HB4622ham001 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Elaine Nekritz

Filed: 2/21/2012

09700HB4622ham001 LRB097 16031 EFG 66269 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4622

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4622 on page 1, in line 5, by changing "and 7-220" to "7-220, 15-113, 15-135, 15-136, 15-136.4, 15-139, and 15-153.2"; and

on page 19, below line 12, by inserting the following:

"(40 ILCS 5/15-113) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-113)

Sec. 15-113. Service. "Service": The periods defined in Sections 15-113.1 through 15-113.9 and Section 15-113.11.

(Source: P.A. 84-1472.)

(40 ILCS 5/15-135) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-135)

Sec. 15-135. Retirement annuities - Conditions.

(a) A participant who retires in one of the following specified years with the specified amount of service is entitled to a retirement annuity at any age under the retirement program applicable to the participant:

35 years if retirement is in 1997 or before;

34 years if retirement is in 1998;

33 years if retirement is in 1999;

32 years if retirement is in 2000;

31 years if retirement is in 2001;

30 years if retirement is in 2002 or later.

A participant with 8 or more years of service after September 1, 1941, is entitled to a retirement annuity on or after attainment of age 55.

A participant with at least 5 but less than 8 years of service after September 1, 1941, is entitled to a retirement annuity on or after attainment of age 62.

A participant who has at least 25 years of service in this system as a police officer or firefighter is entitled to a retirement annuity on or after the attainment of age 50, if Rule 4 of Section 15-136 is applicable to the participant.

(b) The annuity payment period shall begin on the date specified by the participant or the recipient of a disability retirement annuity submitting a written application, which date shall not be prior to termination of employment or more than one year before the application is received by the board; however, if the participant is not an employee of an employer participating in this System or in a participating system as defined in Article 20 of this Code on April 1 of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the participant attains age 70 1/2, the annuity payment period shall begin on that date regardless of whether an application has been filed.

(c) An annuity is not payable if the amount provided under Section 15-136 is less than $10 per month.

(Source: P.A. 92-749, eff. 8-2-02.)

(40 ILCS 5/15-136) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-136)

Sec. 15-136. Retirement annuities - Amount. The provisions of this Section 15-136 apply only to those participants who are participating in the traditional benefit package or the portable benefit package and do not apply to participants who are participating in the self-managed plan.

(a) The amount of a participant's retirement annuity, expressed in the form of a single-life annuity, shall be determined by whichever of the following rules is applicable and provides the largest annuity:

Rule 1: The retirement annuity shall be 1.67% of final rate of earnings for each of the first 10 years of service, 1.90% for each of the next 10 years of service, 2.10% for each year of service in excess of 20 but not exceeding 30, and 2.30% for each year in excess of 30; or for persons who retire on or after January 1, 1998, 2.2% of the final rate of earnings for each year of service.

Rule 2: The retirement annuity shall be the sum of the following, determined from amounts credited to the participant in accordance with the actuarial tables and the effective prescribed rate of interest in effect at the time the retirement annuity begins:

(i) the normal annuity which can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis, by the accumulated normal contributions as of the date the annuity begins;

(ii) an annuity from employer contributions of an amount equal to that which can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis from the accumulated normal contributions made by the participant under Section 15-113.6 and Section 15-113.7 plus 1.4 times all other accumulated normal contributions made by the participant; and

(iii) the annuity that can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis from the entire contribution made by the participant under Section 15-113.3.

With respect to a police officer or firefighter who retires on or after August 14, 1998, the accumulated normal contributions taken into account under clauses (i) and (ii) of this Rule 2 shall include the additional normal contributions made by the police officer or firefighter under Section 15-157(a).

The amount of a retirement annuity calculated under this Rule 2 shall be computed solely on the basis of the participant's accumulated normal contributions, as specified in this Rule and defined in Section 15-116. Neither an employee or employer contribution for early retirement under Section 15-136.2 nor any other employer contribution shall be used in the calculation of the amount of a retirement annuity under this Rule 2.

This amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly is a clarification of existing law and applies to every participant and annuitant without regard to whether status as an employee terminates before the effective date of this amendatory Act.

This Rule 2 does not apply to a person who first becomes an employee under this Article on or after July 1, 2005.

Rule 3: The retirement annuity of a participant who is employed at least one-half time during the period on which his or her final rate of earnings is based, shall be equal to the participant's years of service not to exceed 30, multiplied by (1) $96 if the participant's final rate of earnings is less than $3,500, (2) $108 if the final rate of earnings is at least $3,500 but less than $4,500, (3) $120 if the final rate of earnings is at least $4,500 but less than $5,500, (4) $132 if the final rate of earnings is at least $5,500 but less than $6,500, (5) $144 if the final rate of earnings is at least $6,500 but less than $7,500, (6) $156 if the final rate of earnings is at least $7,500 but less than $8,500, (7) $168 if the final rate of earnings is at least $8,500 but less than $9,500, and (8) $180 if the final rate of earnings is $9,500 or more, except that the annuity for those persons having made an election under Section 15-154(a-1) shall be calculated and payable under the portable retirement benefit program pursuant to the provisions of Section 15-136.4.

Rule 4: A participant who is at least age 50 and has 25 or more years of service as a police officer or firefighter, and a participant who is age 55 or over and has at least 20 but less than 25 years of service as a police officer or firefighter, shall be entitled to a retirement annuity of 2 1/4% of the final rate of earnings for each of the first 10 years of service as a police officer or firefighter, 2 1/2% for each of the next 10 years of service as a police officer or firefighter, and 2 3/4% for each year of service as a police officer or firefighter in excess of 20. The retirement annuity for all other service shall be computed under Rule 1.

For purposes of this Rule 4, a participant's service as a firefighter shall also include the following:

(i) service that is performed while the person is an employee under subsection (h) of Section 15-107; and

(ii) in the case of an individual who was a participating employee employed in the fire department of the University of Illinois's Champaign-Urbana campus immediately prior to the elimination of that fire department and who immediately after the elimination of that fire department transferred to another job with the University of Illinois, service performed as an employee of the University of Illinois in a position other than police officer or firefighter, from the date of that transfer until the employee's next termination of service with the University of Illinois.

Rule 5: The retirement annuity of a participant who elected early retirement under the provisions of Section 15-136.2 and who, on or before February 16, 1995, brought administrative proceedings pursuant to the administrative rules adopted by the System to challenge the calculation of his or her retirement annuity shall be the sum of the following, determined from amounts credited to the participant in accordance with the actuarial tables and the prescribed rate of interest in effect at the time the retirement annuity begins:

(i) the normal annuity which can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis, by the accumulated normal contributions as of the date the annuity begins; and

(ii) an annuity from employer contributions of an amount equal to that which can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis from the accumulated normal contributions made by the participant under Section 15-113.6 and Section 15-113.7 plus 1.4 times all other accumulated normal contributions made by the participant; and

(iii) an annuity which can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis from the employee contribution for early retirement under Section 15-136.2, and an annuity from employer contributions of an amount equal to that which can be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis from the employee contribution for early retirement under Section 15-136.2.

In no event shall a retirement annuity under this Rule 5 be lower than the amount obtained by adding (1) the monthly amount obtained by dividing the combined employee and employer contributions made under Section 15-136.2 by the System's annuity factor for the age of the participant at the beginning of the annuity payment period and (2) the amount equal to the participant's annuity if calculated under Rule 1, reduced under Section 15-136(b) as if no contributions had been made under Section 15-136.2.

With respect to a participant who is qualified for a retirement annuity under this Rule 5 whose retirement annuity began before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, and for whom an employee contribution was made under Section 15-136.2, the System shall recalculate the retirement annuity under this Rule 5 and shall pay any additional amounts due in the manner provided in Section 15-186.1 for benefits mistakenly set too low.

The amount of a retirement annuity calculated under this Rule 5 shall be computed solely on the basis of those contributions specifically set forth in this Rule 5. Except as provided in clause (iii) of this Rule 5, neither an employee nor employer contribution for early retirement under Section 15-136.2, nor any other employer contribution, shall be used in the calculation of the amount of a retirement annuity under this Rule 5.

The General Assembly has adopted the changes set forth in Section 25 of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly in recognition that the decision of the Appellate Court for the Fourth District in Mattis v. State Universities Retirement System et al. might be deemed to give some right to the plaintiff in that case. The changes made by Section 25 of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly are a legislative implementation of the decision of the Appellate Court for the Fourth District in Mattis v. State Universities Retirement System et al. with respect to that plaintiff.

The changes made by Section 25 of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly apply without regard to whether the person is in service as an employee on or after its effective date.

(b) The retirement annuity provided under Rules 1 and 3 above shall be reduced by 1/2 of 1% for each month the participant is under age 60 at the time of retirement. However, this reduction shall not apply in the following cases:

(1) For a disabled participant whose disability benefits have been discontinued because he or she has exhausted eligibility for disability benefits under clause (6) of Section 15-152;

(2) For a participant who has at least the number of years of service required to retire at any age under subsection (a) of Section 15-135; or

(3) For that portion of a retirement annuity which has been provided on account of service of the participant during periods when he or she performed the duties of a police officer or firefighter, if these duties were performed for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date the retirement annuity is to begin.

(c) The maximum retirement annuity provided under Rules 1, 2, 4, and 5 shall be the lesser of (1) the annual limit of benefits as specified in Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as such Section may be amended from time to time and as such benefit limits shall be adjusted by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and (2) 80% of final rate of earnings.

(d) An annuitant whose status as an employee terminates after August 14, 1969 shall receive automatic increases in his or her retirement annuity as follows:

Effective January 1 immediately following the date the retirement annuity begins, the annuitant shall receive an increase in his or her monthly retirement annuity of 0.125% of the monthly retirement annuity provided under Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule 3, Rule 4, or Rule 5, contained in this Section, multiplied by the number of full months which elapsed from the date the retirement annuity payments began to January 1, 1972, plus 0.1667% of such annuity, multiplied by the number of full months which elapsed from January 1, 1972, or the date the retirement annuity payments began, whichever is later, to January 1, 1978, plus 0.25% of such annuity multiplied by the number of full months which elapsed from January 1, 1978, or the date the retirement annuity payments began, whichever is later, to the effective date of the increase.

The annuitant shall receive an increase in his or her monthly retirement annuity on each January 1 thereafter during the annuitant's life of 3% of the monthly annuity provided under Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule 3, Rule 4, or Rule 5 contained in this Section. The change made under this subsection by P.A. 81-970 is effective January 1, 1980 and applies to each annuitant whose status as an employee terminates before or after that date.

Beginning January 1, 1990, all automatic annual increases payable under this Section shall be calculated as a percentage of the total annuity payable at the time of the increase, including all increases previously granted under this Article.

The change made in this subsection by P.A. 85-1008 is effective January 26, 1988, and is applicable without regard to whether status as an employee terminated before that date.

(e) If, on January 1, 1987, or the date the retirement annuity payment period begins, whichever is later, the sum of the retirement annuity provided under Rule 1 or Rule 2 of this Section and the automatic annual increases provided under the preceding subsection or Section 15-136.1, amounts to less than the retirement annuity which would be provided by Rule 3, the retirement annuity shall be increased as of January 1, 1987, or the date the retirement annuity payment period begins, whichever is later, to the amount which would be provided by Rule 3 of this Section. Such increased amount shall be considered as the retirement annuity in determining benefits provided under other Sections of this Article. This paragraph applies without regard to whether status as an employee terminated before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1987, provided that the annuitant was employed at least one-half time during the period on which the final rate of earnings was based.

(f) A participant is entitled to such additional annuity as may be provided on an actuarially equivalent basis, by any accumulated additional contributions to his or her credit. However, the additional contributions made by the participant toward the automatic increases in annuity provided under this Section shall not be taken into account in determining the amount of such additional annuity.

(g) If, (1) by law, a function of a governmental unit, as defined by Section 20-107 of this Code, is transferred in whole or in part to an employer, and (2) a participant transfers employment from such governmental unit to such employer within 6 months after the transfer of the function, and (3) the sum of (A) the annuity payable to the participant under Rule 1, 2, or 3 of this Section (B) all proportional annuities payable to the participant by all other retirement systems covered by Article 20, and (C) the initial primary insurance amount to which the participant is entitled under the Social Security Act, is less than the retirement annuity which would have been payable if all of the participant's pension credits validated under Section 20-109 had been validated under this system, a supplemental annuity equal to the difference in such amounts shall be payable to the participant.

(h) On January 1, 1981, an annuitant who was receiving a retirement annuity on or before January 1, 1971 shall have his or her retirement annuity then being paid increased $1 per month for each year of creditable service. On January 1, 1982, an annuitant whose retirement annuity began on or before January 1, 1977, shall have his or her retirement annuity then being paid increased $1 per month for each year of creditable service.

(i) On January 1, 1987, any annuitant whose retirement annuity began on or before January 1, 1977, shall have the monthly retirement annuity increased by an amount equal to 8¢ per year of creditable service times the number of years that have elapsed since the annuity began.

(Source: P.A. 93-347, eff. 7-24-03; 94-4, eff. 6-1-05.)

(40 ILCS 5/15-136.4)

Sec. 15-136.4. Retirement and Survivor Benefits Under Portable Benefit Package.

(a) This Section 15-136.4 describes the form of annuity and survivor benefits available to a participant who has elected the portable benefit package and has completed the one-year waiting period required under subsection (e) of Section 15-134.5. For purposes of this Section, the term "eligible spouse" means the husband or wife of a participant to whom the participant is married on the date the participant's annuity payment period begins, provided however, that if the participant should die prior to the commencement of retirement annuity benefits, then "eligible spouse" means the husband or wife, if any, to whom the participant was married throughout the one-year period preceding the date of his or her death.

(b) This subsection (b) describes the normal form of annuity payable to a participant subject to this Section 15-136.4. If the participant is unmarried on the date his or her annuity payment period begins, then the annuity payments shall be made in the form of a single-life annuity as described in Section 15-118. If the participant is married on the date his or her annuity payments commence, then the annuity payments shall be paid in the form of a qualified joint and survivor annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the single-life annuity. Under the "qualified joint and survivor annuity", a reduced amount shall be paid to the participant for his or her lifetime and his or her eligible spouse, if surviving at the participant's death, shall be entitled to receive thereafter a lifetime survivorship annuity in a monthly amount equal to 50% of the reduced monthly amount that was payable to the participant. The last payment of a qualified joint and survivor annuity shall be made as of the first day of the month in which the death of the survivor occurs.

(c) Instead of the normal form of annuity that would be paid under subsection (b), a participant may elect in writing within the 180-day 90-day period prior to the date his or her annuity payments commence to waive the normal form of annuity payment and receive an optional form of payment as described in subsection (h). If the participant is married and elects an optional form of payment under subsection (h) other than a joint and survivor annuity with the eligible spouse designated as the contingent annuitant, then such election shall require the consent of his or her eligible spouse in the manner described in subsection (d). At any time during the 180-day 90-day period preceding the date the participant's payment period begins, the participant may revoke the optional form of payment elected under this subsection (c) and reinstate coverage under the qualified joint and survivor annuity without the spouse's consent, but an election to revoke the optional form elected and elect a new optional form of payment or designate a different contingent annuitant shall not be effective without the eligible spouse's consent.

(d) The eligible spouse's consent to any election made pursuant to this Section that requires the eligible spouse's consent shall be in writing and shall acknowledge the effect of the consent. In addition, the eligible spouse's signature on the written consent must be witnessed by a notary public. The eligible spouse's consent need not be obtained if the system is satisfied that there is no eligible spouse, that the eligible spouse cannot be located, or because of any other relevant circumstances. An eligible spouse's consent under this Section is valid only with respect to the specified optional form of payment and, if applicable, contingent annuitant designated by the participant. If the optional form of payment or the contingent annuitant is subsequently changed (other than by a revocation of the optional form of payment and reinstatement of the qualified joint and survivor annuity), a new consent by the eligible spouse is required. The eligible spouse's consent to an election made by a participant pursuant to this Section, once made, may not be revoked by the eligible spouse.

(e) Within a reasonable period of time preceding the date a participant's annuity commences, a participant shall be supplied with a written explanation of (1) the terms and conditions of the normal form single-life annuity and qualified joint and survivor annuity, (2) the participant's right to elect a single-life annuity or an optional form of payment under subsection (h) subject to his or her eligible spouse's consent, if applicable, and (3) the participant's right to reinstate coverage under the qualified joint and survivor annuity prior to his or her annuity commencement date by revoking an election of an optional form of payment under subsection (h).

(f) If a married participant with at least 1.5 years of service dies prior to commencing retirement annuity payments and prior to taking a refund under Section 15-154, his or her eligible spouse is entitled to receive a pre-retirement survivor annuity, if there is not then in effect a waiver of the pre-retirement survivor annuity. The pre-retirement survivor annuity payable under this subsection shall be a monthly annuity payable for the eligible spouse's life, commencing as of the beginning of the month next following the later of the date of the participant's death or the date the participant would have first met the eligibility requirements for retirement, and continuing through the beginning of the month in which the death of the eligible spouse occurs. The monthly amount payable to the spouse under the pre-retirement survivor annuity shall be equal to the monthly amount that would be payable as a survivor annuity under the qualified joint and survivor annuity described in subsection (b) if: (1) in the case of a participant who dies on or after the date on which the participant has met the eligibility requirements for retirement, the participant had retired with an immediate qualified joint and survivor annuity on the day before the participant's date of death; or (2) in the case of a participant who dies before the earliest date on which the participant would have met the eligibility requirements for retirement age, the participant had separated from service on the date of death, survived to the earliest retirement age based on service prior to his or her death, retired with an immediate qualified joint and survivor annuity at the earliest retirement age, and died on the day after the day on which the participant would have attained the earliest retirement age.

(g) A married participant who has not retired may elect at any time to waive the pre-retirement survivor annuity described in subsection (f). Any such election shall require the consent of the participant's eligible spouse in the manner described in subsection (d). A waiver of the pre-retirement survivor annuity shall increase the lump sum death benefit payable under subsection (b) of Section 15-141. Prior to electing any waiver of the pre-retirement survivor annuity, the participant shall be provided with a written explanation of (1) the terms and conditions of the pre-retirement survivor annuity and the death benefits payable from the system both with and without the pre-retirement survivor annuity, (2) the participant's right to elect a waiver of the pre-retirement survivor annuity coverage subject to his or her spouse's consent, and (3) the participant's right to reinstate pre-retirement survivor annuity coverage at any time by revoking a prior waiver of such coverage.

(h) By filing a timely election with the system, a participant who will be eligible to receive a retirement annuity under this Section may waive the normal form of annuity payment described in subsection (b), subject to obtaining the consent of his or her eligible spouse, if applicable, and elect to receive any one of the following optional forms of payment:

(1) Joint and Survivor Annuity Options: The participant may elect to receive a reduced annuity payable for his or her life and to have a lifetime survivorship annuity in a monthly amount equal to 50%, 75%, or 100% (as elected by the participant) of that reduced monthly amount, to be paid after the participant's death to his or her contingent annuitant, if the contingent annuitant is alive at the time of the participant's death.

(2) Single-Life Annuity Option (optional for married participants). The participant may elect to receive a single-life annuity payable for his or her life only.

(3) Lump sum retirement benefit. The participant may elect to receive a lump sum retirement benefit that is equal to the amount of a refund payable under Section 15-154(a-2).

All joint and survivor annuity forms shall be in an amount that is the actuarial equivalent of the single-life annuity.

For the purposes of this Section, the term "contingent annuitant" means the beneficiary who is designated by a participant at the time the participant elects a joint and survivor annuity to receive the lifetime survivorship annuity in the event the beneficiary survives the participant at the participant's death.

(i) Under no circumstances may an option be elected, changed, or revoked after the date the participant's retirement annuity commences.

(j) An election made pursuant to subsection (h) shall become inoperative if the participant or the contingent annuitant dies before the date the participant's annuity payments commence, or if the eligible spouse's consent is required and not given.

(k) (Blank).

(l) The automatic annual increases described in subsection (d) of Section 15-136 shall apply to retirement benefits under the portable benefit package and the automatic annual increases described in subsection (j) of Section 15-145 shall apply to survivor benefits under the portable benefit package.

(Source: P.A. 96-586, eff. 8-18-09.)

(40 ILCS 5/15-139) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-139)

Sec. 15-139. Retirement annuities; cancellation; suspended during employment.

(a) If an annuitant returns to employment for an employer within 60 days after the beginning of the retirement annuity payment period, the retirement annuity shall be cancelled, and the annuitant shall refund to the System the total amount of the retirement annuity payments which he or she received. If the retirement annuity is cancelled, the participant shall continue to participate in the System.

(b) If an annuitant retires prior to age 60 and receives or becomes entitled to receive during any month compensation in excess of the monthly retirement annuity (including any automatic annual increases) for services performed after the date of retirement for any employer under this System, that portion of the monthly retirement annuity provided by employer contributions shall not be payable.

If an annuitant retires at age 60 or over and receives or becomes entitled to receive during any academic year compensation in excess of the difference between his or her highest annual earnings prior to retirement and his or her annual retirement annuity computed under Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule 3, Rule 4, or Rule 5 of Section 15-136, or under Section 15-136.4, for services performed after the date of retirement for any employer under this System, that portion of the monthly retirement annuity provided by employer contributions shall be reduced by an amount equal to the compensation that exceeds such difference.

However, any remuneration received for serving as a member of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board shall be excluded from "compensation" for the purposes of this subsection (b), and serving as a member of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board shall not be deemed to be a return to employment for the purposes of this Section. This provision applies without regard to whether service was terminated prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991.

(c) If an employer certifies that an annuitant has been reemployed on a permanent and continuous basis or in a position in which the annuitant is expected to serve for at least 9 months, the annuitant shall resume his or her status as a participating employee and shall be entitled to all rights applicable to participating employees upon filing with the board an election to forego all annuity payments during the period of reemployment. Upon subsequent retirement, the retirement annuity shall consist of the annuity which was terminated by the reemployment, plus the additional retirement annuity based upon service granted during the period of reemployment, but the combined retirement annuity shall not exceed the maximum annuity applicable on the date of the last retirement.

The total service and earnings credited before and after the initial date of retirement shall be considered in determining eligibility of the employee or the employee's beneficiary to benefits under this Article, and in calculating final rate of earnings.

In determining the death benefit payable to a beneficiary of an annuitant who again becomes a participating employee under this Section, accumulated normal and additional contributions shall be considered as the sum of the accumulated normal and additional contributions at the date of initial retirement and the accumulated normal and additional contributions credited after that date, less the sum of the annuity payments received by the annuitant.

The survivors insurance benefits provided under Section 15-145 shall not be applicable to an annuitant who resumes his or her status as a participating employee, unless the annuitant, at the time of initial retirement, has a survivors insurance beneficiary who could qualify for such benefits.

If the participant's annuitant's employment is terminated because of circumstances other than death before 9 months from the date of reemployment, the provisions of this Section regarding resumption of status as a participating employee shall not apply. The normal and survivors insurance contributions which are deducted during this period shall be refunded to the annuitant without interest, and subsequent benefits under this Article shall be the same as those which were applicable prior to the date the annuitant resumed employment.

The amendments made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly apply without regard to whether the annuitant was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act.

(Source: P.A. 91-887 (Sections 10 and 25), eff. 7-6-00; 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)

(40 ILCS 5/15-153.2) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-153.2)

Sec. 15-153.2. Disability retirement annuity. A participant whose disability benefits are discontinued under the provisions of clause (6) of Section 15-152 and who is not a participant in the optional retirement plan established under Section 15-158.2 is entitled to a disability retirement annuity of 35% of the basic compensation which was payable to the participant at the time that disability began, provided that the board determines that the participant has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that prevents him or her from engaging in any substantial gainful activity, and which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

The board's determination of whether a participant is disabled shall be based upon:

(i) a written certificate from one or more licensed and practicing physicians appointed by or acceptable to the board, stating that the participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity; and

(ii) any other medical examinations, hospital records, laboratory results, or other information necessary for determining the employment capacity and condition of the participant.

The terms "medically determinable physical or mental impairment" and "substantial gainful activity" shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the federal Social Security Act, as now or hereafter amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.

The disability retirement annuity payment period shall begin immediately following the expiration of the disability benefit payments under clause (6) of Section 15-152 and shall be discontinued for a recipient of a disability retirement annuity when (1) the physical or mental impairment no longer prevents the participant from engaging in any substantial gainful activity, (2) the participant dies or (3) the participant elects to receive a retirement annuity under Sections 15-135 and 15-136. If a person's disability retirement annuity is discontinued under clause (1), all rights and credits accrued in the system on the date that the disability retirement annuity began shall be restored, and the disability retirement annuity paid shall be considered as disability payments under clause (6) of Section 15-152.

(Source: P.A. 90-14, eff. 7-1-97; 90-65, eff. 7-7-97; 90-511, eff. 8-22-97; 90-766, eff. 8-14-98.)".