(a) Payment to beneficiary or estate for unused sick leave. Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, when an active and contributing member of the Teachers' Retirement System dies while in service, the beneficiary or estate of the deceased member shall receive a monetary payment of 100 percent of the member's accrued and unused sick leave, not to exceed the maximum days provided in Section 16-1-18.1. The amount of reimbursement per day for earned and unused sick leave shall be computed on the basis of the member's daily rate of pay and multiplied by the number of unused sick leave days and partial sick leave days in the deceased member's account at the time of death, not to exceed the maximum days allowed in Section 16-1-18.1. The beneficiary shall be the designated beneficiary for Teachers' Retirement System benefits. The State Comptroller shall develop and disseminate certification of death forms to the chief executive officer of all boards, agencies, organizations, and associations participating in the Teachers' Retirement System. The certification of death forms shall contain the number of accumulated and unused sick leave days for the deceased member as well as any other information needed by the State Comptroller to calculate the amount of the benefit. The State Comptroller shall pay the calculated amount of sick leave to the deceased member's designated beneficiary or estate if the designated beneficiary is deceased.

(b) Appropriation and disbursement. There is appropriated from the Education Trust Fund such amounts as may be necessary to fulfill the requirements of this section. The State Comptroller shall make the disbursements to the designated beneficiary or estate within 30 days after receiving the appropriate documentation.