§1151. Survivor benefits; members hired on or before June 30, 2010

A. This Section shall apply to members whose first employment making them eligible for membership in one of the state systems occurred on or before June 30, 2010. Survivor's benefits are payable upon application therefor and become effective as of the day following the death of the member.

B.(1) A surviving spouse with a minor child or children shall be paid per month seventy-five percent of the deceased member's average monthly compensation or three hundred dollars per month, whichever is greater, provided the deceased member was in service at the time of death and had five or more years of service credit, at least two years of which were earned immediately prior to death or provided the deceased member had twenty or more years of service credit regardless of when earned or whether the deceased member was in service at the time of death.

(2) One-third of the survivor benefits referred to in Paragraph (1) shall be designated to the spouse and two-thirds shall be designated to the minor child or children. Benefits for a child shall cease upon attainment of age eighteen years, or upon marriage, except that benefits shall continue for an unmarried child to age twenty-three years, provided he is a full-time student at a high school, a vocational school, or a college or university.

C. When there is no surviving spouse or when the surviving spouse does not have legal custody of the minor child, the minor child shall be paid per month seventy-five percent of the deceased member's average monthly compensation or three hundred dollars per month, whichever is greater, provided the deceased member was in service at the time of death and had five or more years of service credit, at least two years of which were earned immediately prior to death or provided the deceased member had twenty or more years of service credit regardless of when earned or whether the deceased member was in service at the time of death. These benefits shall be paid to the person having legal custody of the child. Benefits for a child shall cease upon attainment of age eighteen years, or upon marriage, except that benefits shall continue for an unmarried child to age twenty-three years provided he is a full-time student at a high school, a vocational-technical school, or a college or university.

D.(1) Any surviving child of a deceased member, whether under or over the age of eighteen years, shall be entitled to the same benefits, payable in the same manner as are provided by this Part for minor children, if the child has a total physical disability or mental disability, is dependent upon the surviving spouse or other legal guardian, and is not receiving assistance from other state agencies. Should it be determined that the child with a total physical disability or mental disability is receiving assistance from other state agencies, then the amount of his benefit shall be reduced to an amount which, when added to the other state assistance being received, does not exceed the maximum survivor benefit payable.

(2) The applicant shall provide adequate proof of physical or mental disability of such surviving child or children and shall notify the board of any subsequent changes in the child's condition to such an extent that the child is no longer dependent upon the surviving spouse or legal guardian and any changes in the assistance being received from other state agencies. The board may require a certified statement of the child's eligibility status at the end of each calendar year.

E. A surviving spouse without a minor child or children shall receive a monthly allowance equal to fifty percent of the deceased member's average monthly compensation or two hundred dollars per month, whichever is greater, provided the deceased member either had at least ten years of creditable service, at least two years of which was earned immediately prior to death, and was in service at the time of death or had twenty years or more of service credit regardless of when earned and whether the deceased member was in service at the time of death; however, in either case the surviving spouse must have been married to the deceased member for at least two years prior to the death of the member. Benefits will not be paid to any surviving spouse who has remarried since the death of the member; however, if the member was eligible for regular retirement on the date of death or had twenty years of service credit on the date of death, benefits will be paid to the surviving spouse for life.

F.(1) No survivor or nonretiree beneficiary shall receive more than one survivor benefit at any one time. Whenever two or more survivor benefits are payable, the survivors shall receive the larger benefit as long as it is payable. Thereafter, the survivor shall receive the other benefit, if the survivor is still eligible.

(2) Each survivor benefit recipient shall be required to establish proof annually or at such other times as the board of trustees may deem necessary that they are still legally entitled to the survivor benefits provided in this Part. The board of trustees shall have the right to suspend or cancel any survivor benefit wherein the recipient fails to provide proper certification of eligibility.

G.(1) The accumulated contributions of a deceased member shall be paid in a lump sum refund to his named beneficiary or estate if no survivor's benefits are payable.

(2) Payment of accumulated contributions shall be made only upon receipt of the deceased member's death certificate. The payment to the named beneficiary or the estate cancels all liability of the system to the deceased member, his named beneficiary, or his estate.

H. In the case of a death of a member occurring on or after January 1, 2007, while performing qualified military service, as defined in Section 414(u) of the Internal Revenue Code, eligibility for survivor benefits under this Section shall be determined as if the member had resumed employment and then terminated employment on account of death. The retirement system will credit the member's qualified military service as service for vesting purposes and for eligibility computation purposes as though the member, if eligible to, had met the definition of employee under the retirement system and had resumed employment under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (Chapter 43 of Title 38, United States Code) immediately prior to the member's death. The time spent by the member in unqualified military service shall not count for benefit accrual purposes (creditable service) but will count only for eligibility purposes under this Section.

Acts 1956, No. 458, §5; Acts 1966, No. 48, §2; Acts 1972, No. 643, §2; Acts 1976, No. 483, §1; Acts 1986, No. 796, §1; Acts 1990, No. 421, §1, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Redesignated from R.S. 17:919 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 1032, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1999, No. 1330, §1, eff. July 12, 1999; Acts 2010, No. 992, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2011, No. 354, §1, eff. July 1, 2011; Acts 2011, No. 368, §1, eff. July 1, 2011; Acts 2014, No. 680, §1, eff. June 30, 2014; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE: Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).