1. (a) Condition.— Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a domestic relations order pertaining to a participant may provide for an irrevocable successor payee if the participant is receiving a payment under a payment option provided by the board that allows for a successor payee.

2. (b) Determination.— A domestic relations order requiring the designation of an irrevocable successor payee is an order which:

   1. (1) requires a participant who is receiving payments from an annuity or other distribution option to designate an alternate payee as a successor payee; and
   2. (2) except by operation of law, prohibits the removal or change of the successor payee without approval of a court of competent jurisdiction.
3. (c) Certification.— A domestic relations order under subsection (b) may be certified as an approved domestic relations order by the secretary of the board or his designated representative. If a domestic relations order is certified under this subsection, the irrevocable successor payee ordered by the court shall not be changed by the participant without approval by the court.
4. (d) Ineligibility.— A person ineligible to be designated as a successor payee shall not be designated as an irrevocable successor payee. A court shall not name an irrevocable successor payee if the alternate payee is eligible to receive a lump sum distribution of the alternate payee's portion of the marital portion of the pension benefit.

(June 12, 2017, P.L.11, No.5, eff. imd.)

2017 Amendment. Act 5 added section 5953.6.

Cross References. Section 5953.6 is referred to in section 5812 of this title.