As used in this chapter:

(1) "Administrative Law Court" means the Administrative Law Court created pursuant to Section 1-23-500.

(2) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority.

(3) "Claimant" means a member or a member's designated beneficiary who has filed a claim pursuant to this chapter.

(4) "Director" means the Director of the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, and the National Guard Retirement System.

(5) "Exhaustion of agency remedy" means that the member has:

(a) filed a timely claim pursuant to Section 9-21-50 containing the information required pursuant to that section;

(b) participated in the agency claims procedure established by the board; and

(c) obtained a final retirement system decision.

(6) "Member" means a participant in the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, the State Optional Retirement Program, the National Guard Retirement System, or a person claiming the status and entitlements of a "member".

(7) "Member's designated beneficiary" or " beneficiary" means a person designated by a participant in the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, or the State Optional Retirement Program, to receive a benefit from the retirement systems or a person claiming the status and entitlements of a "member's designated beneficiary".

(8) "South Carolina Retirement Systems" or " retirement systems" means the division of the board administering the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, the State Optional Retirement Program, or the National Guard Retirement System.

HISTORY: 2003 Act No. 12, Section 1, eff July 1, 2003; 2005 Act No. 155, Section 3, eff January 1, 2006; 2012 Act No. 278, Pt IV, Subpt 2, Section 60, eff July 1, 2012.