Notwithstanding Sections 31781.1 and 31781.3, the surviving spouse of a member subject to Section 31751 who dies in service after 10 years of service, or as a result of service-connected injury or disease, may elect, in lieu of the life annuity provided in Section 31765.11 or the death benefit provided in Section 31781.01, the benefit that is the sum of both of the following:
(a) An amount, provided from contributions by the county or district, equal to one-twelfth of the annual compensation earnable or pensionable compensation as defined in Section 7522.34, whichever is applicable, by the deceased during the 12 months immediately preceding his or her death, multiplied by the number of completed years of service under the system, but not to exceed 50 percent of that compensation.
(b) A monthly allowance as provided in Section 31765.11 reduced by a monthly amount which is the actuarial equivalent of the amount in subdivision (a) as applied to the life of the surviving spouse.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 741, Sec. 10. (AB 2474) Effective January 1, 2015.)