L1510.03T

To repeal section 104.110, RSMo Supp. 1996, relating to the highways and transportation employees' and highway patrol retirement system, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

     Section A. Section 104.110, RSMo Supp. 1996, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 104.110, to read as follows:

     104.110. 1. Any employee, regardless of the length of time of creditable service, who is affirmatively found by the board to be wholly incapable of performing the duties of the employee's or any other position in the employee's department for which the employee is suited, shall be entitled to receive disability benefits. The disability benefit provided by this subsection shall equal one and six-tenths percent of the employee's average compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service of the member.

     2. Any uniformed member of the highway patrol, highway patrol employee or [highways and] department of transportation employee, regardless of the length of time of creditable service, who is found by the board to be disabled as a result of injuries incurred in the performance of the employee's duties, shall be entitled to receive an initial disability benefit in an amount equal to seventy percent of the compensation that the employee was receiving on the date preceding the date of disability; provided, however, that the amount of the disability benefit, plus any primary social security disability benefits received by such member shall not exceed ninety percent of the monthly compensation such member was receiving on the date preceding the date of disability.

     3. Any disability benefits payable pursuant to this section shall be decreased by any amount paid to such member for periodic disability benefits by reason of the workers' compensation laws of this state. After termination of payment under workers' compensation, however, disability benefits shall be paid in the amount required by subsections 1, 2, 8 and 10 of this section.

     4. The board of trustees may require a medical examination of a disabled member at any time by a designated physician, and benefits shall be discontinued if the board finds that such member is able to perform the duties of the member's former position or if such member [shall refuse] refuses to submit to a medical examination. Any employee who applies for disability benefits provided pursuant to this section shall provide medical certification acceptable to the board which shall include the date the disability commenced and the expected duration of the disability.

     5. Any employee who applies for disability benefits pursuant to subsections 2 and 8 of this section shall provide proof of application for social security disability benefits. If social security disability benefits are denied, the employee [must] shall also provide proof that the employee has requested reconsideration, and upon denial of the reconsideration, that an appeal process is prosecuted.

     6. The disability benefits provided in this section shall not be paid to any member who retains or regains earning capacity as determined by the board. If a member who has been receiving disability benefits again becomes an employee, the member's disability benefits shall be discontinued.

     7. Upon the completion of six months continuous service after reemployment, the member shall have the member's prior period of creditable service restored. Any subsequent determination of benefits due the member or the member's survivors shall be based on the sum of the member's creditable service accrued to the date the member's disability benefits commenced and the period of creditable service after the member's return to employment. Should the member again become disabled, retire, or terminate employment within the six-month period after the member's return to work, any benefits to which the member [shall become] becomes entitled [will] shall be based on the member's service and compensation to the date disability benefits originally began. There shall be no death benefits payable [under] pursuant to section 104.090 or [under] pursuant to section 104.140 if the employee dies within six months after the member's return to employment from disability. The provision of this subsection shall not apply to a person receiving disability benefits pursuant to subsection 2 of this section.

     8. The board shall also provide or contract for long-term disability benefits for those members whose disability exists or is diagnosed as being of such nature as to exist for more than one year. The benefits provided or contracted for [under] pursuant to this subsection shall be in lieu of any other benefit provided in this section. The eligibility requirements, benefit period and amount of the disability benefits provided pursuant to this subsection shall be established by the board.

     9. Definitions of disability and other rules and procedures necessary for administration of the disability benefits provided [under] pursuant to this section shall be established by the board.

     10. Any member receiving disability benefits pursuant to subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall receive the same cost-of-living increases as granted to retired members pursuant to section 104.130.

     11. The state highways and transportation commission shall contribute the same amount as provided for all state employees for any person receiving disability benefits pursuant to subsection 2 of this section for medical insurance provided pursuant to section 104.270.

     12. Any member who qualified for disability benefits [under] pursuant to subsection 2 or subsection 8 of this section shall continue to accrue normal annuity benefits based on the member's rate of pay immediately prior to the date the member became disabled in accordance with sections 104.090 and 104.615 as in effect on the earlier of the date the member reaches normal retirement age or the date normal annuity payments commence.

     13. A member who continues to be disabled as provided in subsection 2 or subsection 8 of this section shall continue to accrue creditable service until the member reaches normal retirement age. [When a member reaches normal retirement age, any member receiving disability benefits under subsection 2 or subsection 8 of this section shall be eligible to retire or may elect to continue to accrue disability benefits. Any election to continue disability benefits must be made pursuant to rules established by the board.] The maximum benefits period for benefits [under subsection] pursuant to subsections 2 and 8 of this section shall be established by the board. [Any member receiving disability benefits under subsection 2 or subsection 8 of this section may retire at any time after reaching normal retirement age.] A member who [retires pursuant to this subsection] is eligible to retire and does retire while receiving disability benefits pursuant to subsections 2 and 8 of this section shall receive the greater of the normal annuity or the minimum annuity determined pursuant to sections 104.090 and 104.615, as if the member had continued in the active employ of the employer until the member's normal retirement age and the member's compensation for such period had been the member's rate of pay immediately preceding the date the member became disabled.

     14. Any member who was receiving disability benefits from the board prior to August 28, [1995] 1997, or any member who has submitted an application for disability benefits before August 28, [1995] 1997, and would have been eligible to receive benefits pursuant to the eligibility requirements which were applicable at the time of application shall be eligible to receive or shall continue to receive benefits in accordance with such prior eligibility requirements until the member again becomes an employee.

     15. Any member receiving disability benefits pursuant to subsection 2 or subsection 8 of this section shall be eligible to receive death benefits pursuant to the provisions of section 104.095 or subsection 2 of section 104.140. The death benefits provided pursuant to this subsection shall be in lieu of the death benefits available to the member pursuant to subsection 1 of section 104.140.