(a) The annual revenues deposited to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund pursuant to Section 6217.5 of the Public Resources Code are continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal year for the purposes of this section and shall be distributed annually in quarterly supplemental payments commencing on September 1 of each year to retired members, disabled members, and beneficiaries under the Defined Benefit Program. The amount available for distribution in any year shall be the income for that year from the sale or use of school lands and lieu lands, as estimated by the State Lands Commission prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, adjusted by the difference between the estimated and actual income for the preceding fiscal year. The board shall deduct from the revenues an amount necessary for administrative expenses to implement this section.
(b) The net revenues to be distributed shall be allocated among those retired members, disabled members, and beneficiaries, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 22107, whose allowances under the Defined Benefit Program, after applying the annual improvement factor as defined in Section 22140, if any, are below 80 percent of the purchasing power of the base allowance. The purchasing power calculation for each individual allowance shall be based on the change in the All Urban California Consumer Price Index between June of the calendar year of retirement and June of the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year of the distribution. The allocation shall provide a pro rata share of the amount needed to restore the allowance payable, after application of the current year annual improvement factor to 80 percent of the purchasing power of the base allowance.
(c) The allowance increase shall not be applicable to annuities payable from the accumulated annuity deposit contributions or the accumulated tax-sheltered annuity contributions.
(d) In any year that the net revenues from school lands and lieu lands is greater than that needed to adjust the allowances of all retired members, disabled members, and beneficiaries, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 22107, under the Defined Benefit Program to 80 percent of the purchasing power of the base allowance, the net revenues in excess of that needed for distribution shall be used by the board to reduce the unfunded actuarial obligation of the fund, if any.
(e) The board shall inform each recipient of supplemental payments under this section that the increases are not cumulative and are not part of the base allowance.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 755, Sec. 67. (SB 1220) Effective January 1, 2015.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018