§ 24-2-502 — Purchased credited service

(a) Any person who is or was a member of a state-supported retirement system in this state and who was not receiving benefits under the system on July 9, 1975, shall be entitled to purchase credited service in the system for a period not to exceed five (5) years for service rendered by the member in the United States Armed Forces prior to the member's employment in a position covered by a state-supported retirement system, but only if the person: (1) Has five (5) years of actual service with the retirement system; (2) Received an honorable discharge from the armed forces; and (3) (A) For the first three (3) years of credited service, contributes to the members' deposit account a sum of money equal to the amount he or she would have contributed to the account had he or she been a member during his or her term of military service. This amount shall be based upon his or her monthly contributions at the time he or she first became a member of the retirement system and interest thereon at the rate of six percent (6%), together with an amount equal to the employer's matching contribution and interest thereon at the rate of six percent (6%), which interest shall commence January 1, 1976, or six (6) months after eligibility, whichever is later. (B) For the fourth and fifth year of credited service, contributes to the members' deposit account a sum of money equal to the amount he or she would have contributed to the account had he or she been a member during his or her term of military service. This amount shall be based upon: (i) His or her salary at the time he or she first became a member of the retirement system; (ii) The employer's contribution in effect at the time he or she first became eligible to purchase the military service; and (iii) Interest thereon on both the employee's and employer's contributions at the rate of six percent (6%), which interest shall commence January 1, 1976, or six (6) months after eligibility, whichever is later. (b) The benefit program to be applicable to the credited service for members of the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System, the State Police Retirement System, or the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System shall be: (1) The benefit program of § 24-4-101 et seq. for members of the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System; (2) The benefit program based on § 24-6-101 et seq. for members of the State Police Retirement System; or (3) The benefit program based on § 24-7-101 et seq. for members of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. (c) The provisions of this section shall be supplemental to any other laws relating to state-supported retirement systems in this state. Nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal or modify any existing provisions of any state-supported retirement system law providing for credited service in the system for military service, nor to diminish the right of any member of a state-supported retirement system to obtain credited service in the system for military service under the provisions of existing laws, but in no event shall any member of a state-supported retirement system be entitled to or receive in excess of five (5) years of credited service for military service rendered by the member. No member shall be eligible for credited military service in more than one (1) state-supported retirement system. (d) When the applicant can obtain military service credit under this section and also under other laws relating to state-supported retirement systems in this state, then service credit shall be granted under the provisions of the laws in chronological order beginning with the earliest law. However, the laws may not be used to allow duplicate service credit.

Legislative History

Acts 1975, No. 573, §§ 1-3; 1985, No. 938, § 8; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 12-2524.4 -- 12-2524.6; Acts 1993, No. 1098, § 1; 1995, No. 611, § 1; 1997, No. 1053, § 26; 2001, No. 151, § 7; 2009, No. 295, § 1; 2011, No. 69, § 2.