A. Except as otherwise provided by this section, an active contributing member of the retirement system who performed membership service as an employee of a comprehensive university on or after July 1, 1995, but not later than June 30, 1996, may with respect to membership service performed between those dates, inclusive, elect to:

1. Retroactively impose a maximum compensation level of Thirty-two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($32,500.00), if the member was subject to a maximum compensation level of Twenty-seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($27,500.00) for service performed on or after July 1, 1995, but not later than June 30, 1996; or

2. Retroactively impose a maximum compensation level of Forty-nine Thousand Dollars ($49,000.00), if the member was subject to a maximum compensation level of Forty-four Thousand Dollars ($44,000.00) for service performed on or after July 1, 1995, but not later than June 30, 1996.

B. Except as otherwise provided by this section, an active contributing member of the retirement system who performed membership service as an employee of an entity or institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, other than a comprehensive university, on or after July 1, 1995, but not later than June 30, 1996, may with respect to membership service performed between those dates, inclusive, elect to retroactively remove the maximum compensation level applicable to the member's compensation for any service performed during that time period.

C. A member electing a maximum compensation level or removing a maximum compensation level pursuant to subsection A or subsection B of this section shall be required to pay to the retirement system the full amount of employer contributions and employee contributions applicable for the period of service based upon the elections authorized by this section, less the amount of employer contributions and employee contributions made or credited for that period, plus ten percent (10%) interest from the date such contributions would have been made until the payment is made to the retirement system. The interest charged pursuant to this subsection shall be compounded annually. A member may pay the amount prescribed by this subsection at any time prior to the date as of which the member files the written application for retirement with the retirement system. An entity or institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education may make payment to the retirement system for any part or all of the amount required by this subsection for an employee of that entity or institution in order for retirement benefits to be computed at the applicable maximum compensation level for membership service performed on or after July 1, 1995, but not later than June 30, 1996. Any amount paid by an employer pursuant to this subsection shall be deemed to be picked up by the employer pursuant to Section 414(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

D. If a member who elects a retroactive maximum compensation level or who elects to retroactively remove a maximum compensation level pursuant to subsection A or subsection B of this section fails to pay the amount required to receive credit for compensation earned on or after July 1, 1995, but not later than June 30, 1996, the member shall receive retirement benefits for this period of service based upon compensation upon which both the required employer and employee contributions were actually made.

E. For purposes of computing the retirement allowance of a member authorized to make the election authorized by subsection A or subsection B of this section, no member electing a retroactive maximum compensation level or retroactively removing a maximum compensation level pursuant to subsection A or subsection B of this section may receive retirement benefits for the period of service based upon compensation in excess of the amount of compensation upon which employer and employee contributions were actually paid unless full payment to the retirement system is made as required by subsection C of this section.

F. No provision contained in this section shall be considered or construed to require payment of any sum by an entity or institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education of amounts owed to the retirement system by a member who makes an election authorized by subsection A or subsection B of this section.

G. A member eligible to make the election authorized by subsection A or subsection B of this section shall:

1. Make the election in writing, upon a form to be prescribed by the Board of Trustees; and

2. File the election with the Board of Trustees not later than December 31, 1996.

H. All elections authorized by the provisions of subsection A or subsection B of this section shall be permitted once, and only once, for each employee authorized to make the election. Any election made pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be irrevocable and shall bind the employee, the employee's heirs, beneficiaries and other interested persons, with respect to the amount of compensation upon which contributions shall be made and the amount of retirement benefits resulting from the election so made. Any employee who is eligible to make an election pursuant to the provisions of this section, but who fails to do so, for whatever reason, shall forfeit any right or power by the employee to attempt to exercise the election at any later time. All elections made pursuant to this section shall be operative only for service performed and compensation received from an entity or institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and shall not have any effect with respect to compensation received from any other participating employer within the Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma.

Added by Laws 1996, c. 359, § 4, eff. July 1, 1996.