H*3134(Rat #0247, Act #0170 of 1991)  General Bill, By D.E. McTeer
 A Bill to amend Sections 9-1-1140 and 9-11-50, both as amended, Code of Laws
 of South Carolina, 1976, relating to credited service for members of the South
 Carolina Retirement System and the South Carolina Police Officers Retirement
 System and to the provisions allowing merchant marine seamen and civil service
 crew members to establish credit for certain service between 1941 and 1945, so
 as to extend the expiration of that period of service to 1947; to amend
 Section 9-11-120, as amended, relating to the preretirement death benefit
 program for police officers, so as to increase the benefits; and to amend
 Section 9-2-20, relating to the South Carolina Retirement and Preretirement
 Advisory Board membership, so as to provide that one of the members
 representing state employees must be a law enforcement officer.-amended title

   12/27/90  House  Prefiled
   12/27/90  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
   01/08/91  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-76
   01/08/91  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-76
   04/25/91  House  Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means HJ-50
   05/08/91  House  Read second time HJ-19
   05/09/91  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-13
   05/09/91  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-7
   05/09/91  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance SJ-7
   05/29/91  Senate Recalled from Committee on Finance SJ-44
   06/04/91  Senate Amended SJ-14
   06/04/91  Senate Read second time SJ-15
   06/04/91  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-16
   06/05/91  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-9
   06/06/91  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-34
   06/06/91         Ratified R 247
   06/28/91         Signed By Governor
   06/28/91         Effective date 06/28/91
   06/28/91         Act No. 170
   07/09/91         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 9-1-1140 AND 9-11-50, BOTH AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO CREDITED SERVICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO THE PROVISIONS ALLOWING MERCHANT MARINE SEAMEN AND CIVIL SERVICE CREW MEMBERS TO ESTABLISH CREDIT FOR CERTAIN SERVICE BETWEEN 1941 AND 1945, SO AS TO EXTEND THE EXPIRATION OF THAT PERIOD OF SERVICE TO 1947; TO AMEND SECTION 9-11-120, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM FOR POLICE OFFICERS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE BENEFITS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 9-2-20, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT AND PRERETIREMENT ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERSHIP, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ONE OF THE MEMBERS REPRESENTING STATE EMPLOYEES MUST BE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Creditable service periods for state retirement for certain marine seamen and civil service personnel

SECTION 1. The fifth paragraph of Section 9-1-1140 of the 1976 Code, as added by Section 48, Part II, Act 658 of 1988, is amended to read:

"Merchant marine seamen who served in active ocean-going service from December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1947, and civil service crew members aboard United States Army Transport Service and Naval Transportation Service vessels in ocean-going service in foreign waters during the same period may establish their period of service as creditable service in the manner that military service is established as creditable service pursuant to this section."

Creditable service periods for police officer retirement for certain marine seamen and civil service personnel

SECTION 2. The unnumbered paragraph following subsection (6) of Section 9-11-50 of the 1976 Code, as added by Section 48, Part II, Act 658 of 1988, is amended to read:

"Merchant marine seamen who served in active ocean-going service from December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1947, and civil service crew members aboard United States Army Transport Service and Naval Transportation Service vessels in ocean-going service in foreign waters during the same period may establish their period of service as creditable service in the manner that military service is established as creditable service pursuant to this section."

Death benefits for police officers

SECTION 3. The sixth paragraph of Section 9-11-120 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 412 of 1990, is further amended to read:

"Upon the death of a retired member on or after July 1, 1985, there must be paid to the designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, if living at the time of the retired member's death, otherwise to the retired member's estate, a death benefit of two thousand dollars if the retired member had ten years of creditable service but less than twenty years, three thousand dollars if the retired member had twenty years of creditable service but less than thirty, and four thousand dollars if the retired member had at least thirty years of creditable service at the time of retirement, provided the retired member's most recent employer prior to retirement is covered by the Group Life Insurance Program."

South Carolina Retirement and Preretirement Advisory Board membership

SECTION 4. Section 9-2-20(a) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(a) The board shall consist of eight members appointed by the State Budget and Control Board and must be constituted as follows:

(1) one member representing municipal employees;

(2) one member representing county employees;

(3) three members representing state employees, one of whom must be retired and one of whom must be an active or retired law enforcement officer who is contributing to or receiving benefits from the Police Officers Retirement System. If this law enforcement member is retired, the other two members representing state employees do not have to be retired;

(4) two members representing public school teachers, one of whom must be retired;

(5) one member representing the higher education teachers. The Budget and Control Board shall invite the appropriate associations, groups, and individuals to recommend persons to serve on the board."

Terms of current South Carolina Retirement and Preretirement Advisory Board members

SECTION 5. The three present members of the South Carolina Retirement and Preretirement Advisory Board representing state employees, as provided by Section 9-2-20(a)(3) of the 1976 Code, shall continue to serve their current terms of office. When the first of these three members' terms expires after the effective date of this act, his successor so appointed must be the active or retired law enforcement officer required by Section 9-2-20(a)(3) as amended by this act.

Time effective

SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 28th day of June, 1991.