1. A. This section applies to distributions made on or after January 1, 1993. Notwithstanding any provision of the System to the contrary that would otherwise limit a Distributee's election hereunder, a Distributee may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the Board, to have any portion of an Eligible Rollover Distribution paid directly to an Eligible Retirement Plan specified by the Distributee in a Direct Rollover.

2. B. As used in this section:

   1. 1. "Eligible Rollover Distribution" means any distribution of all or any portion of the balance to the credit of the Distributee, except that an Eligible Rollover Distribution does not include: any distribution that is one of a series of substantially equal periodic payments (not less frequently than annually) made for the life (or life expectancy) of the Distributee or the joint lives (or life expectancies) of the Distributee and the Distributee's designated beneficiary, or for a specified period of ten (10) years or more, any distribution to the extent such distribution is required under Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; and the portion of any distribution that is not includable in gross income; provided, however, that effective January 1, 2002, a portion of a distribution shall not fail to be an Eligible Rollover Distribution merely because the portion consists of after-tax member contributions which are not includable in gross income. However, such portion may be paid only to an individual retirement account or annuity described in Section 408(a) or (b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,

      or to a qualified defined contribution plan described in Section 401(a) or 403(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, that agrees to separately account for amounts so transferred, including separate accounting for the portion of such distribution which is includable in gross income and the portion of such distribution which is not so includable.

   2. 2. "Eligible Retirement Plan" means an individual retirement account described in Section 408(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and individual retirement annuity described in Section 408(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, an annuity plan described in Section 403(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or a qualified trust described in Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, that accepts the Distributee's Eligible Rollover Distribution. Effective January 1, 2002, an Eligible Retirement Plan shall also mean an annuity contract described in Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and an eligible plan under Section 457(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which is maintained by a state, political subdivision of a state, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or political subdivision of a state and which agrees to separately account for amounts transferred into such plan from the System. Effective January 1, 2002, the definition of Eligible Retirement Plan shall also apply in the case of a distribution to a surviving spouse, or to a spouse or former spouse who is the alternate payee pursuant to a qualified domestic order as defined in subsection B of Section 2-303.3 of this title. An Eligible Retirement Plan does not include a Roth IRA under Section 408(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
   3. 3. "Distributee" means an employee or former employee. In addition, effective June 7, 1993, the employee's or former employee's surviving spouse and the employee's or former employee's spouse or former spouse who is the alternate payee under a qualified domestic order, as defined in subsection B of Section 2-303.3 of this title, are Distributees with regard to the interest of the spouse or the former spouse.
   4. 4. "Direct Rollover" means a payment by the System to the Eligible Retirement Plan specified by the Distributee.

3. C. At least thirty (30) days and not more than ninety (90) days before the date of distribution, the Distributee must be provided with a notice of rights which satisfies Section 402(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as to rollover options and tax effects. Such distribution may commence less than thirty (30) days after the notice is given, provided that:

   1. 1. The Board clearly informs the Distributee that the Distributee has a right to a period of at least thirty (30) days after receiving the notice to consider the decision of whether or not to elect a distribution; and
   2. 2. The Distributee, after receiving the notice, affirmatively elects a distribution.

Laws 1999, HB 1814, c. 257, § 25, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999; Amended by Laws 2000, HB 1939, c. 287, § 16, emerg. eff. July 1, 2000 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2003, HB 1647, c. 406, § 5, emerg. eff. July 1, 2003 (superseded document available).