19-3-201. Contracts with political subdivisions. (1) Any municipal corporation, county, or public agency in the state may become a contracting employer through a contract entered into between the board and the legislative body of the contracting employer. The contract must provide that all employees eligible under this chapter must become members. Contracts executed prior to July 1, 2009, that limit membership to a specific group or groups of employees remain valid. The contract may include any provisions that are consistent with chapter 2 and this chapter and necessary in the administration of the retirement system as it affects the contracting employer and its employees.

(2) The approval of the contract is subject to the following provisions, in addition to the other provisions of chapter 2 and this chapter:

(a) The legislative body of the contracting employer shall adopt a resolution of intention to approve the contract and containing a summary of the major provisions of the retirement system. The contract may not be approved unless the employees proposed to be included in the retirement system adopt the proposal by a majority affirmative vote in a secret ballot. The ballot at the election must include the summary of the retirement system as set forth in the resolution. The election must be conducted as prescribed by the legislative body of the contracting employer. Approval of the contract must be by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the legislative body within 40 days after the adoption of the resolution.

(b) The contract must specify that the provisions of the retirement system apply to all employees on the effective date of the contract and to all employees hired after the effective date of the contract. An employee's membership in either the defined benefit plan or the defined contribution plan is determined on an individual basis as provided in this chapter.

(c) The contract may be amended in the manner prescribed in this section for the original approval of contracts. The contract must be approved by the board. The board may disapprove of a contract if, in the board's sole discretion, the contract adversely affects the interests of the retirement system. Any amendments to the retirement system made pursuant to Montana laws immediately apply to and become a part of the contract.

(3) The termination of the contract is subject to the following provisions, in addition to the other provisions of this chapter:

(a) The legislative body of a contracting employer shall adopt a resolution giving notice to its employees that it intends to terminate retirement system coverage.

(b) All employees covered under the retirement system must be given notice of the termination resolution and be permitted to vote for or against the resolution by secret ballot.

(c) If a majority of covered employees votes for termination, the legislative body, within 20 days after the approval of the resolution by the employees, may adopt by a two-thirds majority a resolution terminating coverage under the system effective the last day of that month and forward the resolution and a certified copy of the election results to the board.

(d) Upon receipt of the termination resolution, the board may request an actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the terminating agency to the retirement system, and the board may withhold approval of the termination of contract until satisfactory arrangements are made to provide funding for:

(i) the cost of the actuarial valuation to determine the terminating agency's liabilities to the retirement system; and

(ii) any excess accrued liabilities not previously funded by the terminating agency.

History: En. 68-1701 by Sec. 14, Ch. 323, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 68-1701; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 496, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 45, Ch. 265, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 31, Ch. 471, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 562, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 329, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 283, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 195, L. 2017.