Sec. 22. LEGAL ADVICE. The city attorney of the city shall handle all legal matters for the pension system that are referred by the board without additional compensation for the service. The board may, however, as it considers necessary, employ outside legal counsel to the exclusion of, or to assist, the city attorney and pay reasonable compensation for the service of the additional legal counsel from the fund.

Sec. 23. MEMBERS IN MILITARY SERVICE. (a) A member of the pension system engaged in active service in a uniformed service may not be required to make the monthly payments into the fund and may not lose any previous years' service with the city because of the uniformed service. The uniformed service shall count as continuous service in the police department if the member returns to the city police department after discharge from the uniformed service as an employee within the period required by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (38 U.S.C. Section 4301 et seq.), as amended, and the uniformed service does not exceed the period for which a person is eligible to have service counted pursuant to that Act. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, contributions and benefits shall be paid and qualified service for military service shall be determined in compliance with Section 414(u) of the code.

(b) The city is required to make its payments into the fund on behalf of each member while the member is engaged in a uniformed service. If a member who has less than 10 years of service in the pension system dies directly or indirectly as a result of the uniformed service, and without returning to active service, the spouse, dependent children, dependent parent, or estate of the member is eligible to receive a benefit in the same manner as described by Section 16(c) of this article.