Subd. 1. Entitlement; benefit amount.

1. (a) The surviving spouse of a deceased service pensioner, disability pensioner, deferred pensioner, superannuation pensioner, or active member, who was the legally married spouse of the decedent, residing with the decedent, and who was married while or before the time the decedent was on the payroll of the police department, and who, if the deceased member was a service or deferred pensioner, was legally married to the member for a period of at least one year before retirement from the police department, is entitled to a surviving spouse benefit. The surviving spouse benefit is equal to 22 units per month if the person is the surviving spouse of a deceased active member or disabilitant. The surviving spouse benefit is equal to six units per month, plus an additional one unit for each year of service to the credit of the decedent in excess of five years, to a maximum of 22 units per month, if the person is the surviving spouse of a deceased service pensioner, deferred pensioner, or superannuation pensioner. The surviving spouse benefit is payable for the life of the surviving spouse.
2. (b) A surviving child of a deceased service pensioner, disability pensioner, deferred pensioner, superannuation pensioner, or active member, who was living while the decedent was an active member of the police department or was born within nine months after the decedent terminated active service in the police department, is entitled to a surviving child benefit. The surviving child benefit is equal to eight units per month if the person is the surviving child of a deceased active member or disabilitant. The surviving child benefit is equal to two units per month, plus an additional four-tenths of one unit per month for each year of service to the credit of the decedent in excess of five years, to a maximum of eight units, if the person is the surviving child of a deceased service pensioner, deferred pensioner, or superannuation pensioner. The surviving child benefit is payable until the person attains age 18, or, if in full-time attendance during the normal school year, in a school approved by the board of directors, until the person receives a bachelor's degree or attains the age of 22 years, whichever occurs first. In the event of the death of both parents leaving a surviving child or children entitled to a surviving child benefit as determined in this paragraph, the surviving child is, or the surviving children are, entitled to a surviving child benefit in such sums as determined by the board of directors to be necessary for the care and education of such surviving child or children, but not to exceed the family maximum benefit per month, to the children of any one family.
3. (c) The surviving spouse and surviving child benefits are subject to a family maximum benefit. The family maximum benefit is 41 units per month.
4. (d) A surviving spouse who is otherwise not qualified may receive a benefit if the surviving spouse was married to the decedent for a period of five years and was residing with the decedent at the time of death. The surviving spouse benefit is the same as that provided in paragraph (a), except that if the surviving spouse is younger than the decedent, the surviving spouse benefit must be actuarially equivalent to a surviving spouse benefit that would have been paid to the member's spouse had the member been married to a person of the same age or a greater age than the member's age before retirement.

Subd. 2. Survivor benefit coverage for a member convicted of a felony.

The surviving spouse or a surviving child of a deceased member who was convicted of a felony may not be deprived of a survivor benefit by reason of the conviction unless the person was a party to the commission of the felony. For a member who is receiving a pension at the time of conviction, a survivor who was not a party to the commission of the felony remains entitled to receive the survivor benefit provided for in subdivision 1, in the event of the member's death.

* NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 1 by Laws 1997, chapter *233, article 4, section 7, is effective retroactive to July 1, *1996, and applies to all current spouses of members, except that *the unit increases for surviving spouses in subdivision 1 shall *not otherwise increase the surviving spouse benefit beyond 22 *units. Laws 1997, chapter 233, article 4, section 23.