Sec. 61.

(1) The retirement system shall provide an opportunity for each member who is a member on March 30, 1997, to elect in writing to terminate membership in Tier 1 and elect to become a qualified participant in Tier 2. An election made by a member under this subsection is irrevocable. The retirement system shall accept written elections under this subsection from members during the period beginning on January 2, 1998 and ending on April 30, 1998. A member who does not make a written election or who does not file the election during the period specified in this subsection continues to be a member of Tier 1. A member who makes and files a written election under this subsection elects to do all of the following:

(a) Cease to be a member of Tier 1 effective 12 midnight May 31, 1998.

(b) Become a qualified participant in Tier 2 effective 12:01 a.m., June 1, 1998.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, waive all of his or her rights to a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, an insurance benefit, or any other benefit under this act effective 12 midnight May 31, 1998. This subdivision does not affect a person's right to health benefits provided under this act pursuant to section 79.

(2) If an individual who was a deferred vested member on March 30, 1997, or an individual who was a former nonvested member on March 30, 1997 becomes a legislator or lieutenant governor and is again eligible for membership in Tier 1, the individual shall elect in writing to remain a member of Tier 1 or to terminate membership in Tier 1 and become a qualified participant in Tier 2. An election made by a deferred vested member or a former nonvested member under this subsection is irrevocable. The retirement system shall accept written elections under this subsection from a deferred vested member or a former nonvested member during the period beginning on the date of the individual's eligibility for membership and ending upon the expiration of 60 days after the date of that eligibility. A deferred vested member or former nonvested member who makes and files a written election to remain a member of Tier 1 retains all rights and is subject to all conditions as a member of Tier 1 under this act. A deferred vested member or former nonvested member who does not make a written election or who does not file the election during the period specified in this subsection continues to be a member of Tier 1. A deferred vested member or former nonvested member who makes and files a written election to terminate membership in Tier 1 elects to do all of the following:

(a) Cease to be a member of Tier 1 effective 12 midnight on the last day of the payroll period that includes the date of the election.

(b) Become a qualified participant in Tier 2 effective 12:01 a.m. on the first day of the payroll period immediately following the date of the election.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, waive all of his or her rights to a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, an insurance benefit, or any other benefit under Tier 1 effective 12 midnight on the last day of the payroll period that includes the date of the election. This subdivision does not affect an individual's right to health benefits provided under this act pursuant to section 79.

(3) After consultation with the retirement system's actuary, the retirement board shall determine the method by which a member, deferred vested member, or former nonvested member shall make a written election under this section. If the member, deferred vested member, or former nonvested member is married at the time of the election, the election is not effective unless the election is signed by the individual's spouse. However, the retirement board may waive this requirement if the spouse's signature cannot be obtained because of extenuating circumstances.

(4) An election under this section is subject to the eligible domestic relations order act, 1991 PA 46, MCL 38.1701 to 38.1711.

(5) If the board receives notification from the United States internal revenue service that this section or any portion of this section will cause the retirement system to be disqualified for tax purposes under the internal revenue code, then the portion that will cause the disqualification does not apply.

History: Add. 1996, Act 486, Eff. Mar. 31, 1997 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 97, Imd. Eff. Mar. 27, 2002 Compiler's Notes: Section 2 of Act 486 of 1996 provides:“Section 2. If any section or part of a section of this act is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, the holding does not affect the validity of the remaining sections of this act or the act in its entirety.”