(1) The maintenance of actuarial reserves for the various allowances and benefits under this chapter, and the payment of all annuities, retirement allowances, refunds and other benefits granted under this chapter are made obligations of the disability and relief fund. All income, interest and dividends derived from deposits and investments authorized by this chapter shall be used for the payment of the obligations of the system.

(2) In the event of the termination of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System, established pursuant to the provisions of Section 25-13-1 et seq., all members of the system as of the date of termination of the system shall be deemed to have a vested right to benefits to the extent and in the same manner that rights would be vested under the statute existing as of the date of termination of the system; except that any member who, because of a termination of the system has not fulfilled the requirements for length of service, shall be entitled to compensation as of the date that such member would otherwise be eligible, with such compensation to be computed on the basis of time actually a member of the service and compensation actually earned during the time as a member, in the manner now provided by statute.

In the event of a deficit in the availability of funds for payment due under the provisions of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System, an appropriation shall be made sufficient for the payment thereof as an obligation of the State of Mississippi.

(3)

(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section or chapter to the contrary, the maximum annual retirement allowance attributable to the employer contributions payable by the system to a member shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code and any regulations issued thereunder as applicable to governmental plans as the term is defined under Section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) The Board of Trustees of the Public Employees’ Retirement System is authorized to provide by rule or regulation for the payment of benefits as provided under this chapter to members or beneficiaries of the Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System at a time and under circumstances not otherwise provided for in this chapter to the extent that the payment is required to maintain the Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System as a qualified retirement plan for purposes of federal income tax laws.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this plan, all distributions from this plan shall conform to the regulations issued under Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, applicable to governmental plans, as defined in Section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, including the incidental death benefit provisions of Section 401(a)(9)(G) of the Internal Revenue Code. Further, such regulations shall override any plan provision that is inconsistent with Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(5) The actuarial assumptions used to convert a retirement allowance from the normal form of payment to an optional form of payment shall be an appendix to this chapter and subject to approval by the board of trustees based upon certification by the actuary.

(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this plan, the maximum compensation that can be considered for all plan purposes shall not be greater than that allowed under Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code.