§16-25-140. Increase in benefits to members and beneficiaries.

(a) Commencing October 1, 2000, there is provided an increase in benefits to each person currently receiving benefits whose effective date of retirement was prior to October 1, 2000, for purposes of receiving benefits, and to certain beneficiaries of deceased members and deceased retirees currently receiving survivor benefits, if the effective date of retirement or death for the deceased retiree or deceased member was prior to October 1, 2000, for purposes of receiving benefits from the Teachers' Retirement System, a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of four percent of the current gross benefit. In no case shall the COLA be less than fifteen dollars ($15) per month.

(b) Commencing October 1, 2000, there is provided an increase in benefits to certain persons identified in this subsection who are currently receiving benefits whose effective date of retirement was prior to October 1, 2000, for purposes of receiving benefits from the Employees' Retirement System, and to certain beneficiaries of deceased members and deceased retirees who are currently receiving survivor benefits if the effective date of retirement or death for the deceased member or retiree was prior to October 1, 2000, for purposes of receiving benefits from the Employees' Retirement System shall receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of four percent of the current gross benefit. In no case shall the COLA be less than fifteen dollars ($15) per month. The benefits provided in this subsection are limited to those retirees whose participation in the Employees' Retirement System was based on Section 36-27-6, and whose employer at the time of retirement was a local board of education or a state-supported institution of higher education. The benefits granted in this subsection shall not apply to any other participants in the Employees' Retirement System.

(c) Any future survivor allowance shall be adjusted as provided in the members' original option selection for those eligible retirees who have selected a monthly survivor allowance payable to a designated beneficiary upon the death of the retiree, or as otherwise provided by law in the case of a qualifying member who dies prior to October 1, 2000.

(d) Any person who receives benefits under the Medicaid program and whose eligibility for the benefits would be impaired by the cost-of-living increase provided by this article shall not be entitled to receive the increase. Any person who shall subsequently apply for benefits under the Medicaid program and who would have his or her eligibility to receive benefits impaired by the cost-of-living increase provided by this article, shall not be entitled to receive the increase after the date that the member files application for benefits under the Medicaid program.

(e) For the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2001, and each year thereafter, the cost of the cost-of-living adjustment provided in this article shall be financed as provided in Section 16-25-21.

(Act 2000-741, p. 1645, §1.)