(a) There is hereby provided contingent upon the funding provisions of subsection (c) of this section, commencing October 1, 1985, to each person whose effective date of retirement for purposes of receiving benefits from the Employees' Retirement System was prior to October 1, 1984, a cost-of-living increase of $2.00 per month for each year of creditable service attained by said member; provided, however, that any person retired under the provisions of Section 36-27-7, or 36-27-7.1, shall receive an increase of $1.00 per month for each year of creditable service attained by said member.
(b) Any person retired under the Judicial Retirement Fund of Alabama as provided for in Chapter 18 of Title 12, shall not be deemed a retiree of the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama for purposes of this section and shall not be entitled to receive any cost-of-living increase provided by this section.
(c)(1) There is hereby allocated and expended from any available funds of the Employees' Retirement System, or from such funds as are appropriated to the Employees' Retirement System for the fiscal year 1985-86, such amounts as are necessary to carry out the provisions of subsection (a) of this section for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 1985, provided that the system's actuary shall certify to the Board of Control of said system that the authorized cost-of-living increase can be paid for the fiscal year 1985-86 from existing funds of the system without having serious adverse impact on the Employees' Retirement System.
(2) Should the actuary certify that funds are available to partially provide the benefits authorized in subsection (a) of this section, then such partial benefit as certified by the actuary, is hereby authorized to be paid in lieu of the full benefits provided in said subsection (a) of this section commencing October 1, 1985.
(3) In the event favorable certification is not made by the actuary or in the event of partial certification, the full amount of the cost-of-living increase provided by this section shall be provided commencing October 1, 1986, and shall be funded pursuant to the provisions of Section 36-27-24, and subsection (d) of this section.
(4) Future funding of the benefits authorized in subsection (a) of this section shall be funded pursuant to subsection (d) of this section for the fiscal year 1986-87 and each year thereafter. Upon receipt of a favorable certification from the actuary or partial certification from the actuary, the Board of Control shall authorize the payment of such cost-of-living increase beginning October 1, 1985, provided, that if the actuarial report is not received by October 1, 1985, but meets the conditions set forth above when it is received during the 1985-86 fiscal year, then such cost-of-living increase shall be paid retroactive to October 1, 1985.
(d) Commencing with the fiscal year beginning October 1, 1986, the Board of Control of the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama shall determine annually the amount required to pay the cost of the increased allowances provided under subsection (a) of this section and shall notify the chief fiscal officer of each employer the per centum rates of earnable compensation of the members required to be paid to the retirement system. Each employer of members of the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama shall pay on account of the increases provided in subsection (a) of this section in the same manner and from the same source of funds as is provided in Section 36-27-24, it being the intent of the Legislature that the cost of providing the increases in subsection (a) of this section shall be distributed from all funds in proportion to the salaries paid therefrom for active members.
(e) Subsequent appropriations for the purposes of funding this section shall be reduced to only those amounts necessary to fund the benefit increases provided in subsection (a) of this section.
(f) No person whose retirement is from a unit participating under Section 36-27-6, shall be entitled to the increased benefits provided in subsection (a) of this section, unless such employer elects to come under the provisions of said subsection. Any employer making such election must bear the cost of cost-of-living increases paid to its former employees pursuant to this section. Any employer participating under this section shall first pay the cost-of-living increase provided by Act No. 82-659, S. 9, 1982 First Special Session (now appearing as Section 36-27-21.3). Any employer participating under said Section 36-27-6 may elect to come under the provisions of this section at the beginning of any future fiscal year and said employer shall not be required to pay said cost-of-living increase retroactively.
(g) Any person who receives benefits under the Medicaid program and whose eligibility for such benefits would be impaired by the cost-of-living increase provided in subsection (a) of this section shall not be entitled to receive said increase. Any person who shall subsequently apply for benefits under the Medicaid program and such person's eligibility to receive benefits is impaired by the cost-of-living increase provided in subsection (a) of this section, shall not be entitled to receive said increase subsequent to the date the member files application for benefits under the Medicaid program.
(h) The provisions of this section are supplemental. It shall be construed in pari materia with other laws regulating and providing for the payment of retirement benefits to retired members of the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama; provided, however, that those laws or parts of laws which are in direct conflict or inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
Last modified: May 3, 2021