Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3307.42 – Acquiring vested right in pension when granted; suspension of benefits

(A) Except as provided in section 3307.373 of the Revised Code, the granting to any person of an allowance, annuity, pension, or other benefit under the STRS defined benefit plan, or the granting of a benefit under an STRS defined contribution plan, pursuant to an action of the state teachers' retirement board vests a right in such person, so long as the person remains the beneficiary of any of the funds established by section 3307.14 of the Revised Code, to receive the allowance, annuity, pension, or benefit at the rate fixed at the time of granting the allowance, annuity, pension, or benefit. Such right shall also be vested with equal effect in the beneficiary of a grant heretofore made from any of the funds named in section 3307.14 of the Revised Code.
(B)
1. (1) The state teachers retirement system may suspend the benefit of a person receiving a benefit under section 3307.58 or 3307.59 of the Revised Code, a disability benefit under section 3307.63 or 3307.631 of the Revised Code, a survivor benefit under section 3307.66 of the Revised Code, any payment under section 3307.352 of the Revised Code, a benefit under section 3307.60 of the Revised Code as a beneficiary, or a benefit under an STRS defined contribution plan under either of the following circumstances:
  1. (a) The retirement system has good cause to believe that the person receiving benefits is incapacitated and no other person or entity has legal authority to act or receive benefits on the person's behalf.
  2. (b) The retirement system learns that the person receiving benefits is missing, and no person provides evidence satisfactory to the system that the person is alive and is entitled to receive benefits.
2. (2) Benefits shall resume on presentation of evidence satisfactory to the board of any of the following:
  1. (a) The person is no longer incapacitated;
  2. (b) Another person or entity has legal authority to act or receive benefits on the person's behalf;
  3. (c) The person is alive and entitled to receive benefits. Any missed payments shall be paid in a single lump sum payment.
3. (3) A benefit suspended under division (B)(1)(b) of this section shall be terminated on presentation to the board of a decree of presumed death. Notwithstanding section 2121.04 of the Revised Code, the termination shall be retroactive to the date the benefit was suspended.