19-7-802. Purchase of other Montana public service. (1) (a) A member may, at any time before retirement, file a written application with the board to purchase all or any portion of the member's service in the public employees', highway patrol officers', firefighters' unified, game wardens' and peace officers', or municipal police officers' retirement system to the extent that the member either has received or is eligible to receive a refund of the member's membership contributions. To purchase this service, the member shall pay the actuarial cost of the service in the sheriffs' retirement system, as determined by the board, based on the system's most recent actuarial valuation minus the employer contribution provided in subsection (1)(b).
     (b) Upon receiving the member's payment under subsection (1)(a), the board shall transfer from the member's former retirement system to the sheriffs' retirement system an amount equal to the employer contributions made during the member's service but no more than an amount equal to the normal contribution rate minus the employee contribution rate in the sheriffs' retirement system, according to the most recent actuarial valuation, based on the compensation earned by the employee as a member of the former system.
     (2) (a) A member may, at any time before retirement, file a written application with the board to purchase all or a portion of full-time public service employment performed for the state or a political subdivision of the state. The member shall provide compensation and employment documentation certified by the member's public employer. To purchase service under this section, the employee shall pay the actuarial cost of the service in the sheriffs' retirement system, as determined by the board, based on the system's most recent actuarial valuation.
     (b) The board is the sole authority under this subsection (2) in determining what constitutes full-time public service.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 145, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 331, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 217, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 141, Ch. 265, L. 1993; Sec. 19-7-309, MCA 1991; redes. 19-7-802 by Code Commissioner, 1993; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 412, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 54, Ch. 51, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 60, Ch. 562, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 77, Ch. 99, L. 2001.