Sec. 25.

(1) Except as provided in section 24(4) and subject to subsection (4), the retirement system shall pay a retirement allowance to the surviving spouse of a member who, while in the discharge of his or her duty, is killed or receives injuries or contracts a disease or illness, by reason of his or her occupation, that results in his or her death. The retirement allowance must be equal to 60% of the member's final average compensation. On the death of the surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse at the time of the death of the member, the retirement allowance must be paid to the children of the member under the age of 18 years, share and share alike. When each respective child attains the age of 18 years, payment to him or her must cease and his or her share must be prorated among the remaining children under 18 years of age. If there is a retirement allowance payable to a surviving spouse under this section, a retirement allowance of $100.00 per month must be paid to each of the children under the age of 18 years, if any, of the deceased member, and all payments to the children must continue until each respective child reaches the age of 18 years. If there is not a surviving spouse, nor children under the age of 18 years, a retirement allowance equal to 60% of the member's final average compensation must be paid to the mother or father, or both, of the member, if dependent on him or her for support, until the dependency ceases. If there is not a dependent mother or father, a retirement allowance of $100.00 per month must be paid to each of the sisters or brothers, if there are any under 18 years of age dependent upon the member for support. If there are not any dependents, there must be paid to the deceased member's estate any residual accumulated contributions and interest made by him or her into the reserve for employee contributions, or $1,500.00, whichever is greater.

(2) The supplements to retirement allowances and minimum annual retirement allowance provisions of this act do not apply to the special $100.00 per month allowance to children and the allowance to dependent parents and siblings.

(3) The retirement allowance payable under this section, when added to the statutory worker's compensation benefits applicable in the case, must not exceed the average annual salary paid to the member for the member's last 2 years of service with the department of state police before his or her death.

(4) For a member who first becomes a member on or after June 10, 2012, who while in the discharge of his or her duty is killed or receives injuries or contracts a disease or illness, by reason of his or her occupation, that results in his or her death, a retirement allowance must be paid in the same manner as provided for a duty disabled retirant under section 26. The retirement allowance payable under this section to a duly designated survivor beneficiary of a member who first becomes a member on or after June 10, 2012 must be offset by the actuarially determined value of the employer-funded portion plus the associated investment growth of the employer-funded portion of the member's defined contribution account balance.

(5) A member, former member, or beneficiary of a deceased member, which member first becomes a member on or after June 10, 2012 and who is eligible for a retirement allowance under this section, is eligible for health insurance coverage under section 42 in all respects and under the same terms as would be a member who first becomes a member before June 10, 2012.

History: 1986, Act 182, Eff. Oct. 1, 1986 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 374, Imd. Eff. Jan. 2, 2001 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 674, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2018