19-20-201. Administration by retirement board -- jurisdiction and venue for judicial review. (1) The retirement board shall administer and operate the retirement system within the limitations prescribed by this chapter, and it is the duty of the retirement board to:

(a) establish rules necessary for the proper administration and operation of the retirement system;

(b) approve or disapprove all expenditures necessary for the proper operation of the retirement system;

(c) keep a record of all its proceedings, which must be open to public inspection;

(d) submit a report to the office of budget and program planning detailing the fiscal transactions for the 2 fiscal years immediately preceding the report due date, the amount of the accumulated cash and securities of the retirement system, and the last fiscal year balance sheet showing the assets and liabilities of the retirement system;

(e) keep in convenient form the data that is necessary for actuarial valuation of the various funds of the retirement system and for checking the experience of the retirement system;

(f) prepare an annual valuation of the assets and liabilities of the retirement system that includes an analysis of how market performance is affecting the actuarial funding of the retirement system;

(g) require the board's actuary to conduct and report on a periodic actuarial investigation into the actuarial experience of the retirement system;

(h) prescribe a form for membership application that will provide adequate and necessary information for the proper operation of the retirement system;

(i) annually determine the rate of regular interest as prescribed in 19-20-501;

(j) establish and maintain the funds of the retirement system in accordance with the provisions of part 6 of this chapter; and

(k) perform other duties and functions as are required to properly administer and operate the retirement system.

(2) In discharging its duties, the board, or an authorized representative of the board, may conduct hearings, administer oaths and affirmations, take depositions, certify to official acts and records, and issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, and other records. Subpoenas must be issued and enforced pursuant to 2-4-104.

(3) The board may send retirement-related material to employers and the campuses of the Montana university system for delivery to employees. To facilitate distribution, employers and those campuses shall each provide the board with a point of contact who is responsible for distribution of the material provided by the board.

(4) The board shall make available to the state administration and veterans' affairs interim committee and to the legislature pursuant to 5-11-210 copies of the annual actuarial valuation and reports required pursuant to subsections (1)(d), (1)(f), and (1)(g).

(5) Jurisdiction and venue for judicial review of the board's final administrative decisions is the first judicial district, Lewis and Clark County, unless otherwise stipulated by the parties.