CHAPTER 411
RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE FIGHTERS

 
Applicable to all cities creating retirement systems for police officers

and fire fighters appointed after March 2, 1934
Participation of port authority peace officers, §28J.7

  411.1  Definitions.
  The following words and phrases as used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:
  1.  “Actuarial equivalent” means a benefit of equal value, when computed upon the basis of mortality tables adopted by the system, and interest computed at the rate established by the actuary.
  2.  “Amount earned” shall mean the amount of money actually earned by a beneficiary in some definite period of time.
  3.  “Average final compensation” means the average earnable compensation of the member during the three years of service the member earned the member’s highest salary as a police officer or fire fighter, or if the member has had less than three years of service, then the average earnable compensation of the member’s entire period of service.
  4.  “Beneficiary” shall mean any person receiving a retirement allowance or other benefit as provided by this chapter.
  5.  “Board of trustees” means the board created by section 411.36 to direct the establishment and administration of the retirement system.
  6.  “Cancer” means prostate cancer, primary brain cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, malignant melanoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma, testicular cancer, and kidney cancer.
  7.  “Child” means only surviving issue of a deceased active or retired member, or a child legally adopted by a deceased member prior to the member’s retirement. “Child” includes only an individual who is under the age of eighteen years, an individual who is under the age of twenty-two years and is a full-time student, or an individual who is disabled at the time under the definitions used in section 202 of the Social Security Act as amended if the disability occurred to the individual during the time the individual was under the age of eighteen years and the parent of the individual was an active member of the system.
  8.  “City” or “cities” means any city or cities participating in the statewide fire and police retirement system as required by this chapter.
  9.  “Earnable compensation” or “compensation earnable” shall mean the annual compensation which a member receives for services rendered as a police officer or fire fighter in the course of employment with a participating city. However, the term “earnable compensation” or “compensation earnable” shall not include amounts received for overtime compensation, meal or travel expenses, uniform allowances, fringe benefits, severance pay, or any amount received upon termination or retirement in payment for accumulated sick leave or vacation. Contributions made by a member from the member’s earnable compensation to a plan of deferred compensation shall be included in earnable compensation. Other contributions made to a plan of deferred compensation shall not be included except to the extent provided in rules adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to section 411.5, subsection 3.
  10.  “Fire fighter” or “fire fighters” shall mean only the members of a fire department who have passed a regular mental and physical civil service examination for fire fighters and who shall have been duly appointed to such position. Such members shall include fire fighters, probationary fire fighters, lieutenants, captains, and other senior officers who have been so employed for the duty of fighting fires.
  11.  “Infectious disease” means HIV or AIDS as defined in section 141A.1, all strains of hepatitis, meningococcal meningitis, and mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  12.  “Medical board” shall mean the single medical provider network designated by the system as the medical board as provided for in section 411.5.
  13.  “Member” means a member of the retirement system as defined by section 411.3.
  14.  “Member in good standing” means a member in service who is not subject to removal by the employing city of the member pursuant to section 400.18 or 400.19, or other comparable process, and who is not the subject of an investigation that could lead to such removal. A person who is restored to active service for purposes of applying for a pension under this chapter is not a member in good standing.
  15.  “Membership service” shall mean service as a police officer or a fire fighter rendered for a city which is credited as service pursuant to section 411.4.
  16.  “Pension reserve” means the present value of all payments to be made on account of any pension, or benefit in lieu of a pension, granted under the provisions of this chapter, upon the basis of mortality tables adopted by the system, and interest computed at the rate established by the actuary.
  17.  “Pensions” means annual payments for life derived from appropriations provided by the participating cities and the state and from contributions of the members which are deposited in the fire and police retirement fund. All pensions shall be paid in equal monthly installments.
  18.  “Police officer” or “police officers” shall mean only the members of a police department who have passed a regular mental and physical civil service examination for police officers, and who shall have been duly appointed to such positions. Such members shall include patrol officers, probationary patrol officers, matrons, sergeants, lieutenants, captains, detectives, and other senior officers who are so employed for police duty.
  19.  “Retirement allowance” shall mean the pension, or any benefits in lieu thereof, granted to a member upon retirement.
  20.  “Retirement system” or “system” means the statewide fire and police retirement system established by this chapter for the fire fighters and police officers of the cities described in section 411.2, its board of trustees, and its appointed representatives.
  21.  “Superintendent of public safety” shall mean any elected city official who has direct jurisdiction over the fire or police department, or the city manager in cities under the city manager form of government.
  22.  “Surviving spouse” shall mean the surviving spouse of a deceased member. Surviving spouse shall include a former spouse only if the division of assets in the dissolution of marriage decree pursuant to section 598.17 grants the former spouse rights of a spouse under this chapter.
[C35, §6326-f1, f6(8,d); C39, §6326.03, 6326.08(8,d); C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.1, 411.6(8); 82 Acts, ch 1261, §26, 27]
84 Acts, ch 1285, §22; 90 Acts, ch 1240, §48; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §62; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §86 – 89, 110, 111; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §17, 18; 2002 Acts, ch 1135, §41; 2006 Acts, ch 1092, §9; 2009 Acts, ch 99, §1; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §43
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  411.1A  Purpose of chapter.
  The purpose of this chapter is to promote economy and efficiency in the municipal public safety service by doing the following:
  1.  Provide an orderly means for police officers and fire fighters to have a retirement system which will provide for the payment of pensions to retired members and members incurring disabilities, and to the surviving spouses and dependents of deceased members.
  2.  Provide a comprehensive disability program for police officers and fire fighters to include standards for entrance physical examinations, guidelines for ongoing fitness and wellness, disability pensions, and postdisability retirement compliance requirements.
93 Acts, ch 44, §15; 96 Acts, ch 1129, §90; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §90
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  411.2  Participation in retirement system.
  1.  Except as provided in subsections 2 through 5, each city in which the fire fighters or police officers are appointed under the civil service law of this state, shall participate in the retirement system established by this chapter for the purpose of providing retirement allowances only for fire fighters or police officers, or both, of the cities who are so appointed after the date the city comes under the retirement system, or benefits to their dependents.
  2.  A city whose population was under eight thousand prior to the results of the federal census conducted in 1990 is not required to come under the retirement system established by this chapter upon attaining a population of eight thousand or more.
  3.  A city which did not have a paid fire department on May 3, 1990, is not required to come under the retirement system established by this chapter upon establishing a paid fire department.
  4.  A city which did not have a paid police department on May 3, 1990, is not required to come under the retirement system established by this chapter upon establishing a paid police department.
  5.  If a city’s fire fighters or police officers, or both, are appointed under the civil service law of this state but the city is not operating a city fire or police retirement system, or both, under this chapter on May 3, 1990, the city is not required to come under the statewide fire and police retirement system established by this chapter.
[C35, §6326-f2; C39, §6326.04; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.2]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §49
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  411.3  Membership — reemployment.
  1.  All persons who become police officers or fire fighters after the date the city is required to come under the retirement system, shall become members of the retirement system as a condition of their employment, except that a police chief or a fire chief who would not complete twenty-two years of service under this chapter by the time the chief attains fifty-five years of age shall, upon written request to the system, be exempt from this chapter, and except as otherwise provided in subsection 3. Notwithstanding section 97B.1A, a police chief or fire chief who is exempt from this chapter is exempt from chapter 97B. Members of the system established in this chapter shall not be required to make contributions under any other pension or retirement system of a city, county, or the state of Iowa, anything to the contrary notwithstanding.
  2.  Should any member cease to be employed as a police officer or fire fighter by a city, or should the member become a beneficiary or die, the member shall thereupon cease to be a member of the system.
  3.  a.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “reemployed” or “reemployment” means the employment of a person as a police officer or fire fighter by any participating city after the person has commenced receiving a service retirement allowance under section 411.6.
  b.  If a person is reemployed, the person shall not become an active member of the system upon reemployment, and the person so reemployed and the participating city shall not make contributions to the system based upon the person’s compensation for reemployment. A person who is so reemployed shall not be eligible to receive a service retirement allowance for the period of reemployment. The service retirement allowance shall be reinstated upon termination of the reemployment, but the service retirement allowance shall not be recalculated based upon the person’s reemployment. Notwithstanding section 97B.1A or any other provision of law to the contrary, a person reemployed as provided in this subsection shall be exempt from chapter 97B.
[C35, §6326-f3; C39, §6326.05; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.3]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §50; 94 Acts, ch 1183, §66; 98 Acts, ch 1183, §82; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §91, 110; 2006 Acts, ch 1092, §10
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  411.4  Service creditable.
  1.  Service for fewer than six months of a year is not creditable as service. Service of six months or more of a year is equivalent to one year of service, but in no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all service in one calendar year, nor shall the system allow credit as service for any period of more than one month duration during which the member was absent without pay.
  2.  The system shall credit as service for a member of the system a previous period of service only under any of the following circumstances:
  a.  The member had withdrawn the member’s accumulated contributions, as defined in section 411.21, for the previous period of service.
  b.  The member returned to service after an absence of service of a period of less than four years from the last day of the prior period of service.
  c.  The member returned to service after an absence of service of a period of four or more years from the last day of the prior period of service and the member had sufficient service as of the last day of the prior period of service to have been entitled to a retirement allowance on that date under section 411.6, subsection 1, paragraph “b”.
[C35, §6326-f4; C39, §6326.06; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.4]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §51; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §92, 110
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  411.5  Administration.
  1.  Board.  The general responsibility for the establishment and proper operation of the retirement system is vested in the board of trustees created by section 411.36. The system shall be administered under the direction of the board.
  2.  Compensation.  The trustees, other than the secretary, shall serve without compensation, but they shall be reimbursed from the fire and police retirement fund for all necessary expenses which they may incur through service on the board, as provided pursuant to section 411.36.
  3.  Rules.  Subject to the limitations of this chapter, the board of trustees shall adopt rules for the establishment and administration of the system and the fire and police retirement fund created by this chapter, and for the transaction of its business.
  4.  Organization — employees.  The board of trustees shall elect from its membership a chairperson, and shall, by majority vote of its members, appoint a secretary who may, but need not, be one of its members. The system shall engage such actuarial and other services as are required to transact the business of the retirement system. The compensation of all persons engaged by the system and all other expenses of the board of trustees necessary for the operation of the retirement system shall be paid at such rates and in such amounts as the board of trustees approves.
  5.  Data.  The system shall keep in convenient form such data as is necessary for actuarial valuation of the fire and police retirement fund and for checking the experience of the retirement system.
  6.  Records — reports.
  a.  The board of trustees shall keep a record of all its proceedings, which record shall be open to public inspection. It shall submit an annual report to the governor, the general assembly, and the city council of each participating city concerning the financial condition of the retirement system, its current and future liabilities, and the actuarial valuation of the system. The board of trustees shall submit a certified audit report prepared by a certified public accountant to the auditor of state annually. The system shall comply with the filing fee requirement of section 11.6, subsection 10.
  b.  The system shall maintain records, including but not limited to names, addresses, ages, and lengths of service, salaries and wages, contributions, designated beneficiaries, benefit amounts, if applicable, and other information pertaining to members as necessary in the administration of this chapter, as well as the names, addresses, and benefit amounts of beneficiaries. For the purpose of obtaining these facts, the system shall have access to the records of the participating cities and the cities shall provide such information upon request. Member and beneficiary records containing personal information are not public records for the purposes of chapter 22. However, summary information concerning the demographics of the members and general statistical information concerning the system is subject to chapter 22, as well as aggregate information by category.
  c.  Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 22 to the contrary, the system’s records may be released to any political subdivision, instrumentality, or agency of the state solely for use in a civil or criminal law enforcement activity pursuant to the requirements of this paragraph. To obtain the records, the political subdivision, instrumentality, or agency of the state shall, in writing, certify to the system that the activity is authorized by law, provide a written description of the information desired, and describe the law enforcement activity for which the information is sought. The system shall not be civilly or criminally liable for the release of records in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph.
  d.  Records containing financial or commercial information that relates to the investment of retirement system funds if the disclosure of such information could result in a loss to the retirement system or to the provider of the information are not public records for the purposes of chapter 22.
  7.  Legal advisor.  The system may employ or retain an attorney to serve as the system’s legal advisor and to represent the system. The costs of an attorney employed or retained by the system shall be paid from the fire and police retirement fund created in section 411.8.
  8.  Medical board.  The board of trustees shall designate a single medical provider network as the medical board for the system. The medical board shall arrange for and pass upon all medical examinations required under the provisions of chapter 400 and this chapter and shall assist the system in all aspects of the comprehensive disability program described in section 411.1A. For examinations required because of disability, a physician from the medical board specializing in occupational medicine, and a second physician specializing in an appropriate field of medicine as determined by the occupational medicine physician, shall pass upon the medical examinations required for disability retirements and shall report to the system in writing their conclusions and recommendations upon all matters referred to the medical board. Each report of a medical examination under section 411.6, subsections 3 and 5, shall include the medical board’s findings in accordance with section 411.6 as to the extent of the member’s physical impairment.
  9.  Duties of actuary.
  a.  The actuary shall be the technical advisor of the system on matters regarding the operation of the fire and police retirement fund and shall perform such other duties as are required in connection with the operation of the system.
  b.  The actuary shall make such investigation of anticipated interest earnings and of the mortality, service, and compensation experience of the members of the system as the actuary recommends, and on the basis of the investigation the system shall adopt such tables and such rates as are required in subsection 11.
  10.  Actuarial investigation — tables — rates.  At least once in each five-year period, the actuary shall make an actuarial investigation into the mortality, service, and compensation experience of the members and beneficiaries of the retirement system, and the interest and other earnings on the moneys and other assets of the retirement system, and shall make a valuation of the assets and liabilities of the fire and police retirement fund, and on the basis of the results of the investigation and valuation, the system shall adopt for the retirement system such actuarial methods and assumptions, interest rate, and mortality and other tables as are deemed necessary to conduct the annual actuarial valuation of the system.
  11.  Annual actuarial valuation.
  a.  On the basis of the actuarial methods and assumptions, rate of interest and tables adopted, the actuary shall make an annual valuation of the assets and liabilities of the fire and police retirement fund created by this chapter. As a result of the annual actuarial valuation, the system shall do all of the following:
  (1)  Certify the rates of contribution payable by the cities in accordance with section 411.8.
  (2)  Certify the rates of contributions payable by the members in accordance with section 411.8.
  b.  Effective with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, the annual actuarial valuation required to be conducted shall include information as required by section 97D.5.
  12.  Requirements related to the Internal Revenue Code.
  a.  As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise requires, “Internal Revenue Code” means the federal Internal Revenue Code as defined in section 422.3.
  b.  The fund established in section 411.8 shall be held in trust for the benefit of the members of the system and the members’ beneficiaries. No part of the corpus or income of the fund shall be used for, or diverted to, purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of the members or the members’ beneficiaries or for expenses incurred in the operation of the fund. A person shall not have any interest in, or right to, any part of the corpus or income of the fund except as otherwise expressly provided.
  c.  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, in the event of a complete discontinuance of contributions, for reasons other than achieving fully funded status upon an actuarially determined basis, or upon termination of the fund established in section 411.8, a member shall be vested, to the extent then funded, in the benefits which the member has accrued at the date of the discontinuance or termination.
  d.  Benefits payable from the fund established in section 411.8 to members and members’ beneficiaries shall not be increased due to forfeitures from other members. Forfeitures shall be used as soon as possible to reduce future contributions by the cities to the fund, except that the rate shall not be less than the minimum rate established in section 411.8.
  e.  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, a member’s service retirement allowance shall commence on or before the later of the following:
  (1)  April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the member attains the age of seventy and one-half years.
  (2)  April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the member retires.
  f.  The maximum annual benefit payable to a member by the system shall be subject to the limitations set forth in section 415 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, and any regulations promulgated pursuant to that section.
  g.  The annual compensation of a member taken in account for any purpose under this chapter shall not exceed the applicable amount set forth in section 401(a)(17) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, and any regulations promulgated pursuant to that section.
  13.  Voluntary benefit programs.  The board of trustees shall be responsible for the administration of the voluntary benefit programs established under section 411.40. The board may take any necessary action, including the adoption of rules, for purposes of administering the programs.
  14.  Medical records.  A physician or surgeon, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or mental health professional who provides records to the system in connection with the application by a member for disability retirement under this chapter shall be entitled to charge a fee for production of the records. The fee for copies of any records shall not exceed the reasonable cost of production.
  15.  Closed sessions.  In addition to the reasons provided in section 21.5, subsection 1, the board may hold a closed session pursuant to the requirements of section 21.5 of that portion of a board meeting in which financial or commercial information is provided to or discussed by the board if the board determines that disclosure of such information could result in a loss to the retirement system or to the provider of the information.
  16.  Benefits and financing review.  At least every two years, the board shall review the benefits and finances provided under this chapter. The board shall make recommendations to the general assembly concerning this review, which shall include recommendations concerning the long-term financing and benefits policy of the system.
[C35, §6326-f5; C39, §6326.07; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.5; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §28, 29]
83 Acts, ch 101, §84; 86 Acts, ch 1203, §1, 2; 90 Acts, ch 1240, §52; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §63; 93 Acts, ch 44, §16, 17; 94 Acts, ch 1183, §67, 68; 96 Acts, ch 1187, §100; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §93, 94, 111; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §17, 18; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §64; 2006 Acts, ch 1092, §11, 12; 2008 Acts, ch 1171, §50; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §160; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §44
Referred to in 
See mortality tables at end of Vol VI 

  411.6  Benefits.
  1.  Service retirement benefit.  Retirement of a member on a service retirement allowance shall be made by the system as follows:
  a.  Any member in service may retire upon written application to the system, setting forth at what time, not less than thirty nor more than ninety days subsequent to the execution and filing of the application, the member desires to be retired. However, the member at the time specified for retirement shall have attained the age of fifty-five and shall have served twenty-two years or more, and notwithstanding that, during the period of notification, the member may have separated from the service.
  b.  Any member in service who has been a member of the retirement system four or more years and whose employment is terminated prior to the member’s retirement, other than by death or disability, shall upon attaining retirement age, receive a service retirement allowance of four twenty-seconds of the retirement allowance the member would receive at retirement if the member’s employment had not been terminated, and an additional one twenty-second of such retirement allowance for each additional year of service not exceeding twenty-two years of service. The amount of the retirement allowance shall be calculated in the manner provided in this paragraph using the average final compensation at the time of termination of employment.
  c.  Once a person commences receiving a service retirement allowance pursuant to this section, if the person is reemployed, as defined in section 411.3, the service retirement allowance shall not be recalculated based upon the person’s reemployment.
  2.  Allowance on service retirement.
  a.  The service retirement allowance for a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, prior to July 1, 1990, shall consist of a pension which equals fifty percent of the member’s average final compensation.
  b.  The service retirement allowance for a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, on or after July 1, 1990, but before July 1, 1992, shall consist of a pension which equals fifty-four percent of the member’s average final compensation.
  c.  Commencing July 1, 1992, for members who terminate service, other than by death or disability, on or after that date, but before July 1, 2000, the system shall increase the percentage multiplier of the member’s average final compensation by an additional two percent each July 1 until reaching sixty percent of the member’s average final compensation. The applicable percentage multiplier shall be the rate in effect on the date of the member’s termination from service.
  d.  Upon retirement from service on or after July 1, 2000, a member shall receive a service retirement allowance which shall consist of a pension which equals sixty-six percent of the member’s average final compensation.
  e.  Commencing July 1, 1990, if the member has completed more than twenty-two years of creditable service, the service retirement allowance shall consist of a pension which equals the amount provided in paragraph “b”, “c”, or “d”, plus an additional percentage as set forth below:
  (1)  For a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, on or after July 1, 1990, but before July 1, 1991, and who does not withdraw the member’s contributions pursuant to section 411.23, upon the member’s retirement there shall be added three-tenths percent of the member’s average final compensation for each year of service over twenty-two years, excluding years of service after the member’s fifty-fifth birthday. However, this subparagraph does not apply to more than eight additional years of service.
  (2)  For a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, on or after July 1, 1991, but before October 16, 1992, and who does not withdraw the member’s contributions pursuant to section 411.23, upon the member’s retirement there shall be added six-tenths percent of the member’s average final compensation for each year of service over twenty-two years, excluding years of service after the member’s fifty-fifth birthday. However, this subparagraph does not apply to more than eight additional years of service.
  (3)  For a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, on or after October 16, 1992, but before July 1, 1998, and who does not withdraw the member’s contributions pursuant to section 411.23, upon the member’s retirement there shall be added six-tenths percent of the member’s average final compensation for each year of service over twenty-two years. However, this subparagraph does not apply to more than eight additional years of service.
  (4)  For a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, on or after July 1, 1998, but before July 1, 2000, and who does not withdraw the member’s contributions pursuant to section 411.23, upon the member’s retirement there shall be added one and one-half percent of the member’s average final compensation for each year of service over twenty-two years. However, this subparagraph does not apply to more than eight additional years of service.
  (5)  For a member who terminates service, other than by death or disability, on or after July 1, 2000, and who does not withdraw the member’s contributions pursuant to section 411.23, upon the member’s retirement there shall be added two percent of the member’s average final compensation for each year of service over twenty-two years. However, this subparagraph does not apply to more than eight additional years of service.
  3.  Ordinary disability retirement benefit.  Upon application to the system, of a member in good standing or of the chief of the police or fire departments, respectively, any member in good standing shall be retired by the system, not less than thirty and not more than ninety days next following the date of filing the application, on an ordinary disability retirement allowance, if the medical board after a medical examination of the member certifies that the member is mentally or physically incapacitated for further performance of duty, that the incapacity is likely to be permanent, and that the member should be retired. However, if a person’s membership in the system first commenced on or after July 1, 1992, the member shall not be eligible for benefits with respect to a disability which would not exist, but for a medical condition that was known to exist on the date that membership commenced. A medical condition shall be deemed to have been known to exist on the date that membership commenced if the medical condition is reflected in any record or document completed or obtained in accordance with the system’s medical protocols pursuant to section 400.8, or in any other record or document obtained pursuant to an application for disability benefits from the system, if such record or document existed prior to the date membership commenced. A member who is denied a benefit under this subsection, by reason of a finding by the medical board that the member is not mentally or physically incapacitated for the further performance of duty, shall be entitled to be restored to active service in the same position held immediately prior to the application for disability benefits. The member-in-good-standing requirement of this subsection may be waived for good cause as determined by the board. The burden of establishing good cause is on the member.
  4.  Allowance on ordinary disability retirement.
  a.  Upon retirement for ordinary disability prior to July 1, 1998, a member shall receive an ordinary disability retirement allowance which shall consist of a pension which shall equal fifty percent of the member’s average final compensation unless either of the following conditions exist:
  (1)  If the member has not had five or more years of membership service, the member shall receive a pension equal to one-fourth of the member’s average final compensation.
  (2)  If the member has had twenty-two or more years of membership service, the member shall receive a disability retirement allowance that is equal to the greater of the benefit that the member would receive under subsection 2 if the member were fifty-five years of age or the disability pension otherwise calculated under this subsection.
  b.  Upon retirement for ordinary disability on or after July 1, 1998, a member who has five or more years of membership service shall receive a disability retirement allowance in an amount equal to the greater of fifty percent of the member’s average final compensation or the retirement allowance that the member would receive under subsection 2 if the member had attained fifty-five years of age. A member who has less than five years of membership service shall receive a pension equal to one-fourth of the member’s average final compensation.
  5.  Accidental disability benefit.
  a.  Upon application to the system, of a member in good standing or of the chief of the police or fire departments, respectively, any member in good standing who has become totally and permanently incapacitated for duty as the natural and proximate result of an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by the actual performance of duty at some definite time and place, or while acting pursuant to order, outside of the city by which the member is regularly employed, shall be retired by the system if the medical board certifies that the member is mentally or physically incapacitated for further performance of duty, that the incapacity is likely to be permanent, and that the member should be retired. However, if a person’s membership in the system first commenced on or after July 1, 1992, the member shall not be eligible for benefits with respect to a disability which would not exist, but for a medical condition that was known to exist on the date that membership commenced. A medical condition shall be deemed to have been known to exist on the date that membership commenced if the medical condition is reflected in any record or document completed or obtained in accordance with the system’s medical protocols pursuant to section 400.8, or in any other record or document obtained pursuant to an application for disability benefits from the system, if such record or document existed prior to the date membership commenced. A member who is denied a benefit under this subsection, by reason of a finding by the medical board that the member is not mentally or physically incapacitated for the further performance of duty, shall be entitled to be restored to active service in the same position held immediately prior to the application for disability benefits.
  b.  If a member in service or the chief of the police or fire departments becomes incapacitated for duty as a natural or proximate result of an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by the actual performance of duty at some definite time or place or while acting, pursuant to order, outside the city by which the member is regularly employed, the member, upon being found to be temporarily incapacitated following a medical examination as directed by the city, is entitled to receive the member’s full pay and allowances from the city’s general fund or trust and agency fund until reexamined as directed by the city and found to be fully recovered or until the city determines that the member is likely to be permanently disabled. If the temporary incapacity of a member continues more than sixty days, or if the city expects the incapacity to continue more than sixty days, the city shall notify the system of the temporary incapacity. Upon notification by a city, the system may refer the matter to the medical board for review and consultation with the member’s treating physician during the temporary incapacity. Except as provided by this paragraph, the board of trustees of the statewide system has no jurisdiction over these matters until the city determines that the disability is likely to be permanent.
  c.  (1)  Disease under this subsection shall mean heart disease or any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract and shall be presumed to have been contracted while on active duty as a result of strain or the inhalation of noxious fumes, poison, or gases.
  (2)  Disease under this subsection shall also mean cancer or infectious disease and shall be presumed to have been contracted while on active duty as a result of that duty.
  (3)  However, if a person’s membership in the system first commenced on or after July 1, 1992, and the heart disease, disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, cancer, or infectious disease would not exist, but for a medical condition that was known to exist on the date that membership commenced, the presumption established in this paragraph “c” shall not apply.
  d.  The requirement that a member be in good standing to apply for and receive a benefit under this subsection may be waived for good cause as determined by the board. The burden of establishing good cause is on the member.
  6.  Retirement after accident.
  a.  Upon retirement for accidental disability prior to July 1, 1990, a member shall receive an accidental disability retirement allowance which shall consist of a pension equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the member’s average final compensation.
  b.  Upon retirement for accidental disability on or after July 1, 1990, but before July 1, 1998, a member shall receive an accidental disability retirement allowance which shall consist of a pension equal to sixty percent of the member’s average final compensation. However, if the member has had twenty-two or more years of membership service, the member shall receive a disability retirement allowance that is equal to the greater of the retirement allowance that the member would receive under subsection 2 if the member was fifty-five years of age or the disability retirement allowance calculated under this paragraph.
  c.  Upon retirement for accidental disability on or after July 1, 1998, a member shall receive an accidental disability retirement allowance which shall consist of a pension in an amount equal to the greater of sixty percent of the member’s average final compensation or the retirement allowance that the member would receive under subsection 2 if the member had attained fifty-five years of age.
  7.  Reexamination of beneficiaries retired on account of disability.  The system may, and upon the member’s application shall, require any disability beneficiary who has not yet attained age fifty-five to undergo a medical examination at a place designated by the medical board. The examination shall be made by the medical board or, in special cases, by an additional physician or physicians designated by such board. If any disability beneficiary who has not attained the age of fifty-five refuses to submit to the medical examination, the member’s allowance may be discontinued until withdrawal of such refusal, and if the refusal continues for one year all rights in and to the member’s pension may be revoked by the system. For a disability beneficiary who has not attained the age of fifty-five and whose entitlement to a disability retirement commenced on or after July 1, 2000, the medical board may, as part of the examination required by this subsection, suggest appropriate medical treatment or rehabilitation if, in the opinion of the medical board, the recommended treatment or rehabilitation would likely restore the disability beneficiary to duty.
  a.  (1)  Should any beneficiary for either ordinary or accidental disability, except a beneficiary who is fifty-five years of age or over, be engaged in a gainful occupation paying more than the difference between the member’s net retirement allowance and one and one-half times the earnable compensation of an active member at the same position on the salary scale within the member’s rank as the member held at retirement, then the amount of the member’s retirement allowance shall be reduced to an amount such that the member’s net retirement allowance plus the amount earned by the member shall equal one and one-half times the amount of the current earnable compensation of an active member at the same position on the salary scale within the member’s rank as the member held at retirement. Should the member’s earnings be later changed, the amount of the member’s retirement allowance may be further modified, provided that the new retirement allowance shall not exceed the amount of the retirement allowance adjusted by annual readjustments of pensions pursuant to subsection 12 of this section nor an amount which would cause the member’s net retirement allowance, when added to the amount earned by the beneficiary, to equal one and one-half times the amount of the earnable compensation of an active member at the same position on the salary scale within the member’s rank as the member held at retirement. A beneficiary restored to active service at a salary less than the average final compensation upon the basis of which the member was retired at age fifty-five or greater, shall not again become a member of the retirement system and shall have the member’s retirement allowance suspended while in active service. If the rank or position held by the retired member is subsequently abolished, adjustments to the allowable limit on the amount of income which can be earned in a gainful occupation shall be computed by the board of trustees as though such rank or position had not been abolished and salary increases had been granted to such rank or position on the same basis as increases granted to other ranks and positions in the department. For purposes of this paragraph, “net retirement allowance” means the amount determined by subtracting the amount paid during the previous calendar year by the beneficiary for health insurance or similar health care coverage for the beneficiary and the beneficiary’s dependents from the amount of the member’s retirement allowance paid for that year pursuant to this chapter. The beneficiary shall submit sufficient documentation to the system to permit the system to determine the member’s net retirement allowance for the applicable year.
  (2)  A beneficiary retired under this lettered paragraph, in order to be eligible for continued receipt of retirement benefits, shall no later than May 15 of each year submit to the system a copy of the beneficiary’s federal individual income tax return for the preceding year. The beneficiary shall also submit, within a reasonable period of time, any documentation requested by the system that is determined to be necessary by the system to determine the beneficiary’s gross wages.
  (3)  Retroactive to July 1, 1976, the limitations on pay of a member engaged in a gainful occupation who is retired under accidental disability prescribed in this paragraph shall not apply to a member who retired before July 1, 1976.
  b.  Should a disability beneficiary under age fifty-five be restored to active service at a compensation not less than the disability beneficiary’s average final compensation, the disability beneficiary’s retirement allowance shall cease, the disability beneficiary shall again become a member and shall contribute thereafter at the rate established in section 411.8, and former service on the basis of which the disability beneficiary’s service was computed at the time of retirement shall be restored to full force and effect and upon subsequent retirement the disability beneficiary shall be credited with all service as a member and also with the period of disability retirement.
  c.  Should a disability beneficiary under age fifty-five be employed in a public safety occupation, the disability beneficiary’s retirement allowance shall cease. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, if a disability beneficiary is employed in a public safety occupation that would otherwise constitute membership service, the disability beneficiary shall not become a member of the system. For purposes of this paragraph, “public safety occupation” means a peace officer, as defined in section 97A.1; a protection occupation, as defined in section 97B.49B; a sheriff or deputy sheriff as defined in section 97B.49C; and a police officer or fire fighter as defined in section 411.1, who was not restored to active service as provided by this subsection.
  8.  Ordinary death benefit.
  a.  Upon the receipt of proof of the death of a member in service, or a member not in service who has completed four or more years of service as provided in subsection 1, paragraph “b”, there shall be paid to the person designated by the member to the system as the member’s beneficiary, if the member has had one or more years of membership service and no pension is payable under subsection 9, the greater of the following:
  (1)  An amount equal to fifty percent of the compensation earnable by the member during the year immediately preceding the member’s death if the member is in service, or an amount equal to fifty percent of the compensation earned by the member during the member’s last year of service if the member is not in service.
  (2)  An amount the member would have been entitled to withdraw pursuant to section 411.23 if the member had terminated service on the date of the member’s death.
  b.  (1)  In lieu of the payment specified in paragraph “a”, a beneficiary meeting the qualifications of paragraph “c” may elect to receive a monthly pension equal to one-twelfth of forty percent of the average final compensation of the member, but not less than twenty percent of the average monthly earnable compensation paid to an active member of the system, as reported by the actuary. For a member not in service at the time of death, the pension shall be reduced as provided in subsection 1, paragraph “b”.
  (2)  For a member not in service at the time of death, the pension shall be paid commencing when the member would have attained the age of fifty-five except that if there is a child of the member, the pension shall be paid commencing with the member’s death until the child of the member no longer meets the definition of child as provided in section 411.1. The pension shall resume when the member would have attained the age of fifty-five.
  (3)  For a member in service at the time of death, the pension shall be paid commencing with the member’s death. In addition to the pension, there shall also be paid for each child of a member, a monthly pension equal to six percent of the average monthly earnable compensation paid to an active member of the system, as reported by the actuary.
  (4)  Notwithstanding section 411.6, subsection 8, Code 1985, effective July 1, 1990, for a member’s surviving spouse who, prior to July 1, 1986, elected to receive pension benefits under this paragraph, the monthly pension benefit shall be equal to the higher of one-twelfth of forty percent of the average final compensation of the member, or the amount the surviving spouse was receiving on July 1, 1990.
  c.  The pension under paragraph “b” may be selected only by the following beneficiaries:
  (1)  The spouse, regardless of whether the spouse was designated by the member to the system as the member’s beneficiary.
  (2)  If there is no spouse, or if the spouse dies and there is a child of a member, then the member’s child or children, in equal shares. The pension to each child shall terminate when the child no longer meets the definition of child in section 411.1.
  (3)  If there is no surviving spouse or child, then the member’s dependent father or mother, or both, as the system determines, to continue until death.
  d.  If the member failed to designate a beneficiary, or if the beneficiary designated by the member predeceases the member, the benefits provided in paragraph “a” of this subsection shall be paid as follows in the following order of priority:
  (1)  To the member’s surviving spouse, unless the surviving spouse selected the pension under paragraph “b”.
  (2)  To the member’s surviving children, including any adult children, in equal shares.
  (3)  To the member’s surviving parents, in equal shares.
  (4)  To the member’s estate.
  (5)  To the member’s heirs if the estate is not probated.
  9.  Accidental death benefit.
  a.  (1)  If, upon the receipt of evidence and proof from the chief of the police or fire department that the death of a member in service was the natural and proximate result of an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by the actual performance of duty at some definite time and place, or while acting pursuant to order, outside of the city by which the member is regularly employed, the system decides that death was so caused in the performance of duty, there shall be paid, in lieu of the ordinary death benefit provided in subsection 8, an accidental death benefit as set forth in this subsection.
  (2)  (a)  Disease under this subsection shall mean heart disease or any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract and shall be presumed to have been contracted while on active duty as a result of strain or the inhalation of noxious fumes, poison, or gases.
  (b)  Disease under this subsection shall also mean cancer or infectious disease and shall be presumed to have been contracted while on active duty as a result of that duty.
  b.  (1)  If the member’s designated beneficiary is the member’s spouse, child, or parent, an accidental death benefit pension equal to one-half of the average final compensation of the member shall be paid as follows:
  (a)  If the member’s designated beneficiary is the member’s spouse, then to the member’s spouse.
  (b)  If the member’s designated beneficiary is the member’s child or children, then to the child or children in equal shares. The pension to each child shall terminate when the child no longer meets the definition of child in section 411.1.
  (c)  If the member’s designated beneficiary is the member’s dependent father or mother, or both, then to the father or mother, or both, in equal shares, to continue until death.
  (2)  If the member failed to designate a beneficiary, or if the beneficiary designated by the member predeceases the member, then an accidental death benefit pension equal to one-half of the average final compensation of the member shall be paid as follows:
  (a)  To the member’s spouse.
  (b)  If there is no spouse, or if the spouse dies and there is a child of the member, then to the member’s child or children in equal shares. The pension to each child shall terminate when the child no longer meets the definition of child in section 411.1.
  (c)  If there is no surviving spouse or child, then to the member’s dependent father or mother, or both, in equal shares, to continue until death.
  c.  In addition to the accidental death benefit pension provided in paragraph “b”, there shall also be paid for each child of a member a monthly pension equal to six percent of the average monthly earnable compensation paid to an active member of the system, as reported by the actuary.
  d.  A person eligible to receive the pension payable under paragraph “b” of this subsection may elect to receive the benefit payable under subsection 8, paragraph “a”, in lieu of the pension provided in paragraph “b” of this subsection.
  e.  If there is no person entitled to the pension payable under paragraph “b” of this subsection, the death shall be treated as an ordinary death case and the benefit payable under subsection 8, paragraph “a”, in lieu of the pension provided in paragraph “a” of this subsection, shall be paid as provided by that subsection.
  10.  Pensions offset by compensation benefits.  Any amounts which may be paid or payable by the said cities under the provisions of any workers’ compensation or similar law to a member or to the dependents of a member on account of any disability or death, shall be offset against and payable in lieu of any benefits payable under the provisions of this chapter on account of the same disability or death. In addition, any amounts payable to a member as unemployment compensation under the provisions of chapter 96 based on unemployment from membership service for a member receiving an ordinary disability benefit or an accidental disability benefit pursuant to this chapter shall be offset against and payable in lieu of any benefits payable under the provisions of this chapter for an ordinary disability or an accidental disability.
  11.  Pension to spouse and children of deceased pensioned member.  In the event of the death of any member receiving a retirement allowance under the provisions of subsection 2, 4, or 6 of this section there shall be paid a pension:
  a.  To the spouse, equal to one-half the amount received by the deceased beneficiary, but in no instance less than twenty percent of the average monthly earnable compensation paid to an active member of the system, as determined by the actuary, and in addition a monthly pension equal to the monthly pension payable under subsection 9 of this section for each child; or
  b.  If the spouse dies either prior or subsequent to the death of the member, to the guardian of each surviving child, a monthly pension equal to the monthly pension payable under subsection 9 of this section for the support of the child.
  12.  Annual readjustment of pensions.  Pensions payable under this section shall be adjusted as follows:
  a.  On each July 1, the monthly pensions authorized in this section payable to members retired prior to that date and to beneficiaries entitled to a monthly pension prior to that date shall be adjusted as provided in this subsection. An amount equal to the sum of one and one-half percent of the monthly pension of each retired member and beneficiary and the applicable incremental amount shall be added to the monthly pension of each retired member and beneficiary. The board of trustees may report to the general assembly, at the board’s discretion, on whether the provisions of this subsection continue to provide an equitable method for the annual readjustment of pensions payable under this chapter.
  b.  For purposes of this subsection, “applicable incremental amount” means the following amount for members receiving a pension under subsection 2, 4 or 6, and for beneficiaries receiving a pension under subsection 11:
  (1)  Fifteen dollars where the member’s retirement date was less than five years prior to the effective date of the increase.
  (2)  Twenty dollars where the member’s retirement date was at least five years, but less than ten years, prior to the effective date of the increase.
  (3)  Twenty-five dollars where the member’s retirement date was at least ten years, but less than fifteen years, prior to the effective date of the increase.
  (4)  Thirty dollars where the member’s retirement date was at least fifteen years, but less than twenty years, prior to the effective date of the increase.
  (5)  Thirty-five dollars where the member’s retirement date was at least twenty years prior to the effective date of the increase.
  c.  For beneficiaries receiving a pension under subsection 8 or 9, the applicable incremental amount shall be determined as set forth in paragraph “b”, except that the date of the member’s death shall be substituted for the member’s retirement date.
  d.  A retired member eligible for benefits under subsection 1 of this section is not eligible for the readjustment of pensions provided in this subsection unless the member served twenty-two years and attained the age of fifty-five years prior to the member’s termination of employment.
  e.  A retired member eligible for benefits under this section and otherwise eligible for the readjustment of benefits provided in this subsection is not eligible for the readjustment unless the member was retired on or before the effective date of the readjustment.
  13.  a.  Remarriage of surviving spouse.  Effective July 1, 1990, for a member who died prior to July 1, 1988, if the member’s surviving spouse remarried prior to July 1, 1988, the remarriage does not make the spouse ineligible under subsection 8, paragraph “c”, subparagraphs (1) and (2), to receive benefits under subsections 8, 9, 11, and 12.
  b.  Recomputation of benefit — surviving spouse.  A benefit payable under this chapter to a surviving spouse and to any surviving spouse who receives a division of the surviving spouse benefit pursuant to a marriage decree or marital property order under section 411.13 shall not be recomputed upon the death of any surviving spouse.
  14.  Beneficiary designation.  A member may designate, in writing on a form prescribed by the system, any person or persons to whom the system will pay a death benefit under this section in the event of the member’s death. If the member is married at the time a designation is signed, a designation of a beneficiary other than the member’s spouse shall not be valid unless the member’s spouse consents in writing to the designation. A designation filed with the system shall be deemed revoked if, subsequent to the designation, a new designation is filed with the system, the member marries, or the member divorces the individual who was the member’s named beneficiary.
  15.  Line of duty death benefit.
  a.  If, upon the receipt of evidence and proof from the chief of the police or fire department that the death of a member in service was the direct and proximate result of a traumatic personal injury incurred in the line of duty, the system decides that death was so caused, there shall be paid, to a person authorized to receive an accidental death benefit as provided in subsection 9, paragraph “b”, the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, which shall be payable in a lump sum. However, for purposes of this subsection, a child who no longer meets the definition of child in section 411.1 shall be eligible to receive a line of duty death benefit pursuant to this subsection.
  b.  A line of duty death benefit shall not be payable under this subsection if any of the following applies:
  (1)  The death resulted from stress, strain, occupational illness, or a chronic, progressive, or congenital illness, including but not limited to a disease of the heart, lungs, or respiratory system, unless a traumatic personal injury was a substantial contributing factor to the member’s death.
  (2)  The death was caused by the intentional misconduct of the member or by the member’s intent to cause the member’s own death.
  (3)  The member was voluntarily intoxicated at the time of death.
  (4)  The member was performing the member’s duties in a grossly negligent manner at the time of death.
  (5)  An individual who would otherwise be entitled to a benefit under this subsection was, through the individual’s actions, a substantial contributing factor to the member’s death.
  (6)  The death qualifies for a volunteer emergency services provider death benefit pursuant to section 100B.31.
  16.  Ineligibility for disability benefits.
  a.  A member otherwise eligible to receive a disability retirement benefit under this chapter shall not be eligible to receive such a benefit if the system determines that any of the following conditions for ineligibility applies:
  (1)  The disability would not exist but for the member’s chemical dependency, as defined in section 125.2, on a schedule I controlled substance, as defined in section 124.204, or the member’s chemical dependency on a schedule II controlled substance, as defined in section 124.206, resulting from the inappropriate use of the schedule II controlled substance.
  (2)  The disability is a mental disability proximately caused by appropriate disciplinary actions taken against the member, or by conflicts with a superior or coworker if the superior or coworker was acting legally and appropriately toward the member when the conflicts occurred.
  b.  A member otherwise eligible to receive a disability retirement benefit under this chapter, or who is receiving such a benefit, shall not be eligible to receive such a benefit beginning with the month following the determination by the system that the disability would not exist but for the action of the member for which the member has been convicted of a felony.
  c.  A member eligible to commence receiving a disability benefit on or after July 1, 2000, may be ineligible to receive a disability retirement benefit if the system determines that the member’s alcoholism or drug addiction was a contributing factor material to the determination of the member’s disability. Upon a determination that the member’s alcoholism or drug addiction was a contributing factor in the member’s disability, the system shall direct the member to undergo substance abuse treatment that the medical board determines is appropriate to treat the member’s alcoholism or drug addiction. After the end of a twenty-four-month period following the member’s first month of entitlement to a disability benefit, the system shall reevaluate the member’s disability. If the system determines that the member failed to comply with the treatment program prescribed by this paragraph and that the member would not be disabled but for the member’s alcoholism or drug addiction, the member’s entitlement to a disability benefit under this chapter shall terminate effective the first day of the first month following the month the member is notified of the system’s determination.
  17.  Limitations on benefits — prisoners.
  a.  An individual who is otherwise entitled to a retirement allowance under this chapter shall not receive a retirement allowance for any month during which both of the following conditions exist:
  (1)  The individual is confined in a jail, prison, or correctional facility pursuant to the individual’s conviction of a felony.
  (2)  The individual has a spouse, or a child or children, as defined in section 411.1.
  b.  The amount of the retirement allowance not paid to the individual under paragraph “a” shall be paid in the following order of priority:
  (1)  To the individual’s spouse, if any.
  (2)  If there is no spouse, then to the individual’s child or children, as defined in section 411.1.
  c.  This subsection shall not be construed in a manner that impairs the rights of any individual under a marital property, spousal support, or child support order. In addition, this subsection shall not be construed to impair the statutory rights of a governmental entity, including but not limited to the right of a governmental entity to collect an amount for deposit in the victim compensation fund established in chapter 915.
[C35, §6326-f6; C39, §6326.08; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.6; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §30 – 39, 47]
84 Acts, ch 1285, §23; 86 Acts, ch 1203, §3; 86 Acts, ch 1243, §27, 28; 88 Acts, ch 1242, §55 – 59; 90 Acts, ch 1240, §53 – 66; 91 Acts, ch 41, §3; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §64 – 68; 94 Acts, ch 1183, §69 – 72; 96 Acts, ch 1178, §3, 4; 96 Acts, ch 1187, §101 – 103, 110; 98 Acts, ch 1183, §86 – 92, 99; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §95 – 107, 110; 2002 Acts, ch 1135, §42 – 51; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §57, 65, 66; 2006 Acts, ch 1092, §13 – 17; 2006 Acts, ch 1103, §4; 2009 Acts, ch 71, §1, 2; 2009 Acts, ch 99, §2, 3; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §45 – 47
Referred to in 
Workers’ compensation, chapter 85 
Reporting of costs of cancer and infectious disease benefits required by October 1, 2013; 2009 Acts, ch 99, §5 

  411.6A  Optional retirement benefits.
  1.  In lieu of the payment of a service retirement allowance under section 411.6, subsection 2, and the payment of a pension to the spouse of a deceased pensioned member under section 411.6, subsection 11, a member may select an option provided under this section. The board of trustees shall adopt rules under section 411.5, subsection 3, providing the optional forms of payment that may be selected by the member. The optional forms of payment may provide adjustments to the amount of the retirement allowance paid to the member, may alter the pension amount and period of payment to the member’s spouse after the death of the member, and may provide for payments to a designated recipient other than the member’s spouse for a designated period of time or an unlimited period of time.
  2.  Prior to the member’s retirement and as a part of the application for a service retirement allowance, the member shall elect, in writing, either the benefits provided under section 411.6, subsections 2 and 11, or one of the optional forms adopted by the board of trustees. If the member is married at the time of application and the member elects an optional form, the member’s spouse must consent in writing to the optional form selected and to the receipt of payments to a designated recipient, if applicable. Upon acceptance by a member of an initial retirement benefit paid in accordance with the election under this section, the election of the member is irrevocable.
  3.  The optional forms of payment determined by the board of trustees under this section, shall be the actuarial equivalent of the amount of retirement benefits payable to the member and the member’s spouse pursuant to section 411.6, subsections 2 and 11. The actuarial equivalent shall be based upon the actuarial assumptions adopted for this purpose pursuant to section 411.5. Election of an optional form adopted by the board of trustees shall not affect the benefits, if any, payable to the member’s child or children pursuant to section 411.6, subsection 11.
  4.  Optional benefits shall be adjusted annually in a manner consistent with that provided in section 411.6, subsection 12. However, if the member has selected a designated recipient other than the member’s spouse, the designated recipient shall be deemed to be the member’s surviving spouse for the purpose of calculating the annual adjustment in the manner provided in section 411.6, subsection 12.
90 Acts, ch 1240, §67; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §69; 93 Acts, ch 44, §18
Referred to in 

  411.6B  Rollovers of members’ accounts.
  1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, and to the extent permitted by the internal revenue service:
  a.  “Direct rollover” means a payment by the system to the eligible retirement plan specified by the member or the member’s surviving spouse, or the member’s alternate payee under a marital property order who is the member’s spouse or former spouse.
  b.  (1)  “Eligible retirement plan” means any of the following that accepts an eligible rollover distribution from a member, a member’s surviving spouse, or a member’s alternate payee:
  (a)  An individual retirement account in accordance with section 408(a) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
  (b)  An individual retirement annuity in accordance with section 408(b) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
  (2)  In addition, an “eligible retirement plan” includes an annuity plan in accordance with section 403(a) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, or a qualified trust in accordance with section 401(a) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, that accepts an eligible rollover distribution from a member. Effective January 1, 2002, the term “eligible retirement plan” also includes an annuity contract described in section 403(b) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, and an eligible plan under section 457(b) of the federal Internal Revenue Code which is maintained by a state, political subdivision of a state, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or political subdivision of a state that chooses to separately account for amounts rolled over into such eligible retirement plan from the system.
  c.  “Eligible rollover distribution” means all or any portion of a member’s account, except that an eligible rollover distribution does not include any of the following:
  (1)  A distribution that is one of a series of substantially equal periodic payments, which occur annually or more frequently, made for the life or life expectancy of the distributee or the joint lives or joint life expectancies of the distributee and the distributee’s designated beneficiary, or made for a specified period of ten years or more.
  (2)  A distribution to the extent that the distribution is required pursuant to section 401(a)(9) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
  (3)  The portion of any distribution that is not includible in the gross income of the distributee, determined without regard to the exclusion for net unrealized appreciation with respect to employer securities. Provided, however, that effective January 1, 2002, such distributions may be directly rolled over to an individual retirement account described in federal Internal Revenue Code section 408(a) or 408(b), a qualified defined contribution plan described in federal Internal Revenue Code section 401(a), or a qualified annuity plan described in federal Internal Revenue Code section 403(a), if such plan agrees to separately account for the after-tax amount so rolled over.
  (4)  A distribution of less than two hundred dollars of taxable income.
  2.  Effective January 1, 1993, a member or a member’s surviving spouse may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed in rules adopted by the board of trustees, to have the system pay all or a portion of an eligible rollover distribution directly to an eligible retirement plan, specified by the member or the member’s surviving spouse, in a direct rollover. If a member or a member’s surviving spouse elects a partial direct rollover, the amount of funds elected for the partial direct rollover must equal or exceed five hundred dollars.
  3.  a.  For distributions after December 31, 2009, a nonspouse beneficiary who is a designated beneficiary may roll over all or any portion of the beneficiary’s distribution to an individual retirement account the beneficiary establishes for purposes of receiving the distribution by means of a direct rollover. In order to qualify for a rollover under this subsection, the distribution must otherwise satisfy the definition of an eligible rollover distribution. If a nonspouse beneficiary receives a distribution from the system, the distribution is not eligible for a sixty-day rollover.
  b.  If the member’s named beneficiary is a trust, the system may make a direct rollover to an individual retirement account on behalf of the trust, provided the trust satisfies the requirements to be a designated beneficiary within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code section 401(a)(9)(E).
  c.  A nonspouse beneficiary may not roll over an amount which is a required minimum distribution, as determined under applicable United States treasury regulations and other federal Internal Revenue Service guidance. If the participant dies before the participant’s required beginning date and the nonspouse beneficiary rolls over to an individual retirement account the maximum amount eligible for rollover, the beneficiary may elect to use either the five-year rule or the life expectancy rule, pursuant to applicable United States treasury regulations as provided in 26 C.F.R. § 1.401(a)(9)-3, in determining the required minimum distributions from the individual retirement account that receives the nonspouse beneficiary’s distribution.
94 Acts, ch 1183, §73; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §67, 73; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §48
Referred to in 

  411.6C  Deferred retirement option plan.
  1.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
  a.  “Applicable percentage” means that percentage, not greater than one hundred percentage points, equal to fifty-two percentage points plus two percentage points for each month for the period between the eligible member’s plan eligibility month and the month the eligible member commences membership in the plan.
  b.  “Drop benefit” means, for a participant, an amount credited to the participant’s account each applicable month equal to the member’s applicable percentage multiplied by the member’s participant retirement amount.
  c.  “Eligible member” means a member who has attained fifty-five years of age with at least twenty-two years of membership service.
  d.  “Participant account” means an administrative record maintained by the system reflecting the participant’s accumulated drop benefit.
  e.  “Participant retirement amount” means the amount equal to the monthly retirement allowance the eligible member would have received under section 411.6 if the member retired on the date the eligible member commenced participation in the plan, based on earnings through the previous full quarter of earnable compensation earned by the member.
  f.  “Plan” means the deferred retirement option plan established by this section.
  g.  “Plan eligibility month” means the first full calendar month in which the participant is an eligible member.
  2.  a.  An eligible member may elect to participate in the deferred retirement option plan as provided in this section. A decision by an eligible member to participate in the plan is irrevocable. Upon commencing membership in the plan, the member shall remain an active member of the system and shall have credited to a participant account on behalf of the member from the fire and police retirement fund for each month the member participates in the plan the member’s drop benefit. The amounts credited shall be invested by the system in risk-free assets of a short-term nature and interest and earnings shall not be credited to the member’s participant account but shall remain with the fire and police retirement fund established in section 411.8. In addition, the annual readjustment of pensions under section 411.6, subsection 12, shall not apply to a participant’s drop benefit or to amounts credited to the member’s participant account.
  b.  Upon termination of an eligible member’s participation in the plan, the eligible member shall be deemed to be retired under the system as of that date for purposes of the system and shall begin receiving a retirement allowance equal to the member’s participant retirement amount or such optional retirement benefits, based upon that amount, pursuant to section 411.6A. In addition, the eligible member shall receive the moneys credited to the member’s participant account while participating in the plan. The eligible member shall select, upon written application to the system, whether to receive the amount in the member’s participant account in the form of a lump sum distribution or as a rollover to an eligible retirement plan as defined in section 411.6B.
  c.  If an eligible member terminates participation in the plan prior to the date selected by the member upon commencing membership in the plan and the termination is not due to the death or disability of the member under this chapter, then the system shall assess a twenty-five percent penalty on the amount credited to the member’s participant account prior to distributing the amount to the member. The penalty amount shall be transferred to and remain with the fire and police retirement fund.
  3.  To participate in the plan, an eligible member shall make written application to the system. The application shall include the following:
  a.  The month the eligible member intends to commence participation in the plan.
  b.  The eligible member’s selection of a plan termination date. The plan termination date shall be either three, four, or five years after the date the eligible member commences membership in the plan. However, for the two-year period beginning with the first of the month following the implementation date of this section, an eligible member between sixty-two and sixty-four years of age may also select a plan termination date that is one or two years after the date the eligible member commences membership in the plan.
  4.  Participation in the plan by an eligible member does not guarantee continued employment. Contributions required from members and participating cities shall continue based on the earnable compensation of an eligible member participating in the plan. However, contributions made while an eligible member participates in the plan shall remain with the retirement fund and shall not be subject to a withdrawal of contributions under section 411.23.
  5.  The system’s actuary, while making the annual valuation of the assets and liabilities of the fire and police retirement fund, shall determine whether establishment and operation of the plan created in this section has resulted in an increased actuarial cost to the system. If the actuary determines that the plan has resulted in an increased actuarial cost to the system, then, notwithstanding any provision of section 411.8 to the contrary, the system shall increase the members’ contribution rate as necessary to cover the increased cost of the plan created in this section.
  6.  This section shall not be implemented until the system has received a favorable ruling from the internal revenue service regarding the plan as provided in this section. Upon receiving the favorable ruling, the board shall establish the implementation date of the plan.
2006 Acts, ch 1073, §1

  411.7  Management of fund.
  1.  The board of trustees is the trustee of the fire and police retirement fund created in section 411.8 and shall annually establish an investment policy to govern the investment and reinvestment of the moneys in the fund, subject to the terms, conditions, limitations, and restrictions imposed by subsection 2 and chapters 12F and 12H. Subject to like terms, conditions, limitations, and restrictions the system has full power to hold, purchase, sell, assign, transfer, or dispose of any of the securities and investments in which the fund has been invested, as well as of the proceeds of the investments and any moneys belonging to the fund.
  2.  The secretary of the board of trustees shall invest, in accordance with the investment policy established by the board of trustees, the portion of the fund established in section 411.8 which in the judgment of the board is not needed for current payment of benefits under this chapter in investments authorized in section 97B.7A for moneys in the Iowa public employees’ retirement fund.
  3.  The secretary of the board of trustees is the custodian of the fire and police retirement fund. All payments from the fund shall be made by the secretary only upon vouchers signed by two persons designated by the board of trustees. The system may select master custodian banks to provide custody of the assets of the retirement system.
  4.  A member or employee of the board of trustees shall not have any direct interest in the gains or profits of any investment made by the board of trustees, other than as a member of the system. A trustee shall not receive any pay or emolument for the trustee’s services except as secretary. A member or employee of the board of trustees shall not directly or indirectly for the trustee or employee or as an agent in any manner use the assets of the retirement system except to make current and necessary payments as authorized by the board of trustees, nor shall any trustee or employee of the system become an endorser or surety or become in any manner an obligor for moneys loaned by or borrowed from the system.
  5.  Except as otherwise provided in section 411.36, a member, employee, and the secretary of the board of trustees shall not be personally liable for a loss to the fire and police retirement fund, the loss shall be assessed against the fire and police retirement fund, and moneys are hereby appropriated from the fund in an amount sufficient to cover the losses.
[C35, §6326-f7; C39, §6326.09; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.7; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §40]
86 Acts, ch 1203, §4; 90 Acts, ch 1240, §68; 91 Acts, ch 52, §1; 2001 Acts, ch 68, §17, 24; 2007 Acts, ch 39, §12; 2011 Acts, ch 82, §12
Referred to in 
Subsection 1 amended

  411.8  Method of financing.
  All the assets of the retirement system created and established by this chapter shall be credited to the fire and police retirement fund, which is hereby created. As used in this section, “fund” means the fire and police retirement fund.
  1.  All moneys for the payment of all pensions and other benefits payable from contributions made by the participating cities, the state, and the members shall be accumulated in the fund. The refunds and benefits for all members and beneficiaries shall be payable from the fund. Contributions to and payments from the fund shall be as follows:
  a.  On account of each member there shall be paid annually into the fund by the participating cities an amount equal to a certain percentage of the earnable compensation of the member to be known as the “normal contribution”. The rate percent of such contribution shall be fixed on the basis of the liabilities of the retirement system as shown by annual actuarial valuations.
  b.  (1)  On the basis of the actuarial methods and assumptions, rate of interest, and of the mortality, interest and other tables adopted by the system, the actuary engaged by the system to make each valuation required by this chapter pursuant to the requirements of section 411.5, shall immediately after making such valuation, determine the normal contribution rate. Except as otherwise provided in this lettered paragraph, the “normal contribution rate” shall be the rate percent of the earnable compensation of all members equal to the rate required by the system to discharge its liabilities, stated as a percentage of the earnable compensation of all members, and reduced by the employee contribution rate provided in paragraph “f” of this subsection and the contribution rate representing any state appropriation made. However, the normal contribution rate shall not be less than seventeen percent.
  (2)  The normal contribution rate shall be determined by the actuary after each valuation.
  c.  The total amount payable in each year to the fund shall be not less than the rate percent known as the normal contribution rate of the total compensation earnable by all members during the year, but the aggregate payment by the participating cities must be sufficient when combined with the amount in the fund to provide the pensions and other benefits payable out of the fund during the then current year.
  d.  All lump-sum death benefits on account of death in active service payable from contributions of the said cities shall be paid from the fund.
  e.  Reserved.
  f.  Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “h”:
  (1)  An amount equal to three and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1989.
  (2)  An amount equal to four and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990.
  (3)  An amount equal to five and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991.
  (4)  An amount equal to six and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1992.
  (5)  An amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1993.
  (6)  An amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1994, through December 31, 1994, and an amount equal to eight and thirty-five hundredths percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal period beginning January 1, 1995, through June 30, 1995.
  (7)  An amount equal to nine and thirty-five hundredths percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995.
  (8)  Beginning July 1, 1996, and each fiscal year thereafter, an amount equal to the member’s contribution rate times each member’s compensation shall be paid to the fund from the earnable compensation of the member. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the member’s contribution rate shall be nine and thirty-five hundredths percent or, beginning July 1, 2009, nine and four-tenths percent. However, the system shall increase the member’s contribution rate as necessary to cover any increase in cost to the system resulting from statutory changes which are enacted by any session of the general assembly meeting after January 1, 1991, if the increase cannot be absorbed within the contribution rates otherwise established pursuant to this paragraph, but subject to a maximum employee contribution rate of eleven and three-tenths percent or, beginning July 1, 2009, eleven and thirty-five hundredths percent. The contribution rate increases specified in 1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1183, pursuant to this chapter and chapter 97A shall be the only member contribution rate increases for these systems resulting from the statutory changes enacted in 1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1183, and shall apply only to the fiscal periods specified in 1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1183. After the employee contribution reaches eleven and three-tenths percent or eleven and thirty-five hundredths percent, as applicable, sixty percent of the additional cost of such statutory changes shall be paid by employers under paragraph “c” and forty percent of the additional cost shall be paid by employees under this paragraph.
  g.  (1)  The system shall certify to the superintendent of public safety as defined in this chapter and the superintendent of public safety as defined in this chapter shall cause to be deducted from the earnable compensation of each member the contribution required under this subsection and shall forward the contributions to the system for recording and for deposit in the fund.
  (2)  The deductions provided for under this paragraph shall be made notwithstanding that the minimum compensation provided by law for any member is reduced. Every member is deemed to consent to the deductions made under this paragraph.
  h.  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph “f”, the following transition percentages apply to members’ contributions as specified:
  (1)  For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-nine years or more, an amount equal to nine and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1990, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.
  (2)  For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-eight years but have not attained the age of forty-nine years, an amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, and an amount equal to nine and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1991, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.
  (3)  For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-seven years but have not attained the age of forty-eight years, an amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, an amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, and an amount equal to nine and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1992, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.
  (4)  For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-six years but have not attained the age of forty-seven years, an amount equal to six and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, an amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, an amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1992, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.
  (5)  For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-five years but have not attained the age of forty-six years, an amount equal to five and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, an amount equal to six and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, and an amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1992, through October 15, 1992. Commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.
  i.  (1)  Notwithstanding paragraph “g” or other provisions of this chapter, beginning January 1, 1995, for federal income tax purposes, and beginning January 1, 1999, for state income tax purposes, member contributions required under paragraph “f” or “h” which are picked up by the city shall be considered employer contributions for federal and state income tax purposes, and each city shall pick up the member contributions to be made under paragraph “f” or “h” by its employees. Each city shall pick up these contributions by reducing the salary of each of its employees covered by this chapter by the amount which each employee is required to contribute under paragraph “f” or “h” and shall pay the amount picked up in lieu of the member contributions to the board of trustees for recording and deposit in the fund.
  (2)  Member contributions picked up by each city under subparagraph (1) shall be treated as employer contributions for federal and state income tax purposes only and for all other purposes of this chapter shall be treated as employee contributions and deemed part of the employee’s earnable compensation or salary.
  2.  Annually the board of trustees shall budget the amount of money necessary during the ensuing year to provide for the expense of operation of the retirement system. The operating expenses shall be financed from the income derived from the system’s investments. Investment management expenses shall be charged directly to the investment income of the system.
[C35, §6326-f8; C39, §6326.10; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.8; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §41]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §69 – 77; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §70; 94 Acts, ch 1183, §74 – 76; 98 Acts, ch 1174, §4, 6; 2008 Acts, ch 1171, §51; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §122; 2009 Acts, ch 99, §4; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §49
Referred to in 

  411.9  Military service exceptions.
  1.  A member who is absent while serving in the armed services of the United States or its allies and is discharged or separated from the armed services under honorable conditions shall have the period or periods of absence while serving in the armed services, not in excess of four years unless any period in excess of four years is at the request and for the convenience of the federal government, included as part of the member’s period of service in the department. The member shall not continue the contributions required of the member under section 411.8 during the period of military service, if the member, within one year after the member has been discharged or separated under honorable conditions from military service, returns and resumes duties in the department, and if the member is declared physically capable of resuming duties upon examination by the medical board. A period of absence may exceed four years at the request and for the convenience of the federal government.
  2.  In the case of a member’s death occurring on or after January 1, 2007, if the member dies while performing qualified military service as defined in section 414(u) of the Internal Revenue Code, the survivors of the member are entitled to any additional benefits, other than benefit accruals relating to the period of qualified military service, provided by the system as if the member had resumed membership service and had died as the natural and proximate result of an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by the actual performance of duty at some definite time and place.
  3.  For years beginning after December 31, 2008, if a member who is absent while serving in the armed services of the United States is receiving a differential wage payment, as defined in section 3401(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, from a participating city, all of the following shall apply:
  a.  The member is treated as an employee of the employer making the payment and as an active member of the system.
  b.  The differential wage payment is treated as earnable compensation of the member.
  c.  The system is not treated as failing to meet the requirements of any provision described in section 414(u)(1)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code by reason of any contribution or benefit which is based on the differential wage payment.
  4.  Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter to the contrary, contributions, benefits, and service credit with respect to qualified military service shall be provided in accordance with section 414(u) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
[C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.9]
86 Acts, ch 1243, §29; 88 Acts, ch 1242, §60; 98 Acts, ch 1183, §93; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §50, 51, 56, 57
2010 amendment adding subsection 2 takes effect April 23, 2010, and applies retroactively to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2007; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, § 56
2010 amendment adding subsection 3 takes effect April 23, 2010, and applies retroactively to years beginning after December 31, 2008; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, § 57

  411.10  Purchase of service credit for military service.
  1.  An active member of the system who has been a member of the retirement system five or more years may elect to purchase up to five years of service credit for military service, other than military service required to be recognized under Internal Revenue Code §  414(u) or under the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, that will be recognized by the retirement system for purposes of calculating a member’s benefit, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code §  415(n) and the requirements of this section.
  2.  a.  A member seeking to purchase service credit pursuant to this section shall file a written application with the system requesting an actuarial determination of the cost of a purchase of service credit. Upon receipt of the cost estimate for the purchase of service from the system, the member may make contributions to the system in an amount equal to the actuarial cost of the service credit purchase.
  b.  For purposes of this subsection, the actuarial cost of the service credit purchase is an amount determined by the system in accordance with actuarial tables, as reported to the system by the system’s actuary, which reflects the actuarial cost necessary to fund an increased retirement allowance resulting from the purchase of service credit.
  3.  The system shall ensure that the member, in exercising an option provided in this section, does not exceed the amount of annual additions to a member’s account permitted pursuant to §  415 of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
  4.  The board of trustees shall adopt rules providing for the implementation and administration of this section.
2008 Acts, ch 1171, §52

  411.10A  Purchase of service credit for prior service.
  1.  An active member of the system who has been a member of the retirement system five or more years and who received a refund of the member’s contributions for a prior period of service under the system may elect to purchase up to five years of service credit for that prior period of service, that will be recognized by the retirement system for purposes of calculating a member’s benefit, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code section 415(n) and the requirements of this section.
  2.  a.  A member seeking to purchase service credit pursuant to this section shall file a written application with the system requesting an actuarial determination of the cost of a purchase of service credit. Upon receipt of the cost estimate for the purchase of service from the system, the member may make contributions to the system in an amount equal to the actuarial cost of the service credit purchase.
  b.  For purposes of this subsection, the actuarial cost of the service credit purchase is an amount determined by the system in accordance with actuarial tables, as reported to the system by the system’s actuary, which reflects the actuarial cost necessary to fund an increased retirement allowance resulting from the purchase of service credit.
  3.  The system shall ensure that the member, in exercising an option provided in this section, does not exceed the amount of annual additions to a member’s account permitted pursuant to section 415 of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
  4.  The board of trustees shall adopt rules providing for the implementation and administration of this section.
2009 Acts, ch 59, §1

  411.11  Contributions by the city.
  1.  On or before January 1 of each year the system shall certify to the superintendent of public safety of each participating city the amounts which will become due and payable during the year next following to the fire and police retirement fund. The amounts so certified shall be included by the superintendent of public safety in the annual budget estimate. The amounts so certified shall be appropriated by the respective cities and transferred to the retirement system for the ensuing year. The cities shall annually levy a tax sufficient in amount to cover the appropriations.
  2.  Amounts paid by a city to a member as back pay that would have constituted earnable compensation if paid when earned shall be allocated by the system as earnable compensation to the period or periods for which paid and employer and employee contributions shall be paid to the system for the amounts. The contribution rate to be applied to such amounts shall be determined pursuant to section 411.8 based on the rates in effect for the period or periods to which the amounts are allocated. Interest on the contributions required to be paid shall be calculated pursuant to this section as if the contributions were unpaid as of the date the contributions would have been due if the back pay had been paid to the member during the period in which it was due. The requirements of this subsection apply regardless of whether the back pay is made under a covenant not to sue, compromise settlement, denial of liability, or other agreement between the member and the employer.
  3.  Contributions unpaid on the date on which they are due and payable as prescribed by the system shall bear interest at the greater of the interest rate assumption adopted by the board of trustees or the rate of interest on the short-term investment fund account of the system’s custodial bank for the period the contributions remain unpaid. Interest due pursuant to this section may be waived by the system pursuant to rules adopted by the board. Interest collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the retirement fund created in section 411.8.
  4.  If an employer fails to pay contributions or interest as required by this chapter after receiving thirty days’ notice of the employer’s obligation, the system may maintain a civil action to collect the unpaid contributions and interest from the employer, which action shall be heard as expeditiously as possible. If the system prevails in the civil action to recover unpaid contributions and interest, the court shall require the employer to pay the costs of the action.
[C35, §6326-f9; C39, §6326.11; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.11; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §42]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §78; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §108, 110

  411.12  City obligations.
  The creation and maintenance of moneys in the fire and police retirement fund as provided for the payment of all pensions and other benefits granted under the provisions of this chapter and all expenses in connection with the administration and operation of the retirement system are hereby made direct liability obligations of the cities participating in the retirement system.
[C35, §6326-f10; C39, §6326.12; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.12]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §79

  411.13  Exemption from execution and other process or assignment — exceptions.
  The right of any person to a pension, annuity, or retirement allowance, to the return of contributions, the pension, annuity, or retirement allowance itself, any optional benefit or death benefit, any other right accrued or accruing to any person under this chapter, and the moneys in the fire and police retirement fund created under this chapter, are not subject to execution, garnishment, attachment, or any other process whatsoever, and are unassignable except for the purposes of enforcing child, spousal, or medical support obligations or marital property orders, or as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter. For the purposes of enforcing child, spousal, or medical support obligations, the garnishment or attachment of or the execution against compensation due a person under this chapter shall not exceed the amount specified in 15 U.S.C. §  1673(b).
[C35, §6326-f11; C39, §6326.13; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.13]
89 Acts, ch 228, §3; 90 Acts, ch 1240, §80; 96 Acts, ch 1187, §104
Referred to in 

  411.14  Fraudulent practice — correction of errors.
  A person who knowingly makes a false statement or falsifies or permits to be falsified any record or records of the retirement system in an attempt to defraud the system as a result of such act, is guilty of a fraudulent practice. If any change or error in records results in a member or beneficiary receiving from the retirement system more or less than the member or beneficiary would have been entitled to receive had the records been correct, the system shall correct the error, and, as far as practicable, shall adjust the payments in such a manner that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which the member or beneficiary was correctly entitled, shall be paid.
[C35, §6326-f12; C39, §6326.14; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.14]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §81
See §714.8 

  411.15  Hospitalization and medical attention.
  Cities shall provide hospital, nursing, and medical attention for the members of the police and fire departments of the cities, when injured while in the performance of their duties as members of such department, and shall continue to provide hospital, nursing, and medical attention for injuries or diseases incurred while in the performance of their duties for members receiving a retirement allowance under section 411.6, subsection 6. Cities may fund the cost of the hospital, nursing, and medical attention required by this section through the purchase of insurance, by self-insuring the obligation, or through payment of moneys into a local government risk pool established for the purpose of covering the costs associated with the requirements of this section. However, the cost of the hospital, nursing, and medical attention required by this section shall not be funded through an employee-paid health insurance policy. The cost of the hospital, nursing, and medical attention required by this section shall be paid from moneys held in a trust and agency fund established pursuant to section 384.6, or out of the appropriation for the department to which the injured person belongs or belonged; provided that any amounts received by the injured person from any other source for such specific purposes, shall be deducted from the amount paid by the city under the provisions of this section.
[C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.15]
98 Acts, ch 1183, §94; 2008 Acts, ch 1171, §53
Referred to in 

  411.16  Hours of service.
  Fire fighters employed in the fire department of cities of ten thousand population or more, or under civil service, shall not be required to remain on duty for periods of time which will aggregate in each month more than an average of fifty-six hours per week and no single period of time, or shift, shall exceed twenty-four hours in length, provided that in cases of serious emergencies such fire fighters may be required to remain on duty until such emergency has passed, when so ordered by the chief of the department or person acting in the chief’s place. Fire fighters called back to duty under this provision shall be duly compensated in accordance with their regular hourly wage.
[C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.16]
Referred to in 
See also §410.19 

  411.17  Provisions not applicable.
  The provisions of section 411.16 shall not apply to the chief, or other persons when in command of a fire department, nor to fire fighters who are employed subject to call only.
[C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.17]
411.18 and 411.19Reserved.

  411.20  State appropriation.  Repealed by 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §  53.
State appropriation to fire and police retirement fund for fiscal years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §54

  411.21  Vested and retired members before July 1, 1979 — annuity or withdrawal of contributions.
  1.  Members who became vested and terminated service prior to July 1, 1979, and members receiving an annuity from accumulated contributions made prior to July 1, 1979, shall continue to receive the benefits the member was entitled to under the provisions of this chapter, as it was effective on the date of the member’s retirement or vested termination.
  2.  For the purposes of this section:
  a.  “Accumulated contributions” means the sum of all amounts deducted from the compensation of a member and credited to the member’s individual account in the annuity savings fund together with regular interest thereon as provided in this subsection. Accumulated contributions do not include any amount deducted from the compensation of a member and credited to the pension accumulation fund.
  b.  “Annuity” means annual payments for life derived from the accumulated contributions of a member. All annuities shall be payable in monthly installments.
  c.  “Annuity reserve” shall mean the present value of all payments to be made on account of an annuity, or benefit in lieu of an annuity, granted under the provisions of this chapter, upon the basis of such mortality tables as shall be adopted by the respective boards of trustees, and regular interest.
  d.  “Annuity savings fund” means the account maintained by the respective board of trustees in which the accumulated contributions of the members were deposited prior to July 1, 1979, to provide for their annuities.
  e.  “Annuity reserve fund” means the account maintained by the respective boards of trustees from which shall be paid all annuities and all benefits in lieu of annuities payable as provided in this chapter as this chapter was effective on June 30, 1979.
  f.  “Regular interest” means interest at the rate of four percent per annum, compounded annually and credited to the member’s account as of the date of the member’s retirement or termination from employment.
  g.  “Member who became vested” and “vested member” mean a member who has been a member of the retirement system four or more years and is entitled to benefits under this chapter.
  3.  Beginning July 1, 1979, the respective boards of trustees shall maintain and invest funds in the annuity reserve fund and the annuity savings fund contributed by members prior to July 1, 1979. Members receiving an annuity as a portion of their retirement or disability benefits on June 30, 1979, shall continue to receive such annuity from the annuity reserve fund maintained by the respective board of trustees. Members receiving an annuity, if re-employed under service covered by this chapter, shall cease to receive retirement benefits.
  4.  The accumulated contributions of a member withdrawn by the member or paid to the member’s estate or designated beneficiary in the event of the member’s death shall be paid from the annuity savings fund account. Upon the retirement of a member, the member’s accumulated contributions shall be transferred from the annuity savings fund to the annuity reserve fund.
  5.  A member of the retirement system prior to July 1, 1979 with fifteen or more years of service whose employment was terminated prior to retirement, other than by death or disability, is entitled to receipt of the member’s accumulated contributions upon retirement together with other retirement benefits provided in the law on the date of the member’s retirement.
  6.  Any member in service prior to July 1, 1979 may at the time of the member’s retirement withdraw the member’s accumulated contributions made before July 1, 1979 or receive an annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of the member’s accumulated contributions at the time of the member’s retirement.
  7.  a.  Notwithstanding subsections 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this section, beginning January 1, 1981, an active or vested member may request in writing and receive from the board of trustees, the member’s accumulated contributions from the annuity savings fund and remain eligible to receive benefits under section 411.6. However, a member with fifteen or more years of service prior to July 1, 1979, is not eligible for a service retirement allowance under section 411.6 if the member withdrew the member’s accumulated contributions from the annuity savings fund after July 1, 1972 but prior to July 1, 1979, except as provided in section 411.4. Accumulated contributions shall be paid according to the following schedule:
  (1)  During the period beginning January 1, 1981 and ending December 31, 1982, any member who has completed twenty or more years of service.
  (2)  During the period beginning January 1, 1983 and ending December 31, 1984, any member who has completed fifteen or more years of service.
  (3)  During the period beginning January 1, 1985 and ending December 31, 1986, any member who has completed ten or more years of service.
  (4)  During the period beginning January 1, 1987 and ending December 31, 1988, any member who has completed five or more years of service.
  b.  The board may return accumulated contributions from the annuity savings fund to an active or vested member prior to the dates listed in the schedule established in this subsection, except that the board shall not liquidate securities at a loss for the sole purpose of returning the accumulated contributions to the members at an earlier date.
  8.  The actuary shall annually determine the amount required in the annuity reserve fund. If the amount required is less than the amount in the annuity reserve fund, the respective board of trustees shall transfer the excess funds from the annuity reserve fund to the pension accumulation fund. If the amount required is more than the amount in the annuity reserve fund, the respective board of trustees shall transfer the amount prescribed by the actuary to the annuity reserve fund from the pension accumulation fund.
[C35, §6326-f1, 6326-f6, 6326-f8; C39, §6326.03, 6326.08, 6326.10; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §411.1(12, 13, 17, 20), 411.6, 411.8(1, 2); C79, 81, §411.21; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §45, 46]
90 Acts, ch 1240, §83; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180
Referred to in 

  411.22  Liability of third parties — subrogation.
  1.  If a member receives an injury or dies for which benefits are payable under section 411.6, subsection 3, 5, 8, or 9, or section 411.15, and if the injury or death is caused under circumstances creating a legal liability for damages against a third party other than the retirement system, the retirement system is subrogated to the rights of the member or the member’s beneficiary entitled to receive a death benefit and may maintain an action for damages against the third party for lost earnings and lost earnings capacity. If the retirement system recovers damages in the action, the court shall enter judgment for distribution of the recovery as follows:
  a.  A sum sufficient to repay the retirement system for the amount of such benefits actually paid by the retirement system up to the time of the entering of the judgment.
  b.  A sum sufficient to pay the retirement system the present worth, computed at the interest rate assumption adopted by the system pursuant to section 411.5, subsection 9, of the future payments of such benefits, for which the retirement system is liable, but the sum is not a final adjudication of the future payments which the member is entitled to receive.
  c.  A sum sufficient to repay the retirement system for the costs and expenses of maintaining the action.
  d.  Any balance remaining after the repayments provided by paragraphs “a” through “c” shall be paid to the injured member, or the beneficiary under section 411.6, subsection 8 or 9, whichever is applicable.
  2.  If the system, after receiving written notice of the third-party liability, declines in writing to maintain an action against the third party or fails to maintain an action within one hundred eighty days of receiving written notice of the third-party liability, the member, the member’s estate, or the legal representative of the member or the member’s estate, may maintain an action for damages against the third party. If such an action is commenced, the plaintiff member, estate, or representative shall serve a copy of the original notice upon the retirement system not less than ten days before the trial of the action, but a failure to serve the notice does not prejudice the rights of the retirement system, and the following rights and duties ensue:
  a.  The retirement system shall be indemnified out of the recovery of damages to the extent of benefit payments paid or awarded by the retirement system, with legal interest, except that the plaintiff member’s or estate’s attorney fees may be first allowed by the district court. For purposes of this paragraph, “benefit payments paid or awarded” means the sum of the following amounts:
  (1)  The amount of benefits actually paid by the retirement system up to the time of the entering of the judgment.
  (2)  The present worth, computed at the interest rate provided in section 535.3 for court judgments and decrees, of the future payments of such benefits, for which the retirement system is liable, but the sum is not a final adjudication of the future payments which the member is entitled to receive.
  b.  The retirement system has a lien on the damage claim against the third party and on any judgment on the damage claim for benefits for which the retirement system is liable. In order to continue and preserve the lien, the retirement system shall file a notice of the lien within thirty days after receiving a copy of the original notice in the office of the clerk of the district court in which the action is filed.
  3.  Before a settlement is effective between the retirement system and a third party who is liable for an injury or death, the member or beneficiary must consent in writing to the settlement; and if the settlement is between the member or the member’s estate and a third party, the retirement system must consent in writing to the settlement; or on refusal to consent, in either case, the district court in the county in which either the city or the retirement system is located must consent in writing to the settlement.
  4.  For purposes of subrogation under this section, a payment made to an injured member, a member’s estate, or the legal representative of the member or member’s estate, by or on behalf of a third party or the third party’s principal or agent, who is liable for, connected with, or involved in causing the injury or death of the member, shall be considered paid as damages because the injury or death was caused under circumstances creating a legal liability against the third party, whether the payment is made under a covenant not to sue, compromise settlement, denial of liability, or is otherwise made.
86 Acts, ch 1203, §5; 88 Acts, ch 1158, §71; 98 Acts, ch 1183, §95, 96; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §109; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §69; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §68

  411.23  Withdrawal of contributions — repayment — automatic refund.
  1.  Commencing July 1, 1990, if an active member, in service on or after that date, terminates service, other than by death or disability, the member may elect to withdraw the member’s contributions under section 411.8, subsection 1, paragraphs “f” and “h”, together with interest thereon at a rate determined by the board of trustees. If a member withdraws contributions as provided in this section, the member shall be deemed to have waived all claims for other benefits from the system for the period of membership service for which the contributions are withdrawn.
  2.  A layoff for an indefinite period of time shall be deemed to be a termination of service for the purposes of this section. A member who withdraws the member’s contributions as provided in this section following a layoff for an indefinite period of time and who is subsequently recalled to service may repay the contributions. The contributions repaid by the member for such service shall be equal to the amount of contributions withdrawn, plus interest computed based upon the investment interest rate assumption established by the board of trustees as of the time the contributions are repaid. However, the member must make the contributions within two years of the date of the member’s return to service. The period of membership service for which contributions are repaid shall be treated as though the contributions were never withdrawn.
  3.  a.  Commencing July 1, 2006, a member’s contributions shall be refunded to the member by the system if the following conditions are met:
  (1)  The member was a member of the system for less than four years.
  (2)  The member terminated service four or more years prior to the date of the refund.
  (3)  The amount to be refunded does not exceed five thousand dollars, or such other amount as may be established under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  b.  In the event a refund is made in accordance with this subsection without the member’s consent, the system shall pay the distribution in a direct rollover to an individual retirement plan designated by the system unless the member elects to have such distribution paid directly to an eligible retirement plan specified by the member in a direct rollover in accordance with section 411.6B or elects to receive the distribution directly. The system may, by rule, implement a de minimus exception to the automatic rollover provision of this subsection, subject to the limitations of the Internal Revenue Code and any applicable internal revenue service regulations.
90 Acts, ch 1240, §84; 93 Acts, ch 44, §19; 2006 Acts, ch 1092, §18
Referred to in 

  411.24  Payment to representative payee.
  1.  Adults.  When it appears to the system that the interest of an applicant entitled to a payment would be served, certification of payment may be made, regardless of the legal competence or incompetence of the individual entitled to the payment, either for direct payment to the applicant, or for the applicant’s use and benefit to a representative of an applicant. Payments under this section shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
  2.  Minors.  Payments on behalf of minors shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
  3.  Finality.  Any payments made under the provisions of this section shall be a complete settlement and satisfaction of any claim, right, or interest in and to such payment.
98 Acts, ch 1183, §97
411.25 through 411.29Reserved.

  411.30  Transfer of membership.
  1.  Upon the written approval of the applicable county board of supervisors and city council, to the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, a vested member of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system on June 30, 1986, who meets all of the following requirements shall become a member of a retirement system under this chapter on July 1, 1986:
  a.  Was a vested member of the retirement system established in this chapter on June 30, 1973.
  b.  Was an elected bailiff of a municipal court on June 30, 1973.
  c.  Became a deputy sheriff on July 1, 1973, and pursuant to 1972 Iowa Acts, chapter 1124, section 43, continued coverage under a retirement system under this chapter.
  d.  Upon election as a county sheriff, was transferred from membership under this chapter to membership in a retirement system established in chapter 97B.
  2.  The Iowa public employees’ retirement system shall transfer to the board of trustees of the applicable retirement system under this chapter an amount equal to the total of the accumulated contributions of the member as defined in section 97B.1A, subsection 2, together with the employer contribution for that period of service plus the interest that accrued on the contributions for that period equal to two percent plus the interest dividend rate applicable for each year. The board of trustees of the applicable retirement system under this chapter shall credit the member whose contributions are transferred under this section with membership service under this chapter for the period for which the member was covered under the Iowa public employees’ retirement system. If the amount of the accumulated contributions as defined in section 97B.1A, subsection 2, transferred is less than the amount that would have been contributed under section 411.8, subsection 1, paragraph “f”, at the rates in effect for the period for which contributions were made plus the interest that would have accrued on the amount, the member shall pay the difference together with interest that would have accrued on the amount.
  3.  a.  If the amount of the employer contributions transferred is less than the amount that would have been contributed by the employer under section 411.5, subsection 12, paragraph “b”, plus the interest that would have accrued on the contributions, the board of trustees of the applicable retirement system under this chapter shall determine the remaining contribution amount due. The board of trustees shall notify the county board of supervisors of the county in which the sheriff was elected of the remaining amount to be paid to the retirement system under this chapter.
  b.  The county board of supervisors shall forthwith pay to the board of trustees of the applicable retirement system the remaining amount to be paid from moneys in the county general fund.
  4.  From July 1, 1986, the county board of supervisors of the county in which the sheriff was elected shall deduct the contribution required of the member under section 411.8, subsection 1, paragraph “f”, from the member’s earnable compensation and the county shall pay from the county general fund an amount equal to the normal rate of contribution multiplied by the member’s earnable compensation to the applicable retirement system for the period in which the member remains sheriff or deputy sheriff of that county.
86 Acts, ch 1243, §30; 98 Acts, ch 1183, §82; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §161
Referred to in 

  411.31  Optional transfers with chapter 97A.
  1.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
  a.  “Average accrued benefit” means the average of the amounts representing the present value of the accrued benefit earned by the member determined by the former system and the present value of the accrued benefit earned by the member determined by the current system.
  b.  “Current system” means the eligible retirement system in which a person has commenced employment covered by the system after having terminated employment covered by the former system.
  c.  “Eligible retirement system” means the system created under this chapter and the Iowa department of public safety peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system established in chapter 97A.
  d.  “Former system” means the eligible retirement system in which a person has terminated employment covered by the system prior to commencing employment covered by the current system.
  e.  “Refund liability” means the amount the member may elect to withdraw from the former system under section 97A.16.
  2.  Commencing July 1, 1996, a vested member of an eligible retirement system who terminates employment covered by one eligible retirement system and, within one year, commences employment covered by the other eligible retirement system may elect to transfer the greater of the average accrued benefit or refund liability earned from the former system to the current system. The member shall file an application with the current system for transfer of the greater of the average accrued benefit or refund liability within ninety days of the commencement of employment with the current system.
  3.  Notwithstanding subsection 2, a vested member whose employment with the current system commenced prior to July 1, 1996, may elect to transfer the average accrued benefit earned under the former system to the current system by filing an application with the current system for transfer of the average accrued benefit on or before July 1, 1997.
  4.  Upon receipt of an application for transfer as provided in this section, the current system shall calculate the average accrued benefit and the refund liability and the former system shall transfer to the current system assets in an amount equal to the greater of the average accrued benefit or refund liability. Once the transfer is completed, the member’s service under the former system shall be treated as membership service under the current system for purposes of this chapter and chapter 97A.
96 Acts, ch 1187, §105; 2002 Acts, ch 1135, §52, 53; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §69 – 71
411.32 through 411.34Reserved.

  411.35  Statewide system established — city systems terminated.
  1.  Effective January 1, 1992, a single statewide fire and police retirement system is established to replace the individual city fire retirement systems and police retirement systems operating under this chapter prior to that date. Each city fire retirement system and police retirement system operating under this chapter prior to May 3, 1990, shall participate in the statewide system.
  2.  Effective January 1, 1992, each city fire retirement system and police retirement system operating under this chapter prior to that date is terminated, and all membership, benefit rights, and financial obligations under the terminating systems shall be assumed by the statewide fire and police retirement system.
90 Acts, ch 1240, §85; 91 Acts, ch 52, §4

  411.36  Board of trustees for statewide system.
  1.  a.  A board of trustees for the statewide fire and police retirement system is created. The board shall consist of thirteen members, including nine voting members and four nonvoting members. The voting members shall be as follows:
  (1)  Two fire fighters from different participating cities, one of whom is an active member of the retirement system and one of whom is a retired member. The fire fighters shall be appointed by the governing body of the Iowa association of professional fire fighters.
  (2)  Two police officers from different participating cities, one of whom is an active member of the retirement system and one of whom is a retired member. The police officers shall be appointed by the governing body of the Iowa state police association.
  (3)  A city treasurer, city financial officer, or city clerk involved with the financial matters of the city from four participating cities, one of whom is from a city having a population of less than thirty thousand, and three of whom are from cities having a population of thirty thousand or more. The members authorized pursuant to this paragraph shall be appointed by the governing body of the Iowa league of cities.
  (4)  One citizen who does not hold another public office. The citizen shall be appointed by the other members of the board.
  b.  The nonvoting members of the board shall be two state representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one by the minority leader of the house, and two state senators, one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one by the minority leader of the senate.
  2.  Except as otherwise provided for the initial appointments, the voting members shall be appointed for four-year terms, and the nonvoting members shall be appointed for terms as provided in section 69.16B. Terms of voting members begin on May 1 in the year of appointment and expire on April 30 in the year of expiration.
  3.  Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments. A vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.
  4.  The board shall elect a chairperson from among its own members.
  5.  a.  The voting members of the board shall be paid their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and shall receive a per diem as specified in section 7E.6 for each day of service. Per diem and expenses shall be paid to voting members from the fire and police retirement fund created in section 411.8.
  b.  A participating city shall allow an employee who is a member of the board to attend all meetings of the board. In their capacity as members of the board, which is an instrumentality of political subdivisions of the state, members of the board shall be deemed to be jointly serving the members of the system and the participating cities. The members of the board shall perform their duties in the best interest of the system. Board members who are employees of participating cities shall be allowed to attend board meetings without being required to use paid leave. Costs incurred by a board member which are associated with having a replacement perform the member’s other duties for the participating city while serving in the capacity of a member of the board may be considered a necessary expense of the system.
  c.  Per diem and expenses of the legislative members shall be paid from the funds appropriated under section 2.12. However, legislative members shall not be paid pursuant to this section when the general assembly is actually in session at the seat of government.
  6.  A member, employee, and the secretary of the board of trustees are not personally liable for claims based upon an act or omission of the person performed in the discharge of the person’s duties, except for acts or omissions which involve intentional misconduct, or for a transaction from which the person derives an improper personal benefit, even if the acts or omissions violate the standards established in section 411.7, subsection 2.
90 Acts, ch 1240, §86; 91 Acts, ch 52, §2; 93 Acts, ch 44, §20; 95 Acts, ch 3, §5; 98 Acts, ch 1183, §98; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §72; 2009 Acts, ch 106, §11, 12, 14; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180
Referred to in 

  411.37  Board responsible for transition.
  1.  The board of trustees for the statewide system is responsible for effecting the transition from the city fire and police retirement systems to the statewide fire and police retirement system. The board shall adopt a transition plan and other appropriate transition documents it deems necessary to accomplish the transition in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. The city fire and police retirement systems shall comply with orders of the board issued pursuant to the transition plan or other transition documents.
  2.  The board shall include in the transition plan or other transition documents, provisions to facilitate continuity under sections 411.21 and 411.30, and any appropriations to the system from the state.
  3.  For each of the fiscal years beginning July 1, 1990, and July 1, 1991, ten percent of the amount appropriated by the state for distribution to cities shall be made available to the board of trustees for the statewide system to cover the administrative costs of the transition. The amount distributed to each city shall be reduced accordingly. The moneys remaining unencumbered or unexpended at the end of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, and the moneys remaining unencumbered or unexpended on January 1, 1992, shall be credited to the cities in the same proportion as the reduction.
90 Acts, ch 1240, §87; 91 Acts, ch 52, §3; 96 Acts, ch 1187, §106; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §52

  411.38  Obligations of participating cities.
  1.  Upon the establishment of the statewide system, each city participating in the statewide fire and police retirement system shall do all of the following:
  a.  Pay to the statewide system the normal contribution rate provided pursuant to section 411.8.
  b.  (1)  Transfer from each terminated city fire or police retirement system to the statewide system amounts sufficient to cover the accrued liabilities of that terminated system as determined by the actuary of the statewide system. The actuary of the statewide system shall redetermine the accrued liabilities of the terminated systems as necessary to take into account additional amounts payable by the city which are attributable to errors or omissions which occurred prior to January 1, 1992, or to matters pending as of January 1, 1992. If the actuary of the statewide system determines that the assets transferred by a terminated system are insufficient to fully fund the accrued liabilities of the terminated system as determined by the actuary as of January 1, 1992, the participating city shall pay to the statewide system an amount equal to the unfunded liability plus interest for the period beginning January 1, 1992, and ending with the date of payment or the date of entry into an amortization agreement pursuant to this section. Interest on the unfunded liability shall be computed at a rate equal to the greater of the actuarial interest rate assumption on investments of the moneys in the fund or the actual investment earnings of the fund for the applicable calendar year. The participating city may enter into an agreement with the statewide system to make additional annual contributions sufficient to amortize the unfunded accrued liability of the terminated system. The terms of an amortization agreement shall be based upon the recommendation of the actuary of the statewide system, and the agreement shall do each of the following:
  (a)  Allow the city to make additional annual contributions over a period not to exceed thirty years from January 1, 1992.
  (b)  Provide that the city shall pay a rate of return on the amortized amount that is at least equal to the estimated rate of return on the investments of the statewide system for the years covered by the amortization agreement.
  (c)  Contain other terms and conditions as are approved by the board of trustees for the statewide system.
  (2)  In the alternative, a city may treat the city’s accrued unfunded liability for the terminated system as legal indebtedness to the statewide system for the purposes of section 384.24, subsection 3, paragraph “f”.
  c.  Contribute additional amounts necessary to ensure sufficient financial support for the statewide fire and police retirement system, as determined by the board of trustees based on information provided by the actuary of the statewide system.
  2.  It is the intent of the general assembly that a terminated city fire or police retirement system shall not subsidize any portion of any other system’s unfunded liabilities in connection with the transition to the statewide system. The actuary of the statewide system shall determine if the assets of a terminated city fire or police retirement system would exceed the amount sufficient to cover the accrued liabilities of that terminated system as of January 1, 1992, using the alternative assumptions and the proposed assumptions.
  3.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “alternative assumptions” means that the interest rate earned on investments of moneys in the fire and police retirement fund would be seven percent and that the state would not contribute to the fund under section 411.8 and section 411.20, Code 2009, after January 1, 1992, and “proposed assumptions” means that the interest rate earned on investments of moneys in the fire and police retirement fund would be seven and one-half percent and the state will pay contributions as provided pursuant to section 411.8 and section 411.20, Code 2009, after January 1, 1992. These assumptions are to be used solely for the purposes of this section, and shall not impact upon decisions of the board of trustees concerning the assumption of the interest rate earned on investments, or the contributions by the state as provided for in section 411.8 and section 411.20, Code 2009.
  4.  If the determination by the actuary using the alternative assumptions reflects that the assets of the terminated system exceed the amount sufficient to cover the accrued liabilities as of January 1, 1992, all excess funds as determined utilizing the alternative assumptions and the interest and earnings from those excess funds shall be used only as approved by the city council of the participating city. The city council may approve use of the excess funds to reduce only the city’s contribution to the statewide system, or the city council may approve use of the excess funds to reduce the city’s contribution and the members’ contributions to the statewide system. If the city council approves use of the excess funds to reduce both the city’s and the members’ contributions, the members shall not withdraw the portion of the members’ contributions paid from excess funds, as would otherwise be authorized in accordance with section 411.23.
  5.  If the determination by the actuary using the alternative assumptions reflects that the assets of the terminated system do not exceed the amount sufficient to cover the accrued liabilities as of January 1, 1992, but a determination by the actuary using the proposed assumptions reflects that the assets of the terminated system do exceed the amount sufficient to cover the accrued liabilities as of January 1, 1992, all excess funds as determined utilizing the proposed assumptions and the interest and earnings from those excess funds shall be used only to reduce the city’s contribution rate to the statewide system. The participating city shall determine what portion of the excess funds shall be applied to reduce the city’s contribution rate for a given year.
90 Acts, ch 1240, §88; 92 Acts, ch 1197, §1, 2, 4; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §71; 96 Acts, ch 1187, §107; 2010 Acts, ch 1069, §137; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §93
Subsection 3 amended

  411.39  Benefits for employees of the board of trustees for the statewide system.
  1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
  a.  “Benefit programs” mean the state life insurance program, the state health or medical insurance program, and the state employees disability program administered by the department of administrative services.
  b.  “Employees” mean the secretary and other employees of the board of trustees for the statewide fire and police retirement system.
  2.  Employees are eligible to participate in the benefit programs for state employees. Participation in the benefit programs is optional, and an employee may participate by filing an election, in writing, with the board of trustees for the statewide system. The board of trustees shall file these elections with the department of administrative services.
  3.  The board of trustees shall determine what, if any, amount of the costs or premiums of the benefit programs shall be paid by the participating employees, and shall deduct the amount from the wages of the participating employees. The board of trustees shall pay the remaining costs or premiums of the benefit programs from the fire and police retirement fund, including any portion to be attributed to an employer, and shall forward all amounts paid by participating employees and the board to the department of administrative services.
  4.  Participating employees shall be exempted from preexisting medical condition waiting periods. Participating employees may change programs or coverage under the state health or medical service group insurance plan subject to the enrollment rules established for full-time state employees excluded from collective bargaining as provided in chapter 20. A participating employee or the participating employee’s surviving spouse shall have the same rights upon final termination of employment or death as are afforded full-time state employees and the employees’ surviving spouses excluded from collective bargaining as provided in chapter 20.
92 Acts, ch 1197, §3; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286

  411.40  Voluntary benefit programs.
  The board of trustees may establish voluntary benefit programs for members subject to the following conditions:
  1.  The voluntary benefit programs may provide benefits including, but not limited to, retiree health benefits, long-term care, and life insurance.
  2.  Participation in the voluntary benefit programs by members shall be voluntary.
  3.  Contributions to the voluntary benefit programs shall be paid entirely by each participating member by means of payroll deduction. Cities employing members participating in voluntary benefit programs shall forward the amounts deducted to the board of trustees for deposit in the voluntary benefit fund.
  4.  The voluntary benefit programs and the voluntary benefit fund shall be administered under the direction of the board of trustees for the exclusive benefit of members paying contributions as provided in subsection 3.
  5.  The assets of the voluntary benefit programs shall be credited to the voluntary benefit fund, which is hereby created. The voluntary benefit fund shall include contributions deposited in accordance with subsection 3, and any interest and earnings on the contributions. The board of trustees shall annually establish an investment policy to govern the investment and reinvestment of the assets in the voluntary benefit fund. The voluntary benefit fund created under this section and the fire and police retirement fund created under section 411.8 shall not be used to subsidize any portion of the liabilities of the other fund.
  6.  The board of trustees shall include in its annual budget the amount of money necessary during the following year to provide for the expense of operation of the voluntary benefit programs. The operating expenses shall be paid from the voluntary benefit fund under the direction of the board of trustees.
96 Acts, ch 1187, §108
Referred to in