[§87A-21]  Eligibility.  (a)  The boardshall establish eligibility criteria to determine who can qualify as anemployee-beneficiary, dependent-beneficiary, or qualified-beneficiary,consistent with the provisions of this chapter.

(b)  A retired member of the employees'retirement system; a county pension system; or a police, firefighters, andbandsmen pension system of the State or county, shall be eligible to qualify asan employee-beneficiary:

(1)  Regardless of whether the retired member wasactively employed by the State or county at the time of the retired employee'sretirement; and

(2)  Without regard to the date of the retiredmember's retirement.

(c)  A dependent of a retired member shall beeligible to qualify as an employee-beneficiary or dependent-beneficiary:

(1)  Regardless of whether the retired member wasactively employed by the State or county at the time of the retired employee'sretirement; and

(2)  Without regard to the date of the retiredmember's retirement. [L 2001, c 88, pt of §1]