Subd. 1. Service credit purchase authorized.

1. (a) A teacher who has at least three years of allowable service credit with the teachers retirement association is entitled to purchase up to ten years of allowable and formula service credit for out-of-state teaching service by making payment under section 356.55, provided the out-of-state teaching service was performed for an educational institution established and operated by another governmental jurisdiction and the teacher is not entitled to receive a current or deferred age and service retirement annuity or disability benefit and has not purchased service credit from another defined benefit public employee pension plan for that out-of-state teaching service.

2. (b) For purposes of paragraph (a), "another governmental jurisdiction" means:

   1. (1) another state of the United States;
   2. (2) a governmental subdivision of another state of the United States;
   3. (3) the federal government;
   4. (4) a federally recognized American Indian tribe; or
   5. (5) a country other than the United States.

Subd. 2. Application and documentation.

A teacher who desires to purchase service credit under subdivision 1 must apply with the executive director to make the purchase. The application must include all necessary documentation of the teacher's qualifications to make the purchase, signed written permission to allow the executive director to request and receive necessary verification of applicable facts and eligibility requirements, and any other relevant information that the executive director may require. Payment must be made before the teacher's effective date of retirement.

Subd. 3. Service credit grant.

Allowable and formula service credit for the purchase period must be granted by the teachers retirement association to the purchasing teacher on receipt of the purchase payment amount.

* NOTE: This section, as added by Laws 1999, chapter 222, *article 16, section 2, is repealed effective May 16, 2002. Laws *1999, chapter 222, article 16, section 16.