts to the suspense account, plus actual earnings on such amount while in the suspense account.
(c)1. With respect to amounts contributed by an employer and transferred from the pension plan to the investment plan, plus interest and earnings, and less investment fees and administrative charges, a member shall be vested in the amount transferred upon meeting the vesting requirements for the member’s membership class as set forth in s. 121.021(45). The third-party administrator shall account for such amounts for each member. The division shall notify the member and the third-party administrator when the member has satisfied the vesting period for Florida Retirement System purposes.
2. If the member terminates employment before satisfying the vesting requirements, the nonvested accumulation must be transferred from the member’s accounts to the state board for deposit and investment by the state board in the suspense account created within the Florida Retirement System Investment Plan Trust Fund. If the terminated member is reemployed as an eligible employee within 5 years, the state board shall transfer to the member’s accounts any amount previously transferred from the member’s accounts to the suspense account, plus the actual earnings on such amount while in the suspense account.
(d) Any nonvested accumulations transferred from a member’s account to the state board’s suspense account shall be forfeited, including accompanying service credit, by the member if the member is not reemployed as an eligible employee within 5 years after termination.
(e) If the member elects to receive any of his or her vested employee or employer contributions upon termination of employment as provided in s. 121.021(39)(a), except for a mandatory distribution of a de minimis account authorized by the state board or a minimum required distribution provided by s. 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, the member shall forfeit all nonvested employer contributions, and accompanying service credit, paid on behalf of the member to the investment plan.
(7) BENEFITS.—Under the investment plan, benefits must:
(a) Be provided in accordance with s. 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) Accrue in individual accounts that are member-directed, portable, and funded by employer and employee contributions and earnings thereon.
(c) Be payable in accordance with s. 121.591.
(8) INVESTMENT PLAN ADMINISTRATION.—The investment plan shall be administered by the state board and affected employers. The state board may require oaths, by affidavit or otherwise, and acknowledgments from persons in connection with the administration of its statutory duties and responsibilities for the investment plan. An oath, by affidavit or otherwise, may not be required of a member at the time of enrollment. Acknowledgment of an employee’s election to participate in the program shall be no greater than necessary to confirm the employee’s election. The state board shall adopt rules to carry out its statutory duties with respect to administering the investment plan, including establishing the roles and responsibilities of affected state, local government, and education-related employers, the state board, the department, and third-party contractors. The department shall adopt rules necessary to administer the investment plan in coordination with the pension plan and the disability benefits available under the investment plan.
(a)1. The state board shall select and contract with a third-party administrator to provide administrative services if those services cannot be competitively and contractually provided by the division. With the approval of the state board, the third-party administrator may subcontract to provide components of the administrative services. As a cost of administration, the state board may compensate any such contractor for its services, in accordance with the terms of the contract, as is deemed necessary or proper by the board. The third-party administrator may not be an approved provider or be affiliated with an approved provider.
2. These administrative services may include, but are not limited to, enrollment of eligible employees, collection of employer and employee contributions, disbursement of contributions to approved providers in accordance with the allocation directions of members; services relating to consolidated billing; individual and collective recordkeeping and accounting; asset purchase, control, and safekeeping; and direct disbursement of funds to and from the third-party administrator, the division, the state board, employers, members, approved providers, and beneficiaries. This section does not prevent or prohibit a bundled provider from providing any administrative or customer service, including accounting and administration of individual member benefits and contributions; individual member recordkeeping; asset purchase, control, and safekeeping; direct execution of the member’s instructions as to asset and contribution allocation; calculation of daily net asset values; direct access to member account information; or periodic reporting to members, at least quarterly, on account balances and transactions, if these services are authorized by the state board as part of the contract.
(b)1. The state board shall select and contract with one or more organizations to provide educational services. With approval of the state board, the organizations may subcontract to provide components of the educational services. As a cost of administration, the state board may compensate any such contractor for its services in accordance with the terms of the contract, as is deemed necessary or proper by the board. The education organization may not be an approved provider or be affiliated with an approved provider.
2. Educational services shall be designed by the state board and department to assist employers, eligible employees, members, and beneficiaries in order to maintain compliance with United States Department of Labor regulations under s. 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and to assist employees in their choice of pension plan or investment plan retirement alternatives. Educational services include, but are not limited to, disseminating educational materials; providing retirement planning education; explaining the pension plan and the investment plan; and offering financial planning guidance on matters such as investment diversification, investment risks, investment costs, and asset allocation. An approved provider may also provide educational information, including retirement planning and investment allocation information concerning its products and services.
(c)1. In evaluating and selecting a third-party administrator, the state board shall establish criteria for evaluating the relative capabilities and qualifications of each proposed administrator. In developing such criteria, the state board shall consider:
a. The administrator’s demonstrated experience in providing administrative services to public or private sector retirement systems.
b. The administrator’s demonstrated experience in providing daily valued recordkeeping to defined contribution programs.
c. The administrator’s ability and willingness to coordinate its activities with employers, the state board, and the division, and to supply to such employers, the board, and the division the information and data they require, including, but not limited to, monthly management reports, quarterly member reports, and ad hoc reports requested by the department or state board.
d. The cost-effectiveness and levels of the administrative services provided.
e. The administrator’s ability to interact with the members, the employers, the state board, the division, and the providers; the means by which members may access account information, direct investment of contributions, make changes to their accounts, transfer moneys between available investment vehicles, and transfer moneys between investment products; and any fees that apply to such activities.
f. Any other factor deemed necessary by the state board.
2. In evaluating and selecting an educational provider, the state board shall establish criteria under which it shall consider the relative capabilities and qualifications of each proposed educational provider. In developing such criteria, the state board shall consider:
a. Demonstrated experience in providing educational services to public or private sector retirement systems.
b. Ability and willingness to coordinate its activities with the employers, the state board, and the division, and to supply to such employers, the board, and the division the information and data they require, including, but not limited to, reports on educational contacts.
c. The cost-effectiveness and levels of the educational services provided.
d. Ability to provide educational services via different media, including, but not limited to, the Internet, personal contact, seminars, brochures, and newsletters.
e. Any other factor deemed necessary by the state board.
3. The establishment of the criteria shall be solely within the discretion of the state board.
(d) The state board shall develop the form and content of any contracts to be offered under the investment plan. In developing the contracts, the board shall consider:
1. The nature and extent of the rights and benefits to be afforded in relation to the contributions required under the plan.
2. The suitability of the rights and benefits provided and the interests of employers in the recruitment and retention of eligible employees.
(e)1. The state board may contract for professional services, including legal, consulting, accounting, and actuarial services, deemed necessary to implement and administer the investment plan. The state board may enter into a contract with one or more vendors to provide low-cost investment advice to members, supplemental to education provided by the third-party administrator. All fees under any such contract shall be paid by those members who choose to use the services of the vendor.
2. The department may contract for professional services, including legal, consulting, accounting, and actuarial services, deemed necessary to implement and administer the investment plan in coordination with the pension plan. The department, in coordination with the state board, may enter into a contract with the third-party administrator in order to coordinate services common to the various programs within the Florida Retirement System.
(f) The third-party administrator may not receive direct or indirect compensation from an approved provider, except as specifically provided for in the contract with the state board.
(g) The state board shall receive and resolve member complaints against the program, the third-party administrator, or any program vendor or provider; shall resolve any conflict between the third-party administrator and an approved provider if such conflict threatens the implementation or administration of the program or the quality of services to employees; and may resolve any other conflicts. The third-party administrator shall retain all member records for at least 5 years for use in resolving any member conflicts. The state board, the third-party administrator, or a provider is not required to produce documentation or an audio recording to justify action taken with regard to a member if the action occurred 5 or more years before the complaint is submitted to the state board. It is presumed that all action taken 5 or more years before the complaint is submitted was taken at the request of the member and with the member’s full knowledge and consent. To overcome this presumption, the member must present documentary evidence or an audio recording demonstrating otherwise.
(h) The state board may, consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities, develop one or more investment products to be offered in the investment plan.
(9) INVESTMENT OPTIONS OR PRODUCTS; PERFORMANCE REVIEW.—
(a) The state board shall develop policy and procedures for selecting, evaluating, and monitoring the performance of approved providers and investment products under the investment plan. In accordance with such policy and procedures, the state board shall designate and contract for a number of investment products as determined by the board. The board shall also select one or more bundled providers, each of which may offer multiple investment options and related services, if such approach is determined by the board to provide value to the members otherwise not available through individual investment products. Each approved bundled provider may offer investment options that provide members with the opportunity to invest in each of the following asset classes, to be composed of individual options that represent a single asset class or a combination thereof: money markets, United States fixed income, United States equities, and foreign stock. The state board shall review and manage all educational materials, contract terms, fee schedules, and other aspects of the approved provider relationships to ensure that no provider is unduly favored or penalized by virtue of its status within the investment plan.
(b) The state board shall consider investment options or products it considers appropriate to give members the opportunity to accumulate retirement benefits, subject to the following:
1. The investment plan must offer a diversified mix of low-cost investment products that span the risk-return spectrum and may include a guaranteed account as well as investment products, such as individually allocated guaranteed and variable annuities, which meet the requirements of this subsection and combine the ability to accumulate investment returns with the option of receiving lifetime income consistent with the long-term retirement security of a pension plan and similar to the lifetime-income benefit provided by the Florida Retirement System.
2. Investment options or products offered by approved providers may include mutual funds, group annuity contracts, individual retirement annuities, interests in trusts, collective trusts, separate accounts, and other such financial instruments, and products that give members the option of committing their contributions for an extended time period in an effort to obtain returns higher than those that could be obtained from investment products offering full liquidity.
3. The state board may not contract with a provider that imposes a front-end, back-end, contingent, or deferred sales charge, or any other fee that limits or restricts the ability of members to select any investment product available in the investment plan. This prohibition does not apply to fees or charges that are imposed on withdrawals from products that give members the option of committing contributions for an extended time period in an effort to obtain returns higher than those that could be obtained from investment products offering full liquidity, if the product, net of all fees and charges, produces material benefits relative to other comparable products in the investment plan offering full liquidity.
4. Fees or charges for insurance features, such as mortality and expense-risk charges, must be reasonable relative to the benefits provided.
(c) In evaluating and selecting approved providers and products, the state board shall establish criteria for evaluating the relative capabilities and qualifications of each proposed provider company and product. In developing such criteria, the board shall consider the following to the extent such factors may be applied in connection with investment products, services, or providers:
1. Experience in the United States providing retirement products and related financial services under defined contribution retirement programs.
2. Financial strength and stability as evidenced by the highest ratings assigned by nationally recognized rating services when comparing proposed providers that are so rated.
3. Intrastate and interstate portability of the product offered, including early withdrawal options.
4. Compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.
5. The cost-effectiveness of the product provided and the levels of service supporting the product relative to its benefits and its characteristics, including the level of risk borne by the provider.
6. The provider company’s ability and willingness to coordinate its activities with Florida Retirement System employers, the department, and the state board, and to supply the employers, the department, and the board with the information and data they require.
7. The methods available to members to interact with the provider company; the means by which members may access account information, direct investment of contributions, make changes to their accounts, transfer moneys between available investment vehicles, and transfer moneys between provider companies; and any fees that apply to such activities.
8. The provider company’s policies with respect to the transfer of individual account balances, contributions, and earnings thereon, both internally among investment products offered by the provider company and externally between approved providers, as well as any fees, charges, reductions, or penalties that may be applied.
9. An evaluation of specific investment products, taking into account each product’s experience in meeting its investment return objectives net of all related fees, expenses, and charges, including, but not limited to, investment management fees, loads, distribution and marketing fees, custody fees, recordkeeping fees, education fees, annuity expenses, and consulting fees.
10. Organizational factors, including, but not limited to, financial solvency, organizational depth, and experience in providing institutional and retail investment services.
(d) By March 1, 2010, the state board shall identify and offer at least one terror-free investment product that allocates its funds among securities not subject to divestiture as provided in s. 215.473 if the investment product is deemed by the state board to be consistent with prudent investor standards. A person may not bring a civil, criminal, or administrative action against an approved provider; the state board; or any employee, officer, director, or trustee of such provider based upon the divestiture of any security or the offering of a terror-free investment product as specified in this paragraph.
(e) As a condition of offering an investment option or product in the investment plan, the approved provider must agree to make the investment product or service available under the most beneficial terms offered to any other customer, subject to approval by the state board.
(f) The state board shall regularly review the performance of each approved provider and product and related organizational factors to ensure continued compliance with established selection criteria and with board policy and procedures. Providers and products may be terminated subject to contract provisions. The state board shall adopt procedures to transfer account balances from terminated products or providers to other products or providers in the investment plan.
(g)1. An approved provider shall comply with all applicable federal and state securities and insurance laws and regulations, as well as with the applicable rules and guidelines of the National Association of Securities Dealers which govern the ethical marketing of investment products. In furtherance of this mandate, an approved provider must agree in its contract with the state board to establish and maintain a compliance education and monitoring system to supervise the activities of all personnel who directly communicate with individual members and recommend investment products, which system is consistent with rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers.
2. Approved provider personnel who directly communicate with individual members and who recommend investment products shall make an independent and unbiased determination as to whether an investment product is suitable for a particular member.
3. The state board shall develop procedures to receive and resolve member complaints against a provider or approved provider personnel, and, if appropriate, refer such complaints to the appropriate agency.
4. Approved providers may not sell or in any way distribute any customer list or member identification information generated through their offering of products or services through the investment plan.
(10) EDUCATION COMPONENT.—
(a) The state board, in coordination with the department, shall provide for an education component for eligible employees in a manner consistent with this subsection.
(b) The education component must provide system members with impartial and balanced information about plan choices. The education component must involve multimedia formats. Program comparisons must, to the greatest extent possible, be based upon the retirement income that different retirement programs may provide to the member. The state board shall monitor the performance of the contract to ensure that the program is conducted in accordance with the contract, applicable law, and the rules of the state board.
(c) The state board, in coordination with the department, shall provide for an initial and ongoing transfer education component to provide system members with information necessary to make informed plan choice decisions. The transfer education component must include, but is not limited to, information on:
1. The amount of money available to a member to transfer to the defined contribution program.
2. The features of and differences between the pension plan and the defined contribution program, both generally and specifically, as those differences may affect the member.
3. The expected benefit available if the member were to retire under each of the retirement programs, based on appropriate alternative sets of assumptions.
4. The rate of return from investments in the defined contribution program and the period of time over which such rate of return must be achieved to equal or exceed the expected monthly benefit payable to the member under the pension plan.
5. The historical rates of return for the investment alternatives available in the defined contribution programs.
6. The benefits and historical rates of return on investments available in a typical deferred compensation plan or a typical plan under s. 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code for which the employee may be eligible.
7. The program choices available to employees of the State University System and the comparative benefits of each available program, if applicable.
8. Payout options available in each of the retirement programs.
(d) An ongoing education and communication component must provide eligible employees with information necessary to make informed decisions about choices within their retirement system and in preparation for retirement. The component must include, but is not limited to, information concerning:
1. Rights and conditions of membership.
2. Benefit features within the program, options, and effects of certain decisions.
3. Coordination of contributions and benefits with a deferred compensation plan under s. 457 or a plan under s. 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.
4. Significant program changes.
5. Contribution rates and program funding status.
6. Planning for retirement.
(e) Descriptive materials must be prepared under the assumption that the employee is an unsophisticated investor, and all materials used in the education component must be approved by the state board prior to dissemination.
(f) The state board and the department shall also establish a communication component to provide program information to participating employers and the employers’ personnel and payroll officers and to explain their respective responsibilities in conjunction with the retirement programs.
(g) Funding for education of new employees may reflect administrative costs to the investment plan and the pension plan.
(11) MEMBER INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS.—The state board shall ensure that each member is provided a quarterly statement that accounts for the contributions made on behalf of the member; the interest and investment earnings thereon; and any fees, penalties, or other deductions that apply. At a minimum, such statements must:
(a) Indicate the member’s investment options.
(b) State the market value of the account at the close of the current quarter and previous quarter.
(c) Show account gains and losses and changes in account accumulation unit values for the quarter.
(d) Itemize account contributions for the quarter.
(e) Indicate any account changes due to adjustment of contribution levels, reallocation of contributions, balance transfers, or withdrawals.
(f) Set forth any fees, charges, penalties, and deductions that apply to the account.
(g) Indicate the amount of the account in which the member is fully vested and the amount of the account in which the member is not vested.
(h) Indicate each investment product’s performance relative to an appropriate market benchmark.
The third-party administrator shall provide quarterly and annual summary reports to the state board and any other reports requested by the department or the state board. In any solicitation or offer of coverage under the investment plan, a provider company shall be governed by the contract readability provisions of s. 627.4145, notwithstanding s. 627.4145(6)(c). In addition, all descriptive materials must be prepared under the assumption that the member is an unsophisticated investor. Provider companies must maintain an internal system of quality assurance, have proven functional systems that are date-calculation compliant, and be subject to a due-diligence inquiry that proves their capacity and fitness to undertake service responsibilities.
(12) ADVISORY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE.—The Investment Advisory Council, created pursuant to s. 215.444, shall assist the state board in implementing and administering the investment plan. The council shall review the state board’s initial recommendations regarding the criteria to be used in selecting and evaluating approved providers and investment products. The council may provide comments on the recommendations to the state board within 45 days after receiving the initial recommendations. The state board shall make the final determination as to whether any investment provider or product, any contractor, or any and all contract provisions are approved for the investment plan.
(13) FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.—
(a) This section shall be construed, and the investment plan shall be administered, so as to comply with the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C., and specifically with plan qualification requirements imposed on governmental plans under s. 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The state board may adopt rules reasonably necessary to establish or maintain the qualified status of the investment plan under the Internal Revenue Code and to implement and administer the investment plan in compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and as designated under this part; provided however, that the board shall not have the authority to adopt any rule which makes a substantive change to the investment plan as designed by this part.
(b) Any section or provision of this chapter which is susceptible to more than one construction shall be interpreted in favor of the construction most likely to satisfy requirements imposed by s. 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) Contributions payable under this section for any limitation year may not exceed the maximum amount allowable for qualified defined contribution pension plans under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. If an employee who is enrolled in the investment plan participates in any other plan that is maintained by the participating employer, benefits that accrue under the investment plan shall be considered primary for any aggregate limitation applicable under s. 415 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(14) INVESTMENT POLICY STATEMENT.—
(a) Investment products and approved providers selected for the investment plan must conform with the Florida Retirement System Investment Plan Investment Policy Statement, herein referred to as the “statement,” as developed and approved by the trustees of the state board. The statement must include, among other items, the investment objectives of the investment plan, manager selection and monitoring guidelines, and performance measurement criteria. As required from time to time, the executive director of the state board may present recommended changes in the statement to the board for approval.
(b) Prior to presenting the statement or any recommended changes to the state board, the executive director of the board shall present such statement or changes to the Investment Advisory Council for review. The council shall present the results of its review to the board prior to the board’s final approval of the statement or changes in the statement.
(15) STATEMENT OF FIDUCIARY STANDARDS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—
(a) Investment of defined contribution plan assets shall be made for the sole interest and exclusive purpose of providing benefits to members and beneficiaries and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the plan. The program’s assets shall be invested on behalf of the program members with the care, skill, and diligence that a prudent person acting in a like manner would undertake. The performance of the investment duties set forth in this paragraph shall comply with the fiduciary standards set forth in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 at 29 U.S.C. s. 1104(a)(1)(A)-(C). In case of conflict with other provisions of law authorizing investments, the investment and fiduciary standards set forth in this subsection shall prevail.
(b) If a member or beneficiary of the investment plan exercises control over the assets in his or her account, as determined by reference to regulations of the United States Department of Labor under s. 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and all applicable laws governing the operation of the program, a program fiduciary is not liable for any loss to a member’s or beneficiary’s account which results from the member’s or beneficiary’s exercise of control.
(c) Subparagraph (8)(b)2. and paragraph (b) incorporate the federal law concept of participant control, established by regulations of the United States Department of Labor under s. 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The purpose of this paragraph is to assist employers and the state board in maintaining compliance with s. 404(c), while avoiding unnecessary costs and eroding member benefits under the investment plan. Pursuant to 29 C.F.R. s. 2550.404c-1(b)(2)(i)(B)(1)(viii), the state board or its designated agents shall deliver to members of the investment plan a copy of the prospectus most recently provided to the plan, and, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. s. 2550.404c-1(b)(2)(i)(B)(2)(ii), shall provide such members an opportunity to obtain this information, except that:
1. The requirement to deliver a prospectus shall be satisfied by delivery of a fund profile or summary profile that contains the information that would be included in a summary prospectus as described by Rule 498 under the Securities Act of 1933, 17 C.F.R. s. 230.498. If the transaction fees, expense information or other information provided by a mutual fund in the prospectus does not reflect terms negotiated by the state board or its designated agents, the requirement is satisfied by delivery of a separate document described by Rule 498 substituting accurate information; and
2. Delivery shall be effected if delivery is through electronic means and the following standards are satisfied:
a. Electronically-delivered documents are prepared and provided consistent with style, format, and content requirements applicable to printed documents;
b. Each member is provided timely and adequate notice of the documents that are to be delivered, and their significance, and of the member’s right to obtain a paper copy of such documents free of charge;
c. Members have adequate access to the electronic documents, at locations such as their worksites or public facilities, and have the ability to convert the documents to paper free of charge by the state board, and the board or its designated agents take appropriate and reasonable measures to ensure that the system for furnishing electronic documents results in actual receipt. Members have provided consent to receive information in electronic format, which consent may be revoked; and
d. The state board, or its designated agent, actually provides paper copies of the documents free of charge, upon request.
(16) DISABILITY BENEFITS.—For any member of the investment plan who becomes totally and permanently disabled, benefits must be paid in accordance with the provisions of s. 121.591.
(17) SOCIAL SECURITY COVERAGE.—Social security coverage shall be provided for all officers and employees who become members of the investment plan. Any modification of the present agreement with the Social Security Administration, or referendum required under the Social Security Act, for the purpose of providing social security coverage for any member shall be requested by the state agency in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Social Security Act governing such coverage. However, retroactive social security coverage for service prior to December 1, 1970, with the employer may not be provided for any member who was not covered under the agreement as of November 30, 1970.
(18) RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE SUBSIDY.—All officers and employees who are members of the investment plan are eligible to receive the retiree health insurance subsidy, subject to the provisions of s. 112.363.
(19) MEMBER RECORDS.—Personal identifying information of a member in the investment plan contained in Florida Retirement System records held by the state board or the department is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
(20) DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARIES.—
(a) Each member may, by electronic means or on a form provided for that purpose, signed and filed with the third-party administrator, designate a choice of one or more persons, named sequentially or jointly, as his or her beneficiary for receiving the benefits, if any, which may be payable pursuant to this chapter in the event of the member’s death. If no beneficiary is named in this manner, or if no beneficiary designated by the member survives the member, the beneficiary shall be the spouse of the deceased, if living. If the member’s spouse is not alive at the time of the member’s death, the beneficiary shall be the living children of the member. If no children survive, the beneficiary shall be the member’s father or mother, if living; otherwise, the beneficiary shall be the member’s estate. The beneficiary most recently designated by a member shall be the beneficiary entitled to any benefits payable at the time of the member’s death. However, for a member who dies prior to his or her effective date of retirement, the spouse at the time of death shall be the member’s beneficiary unless the member designates a different beneficiary subsequent to the member’s most recent marriage.
(b) If a member is married, but does not designate his or her spouse as a primary beneficiary, the spouse must be notified and acknowledge that he or she has not been so designated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the spouse cannot be located or fails to affirmatively acknowledge that he or she has not been so designated, the member may request that the acknowledgment requirement be waived by the state board by submitting an affidavit setting forth the particular facts and circumstances. This requirement does not apply to the designation of one or more contingent beneficiaries to receive benefits remaining upon the death of the primary beneficiary or beneficiaries.
(c) Notwithstanding the member’s designation of benefits to be paid through a trust to a beneficiary that is a natural person and the provisions of the trust, benefits must be paid directly to the beneficiary if the person is no longer a minor or an incapacitated person as defined in s. 744.102.
(21) PARTICIPATION BY TERMINATED DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PROGRAM MEMBERS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, members in the Deferred Retirement Option Program offered under part I may, after conclusion of their participation in the program, elect to roll over or authorize a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to an account under the investment plan of their Deferred Retirement Option Program proceeds distributed as provided under s. 121.091(13)(c)5. The transaction must constitute an “eligible rollover distribution” within the meaning of s. 402(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(a) The investment plan may accept such amounts for deposit into member accounts as provided in paragraph (5)(e).
(b) The affected member shall direct the investment of his or her investment account; however, unless he or she becomes a renewed member of the Florida Retirement System under s. 121.122 and elects to participate in the investment plan, no contributions may be made to the member’s account as provided under paragraph (5)(a).
(c) The state board or the department is not responsible for locating those persons who may be eligible to participate in the investment plan under this subsection.
(22) CREDIT FOR MILITARY SERVICE.—Creditable service of any member of the investment plan includes military service in the Armed Forces of the United States as provided in s. 121.111(1).
History.—s. 3, ch. 2000-169; s. 5, ch. 2001-235; s. 2, ch. 2001-255; s. 1, ch. 2002-45; s. 6, ch. 2002-177; ss. 1, 8, ch. 2002-273; s. 8, ch. 2003-6; s. 7, ch. 2003-260; s. 2, ch. 2004-71; s. 4, ch. 2005-253; s. 30, ch. 2006-178; s. 1, ch. 2006-205; s. 4, ch. 2007-92; s. 1, ch. 2007-201; s. 22, ch. 2008-4; s. 1, ch. 2009-97; s. 18, ch. 2009-209; s. 1, ch. 2010-180; s. 26, ch. 2011-68; s. 13, ch. 2012-5; s. 9, ch. 2012-222; s. 1, ch. 2016-63; s. 11, ch. 2017-88; s. 2, ch. 2023-111; s. 9, ch. 2023-193.