Bill 310

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               310
Ratification Number:       118
Act Number:                76
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                        Police officers retirement,
                           maternity leave

(A76, R118, S310)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 9-1-1140, AS AMENDED, AND 9-11-50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR MATERNITY LEAVE AND FOR A PROCEDURE BY WHICH AN EMPLOYEE COVERED BY THE SYSTEM MAY RECEIVE PRIOR SERVICE CREDIT AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED STATES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Maternity leave

SECTION 1. Section 9-11-50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding at the end:

"(5) A period of time up to one year for each pregnancy not to exceed a total of three years of service credit may be established for maternity leave if the member pays the full actuarial cost as determined by the Board. The payment must not be less than ten percent of the annual salary at the time of purchase or the average of the three highest consecutive fiscal years of salary at the time of purchase, whichever is greater, for a year of credit prorated for periods less than a year. To be eligible for maternity leave credit an employee must not be absent from work for a period greater than two years for each pregnancy.

(6) Any former employee of the United States employed in this State by an employer covered by the System, and who is currently a contributing member, may elect to receive prior service credit for service rendered as an employee of the United States upon his paying into the System the actuarial cost as determined by the Board. The member payment may not be less than ten percent of the earnable compensation, or the average of the three highest consecutive fiscal years of compensation at the time of payment, whichever is greater, for each year of service prorated for periods of less than one year. A member who elects to receive creditable service for federal employment must establish credit for all service for which eligible. This service may not exceed the total creditable service, exclusive of federal service, which he would have if he remained in service until completion of the eligibility requirements for an unreduced service retirement allowance. In no event shall any benefits payable under the System duplicate benefits being paid under any other retirement system for the same period of service."

Further

SECTION 2. The second paragraph of Section 9-1-1140 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 476 of 1984, is further amended to read:

"A period of time up to one year for each pregnancy not to exceed a total of three years service credit may be established for maternity leave provided the member pays the full actuarial cost as determined by the Board. However, the payment must not be less than eight percent of the annual salary at the time of purchase or the average of the three highest consecutive fiscal years of salary at the time of purchase, whichever is greater, for a year of credit prorated for periods less than a year. To be eligible for maternity leave credit an employee must not be absent from work for a period greater than two years for each pregnancy."

Retirement credit

SECTION 3. Section 9-1-1140 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Section 45, Part II, of Act 151 of 1983, is further amended by adding at the end:

"A member who leaves employment to attend graduate school and returns directly to employment may establish up to two years' retirement credit by paying the actuarial cost as determined by the Board. However, the member contribution must not be less than ten percent of current salary or the average of the three highest consecutive fiscal years, whichever is greater, for each year prorated for periods of less than a year."

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.