§36-1-5. Right to decline portion of benefit payable under retirement or pension and relief system; disposition of amounts declined.

Any person who is entitled to receive any retirement pay or allowance, pension, survivor's benefit, disability benefit or other benefit under any retirement system or pension and relief system established for the benefit of employees either of the State of Alabama or any department, agency or institution thereof or of any municipality, county or other subdivision of the state may, at such person's discretion, decline to accept any portion of the retirement pay or allowance, pension, survivor's benefit, disability benefit or other benefit which such person is entitled to receive. Each person wishing to exercise the right granted in this section to decline any portion of any such payment, allowance, pension or benefit shall file written notice thereof with the governing authority of the retirement system or pension and relief system in such manner as such authority may prescribe, showing in such notice the amount of such payment, allowance, pension or benefit which such person declines. Upon receipt of such notice, the governing authority of the retirement system or pension and relief system shall cause the payment, allowance, pension or benefit receivable by such person to be reduced in an amount equal to the amount shown in the notice.

All amounts declined and disclaimed in accordance with this section shall accrue to the benefit of the retirement system or pension and relief system and may not, after the disclaimer of any such amount, be reclaimed by the beneficiary thereof; provided, however, that upon receipt of written notice given by any person who has declined any amount of such payment, allowance, pension or benefit, the governing authority of the retirement system or pension and relief system shall cause to be resumed payment of the full amount of such payment, allowance, pension or benefit due such person under the laws, rules and regulations governing the administration of such system.

The board of directors or other like governing authority of each retirement system or pension and relief system established for the benefit of the employees of the State of Alabama, or any department, agency or institution thereof or of any municipality, county or other subdivision of the state shall have authority to make such reasonable rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(Acts 1956, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 101, p. 423, §§1, 2.)