For the purposes of public retirement systems administered pursuant to this chapter, any reference to the term "spouse" only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman.

(L. 2001 S.B. 371 § 2)

(2013) Same-sex partner of deceased highway patrolman lacked standing to challenge ban on survivor benefits for same-sex married couples, and creating an open-ended class of married couples was not a special law. Glossip v. Missouri Dept. of Transp. and Highway Patrol Employees' Retirement System, 411 S.W.3d 796 (Mo.banc).