79-9,103. Annuity payment; cost-of-living adjustments; additional adjustments.
(1) Any annuity paid on or after September 1, 1983, to a member who retired prior to February 21, 1982, pursuant to the Class V School Employees Retirement Act, or to such member's beneficiary, or to a person who retired under the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, or to such person's beneficiary, shall be adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the effective date of retirement and June 30, 1983, except that such increase shall not exceed the sum of one dollar and fifty cents per month for each year of creditable service and one dollar per month for each completed year of retirement as measured from the effective date of retirement to June 30, 1983. No separate adjustment in such annuity shall be made as a result of the changes made in section 79-9,113 pursuant to Laws 1983, LB 488. If a joint and survivor annuity was elected, the increase shall be actuarially adjusted so that the joint and survivor annuity remains the actuarial equivalent of the life annuity otherwise payable.
(2) In addition to the cost-of-living adjustment provided in subsection (1) of this section, any annuity paid on or after September 1, 1986, pursuant to the act or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before September 1, 1985, shall be adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the effective date of retirement and June 30, 1986, except that such increase shall not exceed (a) three and one-half percent for annuities first paid on or after September 1, 1984, (b) seven percent for annuities first paid on or after September 1, 1983, but before September 1, 1984, or (c) ten and one-half percent for all other annuities.
(3) In addition to the cost-of-living adjustments provided in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, any annuity paid on or after September 1, 1989, pursuant to the act or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before September 1, 1988, shall be adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the effective date of retirement and June 30, 1989, except that such increase shall not exceed (a) three percent for annuities first paid on or after September 1, 1987, (b) six percent for annuities first paid on or after September 1, 1986, but before September 1, 1987, or (c) nine percent for all other annuities.
(4) In addition to the cost-of-living adjustments provided in subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section, any annuity paid on or after September 1, 1992, pursuant to the act or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 1, 1991, shall be adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the effective date of retirement and June 30, 1992, except that such increase shall not exceed (a) three percent for annuities first paid after October 1, 1990, (b) six percent for annuities first paid after October 1, 1989, but on or before October 1, 1990, or (c) nine percent for all other annuities.
(5) In addition to the cost-of-living adjustments provided in subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, any annuity paid on or after September 1, 1995, pursuant to the act or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 1, 1994, shall be adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the effective date of retirement and June 30, 1995, except that such increase shall not exceed (a) three percent for annuities first paid after October 1, 1993, (b) six percent for annuities first paid after October 1, 1992, but on or before October 1, 1993, or (c) nine percent for all other annuities.
(6) In addition to the cost-of-living adjustments provided in subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, any annuity paid pursuant to the act or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 1, 1994, shall be subject to adjustment to equal the greater of (a) the annuity payable to the member or beneficiary as adjusted, if applicable, under the provisions of subsection (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section or (b) ninety percent of the annuity which results when the original annuity that was paid to the member or beneficiary (before any cost-of-living adjustments under this section), is adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the commencement date of the annuity and June 30, 1995.
(7) In addition to the cost-of-living adjustments provided in subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6) of this section, any annuity paid on or after September 1, 1998, pursuant to the act or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 3, 1997, shall be adjusted by the increase in the cost of living or wage levels between the effective date of retirement and June 30, 1998, except that such increase shall not exceed (a) three percent for annuities first paid after October 1, 1996, (b) six percent for annuities first paid after October 1, 1995, but on or before October 1, 1996, or (c) nine percent for all other annuities.
(8) Beginning January 1, 2000, and on January 1 of every year thereafter, for employees of Class V school districts who were members prior to July 1, 2013, a cost-of-living adjustment shall be made for any annuity being paid pursuant to the act, or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 3 preceding such January 1 adjustment date. The cost-of-living adjustment for any such annuity shall be the lesser of (a) one and one-half percent or (b) the increase in the consumer price index from the date such annuity first became payable through the August 31 preceding the January 1 adjustment date as reduced by the aggregate cost-of-living adjustments previously made to the annuity pursuant to this section.
(9) Beginning January 1, 2014, and on January 1 of every year thereafter, for employees of Class V school districts who became members on or after July 1, 2013, a cost-of-living adjustment shall be made for any annuity being paid pursuant to the act and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 3 preceding such January 1 adjustment date. The cost-of-living adjustment for any such annuity shall be the lesser of (a) one percent or (b) the increase in the consumer price index from the date such annuity first became payable through the August 31 preceding the January 1 adjustment date as reduced by the aggregate cost-of-living adjustments previously made to the annuity pursuant to this section.
(10) Beginning September 1, 1999, the actuary shall make an annual valuation of the assets and liabilities of the system. If the annual valuation made by the actuary, as approved by the board of trustees, indicates that the system has sufficient actuarial surplus to provide for a cost-of-living adjustment in addition to the adjustment made pursuant to subsection (8) or (9) of this section, the board of trustees may, in its discretion, declare by resolution that each annuity being paid pursuant to the act, or pursuant to the provisions of the retirement system established by statute for employees of Class V school districts in effect prior to September 1, 1951, and on which the first payment was dated on or before October 3 of the year such resolution is adopted, shall be increased beginning as of the January 1 following the date of the board of trustees' resolution by such percentage as may be declared by the board of trustees, except that such increase for any such annuity shall not exceed the increase in the consumer price index from the date such annuity first became payable through the applicable valuation date as reduced by the aggregate cost-of-living adjustments previously made to the annuity pursuant to this section.
(11) Except for the adjustments pursuant to subsection (13) of this section, the consumer price index to be used for determining any cost-of-living adjustment under this section shall be the Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. If this consumer price index is discontinued or replaced, a substitute index published by the United States Department of Labor shall be selected by the board if before September 1, 2024, or by the retirement board if on or after September 1, 2024. Any substitute index selected shall be a reasonable representative measurement of the cost of living for retired employees. An annuity as increased by any cost-of-living adjustment made under this section shall be considered the base annuity amount for the purpose of future adjustments pursuant to this section. In no event shall any cost-of-living adjustment be deemed to affect or increase the amount of the base retirement annuity of a member as determined under section 79-999 or 79-9,100.
(12) Any decision or determination by the board or retirement board, as applicable, (a) to declare or not declare a cost-of-living adjustment, (b) as to whether the annual valuation indicates a sufficient actuarial surplus to provide for a cost-of-living adjustment, or (c) pursuant to the selection of a substitute index shall be made in the sole, absolute, and final discretion of the board or retirement board, as applicable, and shall not be subject to challenge by any member or beneficiary. In no event shall the Legislature be constrained or limited in amending the system or increasing the benefits of members under the system, nor shall the board or retirement board, as applicable, be constrained from supporting any such change to the system, notwithstanding the effect of any such change upon the actuarial surplus of the system and the ability of the board or retirement board, as applicable, to declare future cost-of-living adjustments.
(13) The Legislature finds and declares that there exists in this state a pressing need to attract and retain qualified and dedicated public school employees and that one of the factors prospective public school employees consider when seeking or continuing public school employment is the retirement system and benefits the employment provides. The Legislature further finds that over the past decades, as reflected by the Medical Price Index published by the United States Department of Labor, the cost of medical care, including the cost of medications and insurance coverages, has increased at a rate in excess of that by which the Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers has increased. The Legislature further finds and declares that there accordingly exists a need to adjust the amount of retirement benefits paid to retired public school employees in order to assist them in meeting the increased cost of medical care. Therefor, in addition to the cost-of-living adjustments provided in subsections (1) through (12) of this section, commencing on October 3, 2001, and on October 3 of every year thereafter, a medical cost-of-living adjustment shall be paid to any annuitant who became a member prior to July 1, 2016, and has been paid an annuity from the retirement system for at least ten years through the October 3 adjustment date. The cost-of-living adjustment shall be paid in the form of a supplemental annuity providing monthly payments equal to the amount which results when (a) the fraction, not to exceed one, that results when the annuitant's years of creditable service at his or her retirement date is divided by twenty, is multiplied by (b) the product of ten dollars times the number of years, including attained one-half years, that such annuitant has received annuity payments from the retirement system through the October 3 adjustment date. The supplemental annuity being paid to an annuitant shall increase by ten dollars on October 3 of each subsequent year to reflect the additional year of annuity payments to the annuitant until the total amount of the supplemental annuity is two hundred fifty dollars. In no event shall the medical cost-of-living adjustment for any annuitant pursuant to this subsection result in the payment of a supplemental annuity exceeding two hundred fifty dollars per month. The supplemental annuity paid to an annuitant pursuant to this subsection shall cease at the death of the annuitant regardless of the form of retirement annuity being paid to the annuitant at the time of his or her death.
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