§88-286  Death benefit.  (a)  The
surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary and children under the age of
eighteen of a member at the time of the member's death shall be eligible for a
death benefit if the member suffers either:



(1)  An ordinary death after accumulating ten years of
credited service and the member dies:



(A)  While in service; or



(B)  While on authorized leave without pay; or



(2)  An accidental death.



(b)  In the case of ordinary death, the death
benefit shall be as follows:



(1)  For the surviving spouse or reciprocal
beneficiary, an allowance equal to one-half of the member's accrued maximum
retirement allowance unreduced for age, payable until remarriage, marriage, or
entry into a new reciprocal beneficiary relationship, as if the member had
retired on the first day of a month following the member's death, except for
the month of December when retirement on the first or last day of the month
shall be allowed; and for each child under the age of eighteen an allowance
equal to ten per cent of the member's accrued maximum retirement allowance
unreduced for age, payable until the child attains age eighteen; provided that
the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen
shall not exceed twenty per cent of the member's accrued retirement allowance
unreduced for age; or



(2)  For the surviving spouse or reciprocal
beneficiary, if the member was eligible for retirement at the time of death in
service, and death occurred after June 30, 1990, an allowance that would have been
payable as if the member had retired on the first day of a month following the
member's death, except for the month of December when retirement on the first
or last day of the month shall be allowed and had elected to receive a
retirement allowance under option B of section 88-283; and



(3)  If there is no surviving spouse or reciprocal
beneficiary, each child under the age of eighteen shall receive an allowance
equal to twenty per cent of the member's accrued maximum retirement allowance
unreduced for age, payable on the first day of a month following the member's
death, except for the month of December when retirement on the first or last
day of the month shall be allowed, until the child attains age eighteen;
provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age
of eighteen shall not exceed forty per cent of the member's accrued maximum
retirement allowance unreduced for age.



For the purpose of determining eligibility for
the ordinary death benefit, a year round school employee shall be considered in
service during the July and August preceding a transfer to a traditional school
schedule if the employee was in service for the entire prior school year and
has a contract for the upcoming traditional school year.  The application for
ordinary death benefits shall be filed no later than three years from the date
of the member's death.



(c)  In the case of accidental death as
determined by the board pursuant to section 88-85.5, the death benefit shall be
effective on the first day of the month following the member's death, except
for the month of December when retirement on the first or last day of the month
shall be allowed, as follows:



(1)  For the surviving spouse or reciprocal
beneficiary, an allowance equal to thirty per cent of the member's average
final compensation, payable until remarriage, marriage, or upon entry into a
new reciprocal beneficiary relationship;



(2)  If there is a surviving spouse or reciprocal
beneficiary, each child under the age of eighteen shall receive an allowance
equal to the greater of:



(A)  Ten per cent of the member's accrued
maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age; provided that the aggregate
death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed
twenty per cent of the member's accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced
for age; or



(B)  Three per cent of the member's average
final compensation; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the
children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed six per cent of the
member's average final compensation.



The death benefit under this paragraph shall be
payable to each child until the child attains age eighteen; and



(3)  If there is no surviving spouse or reciprocal
beneficiary, each child under the age of eighteen shall receive an allowance
equal to the greater of:



(A)  Twenty per cent of the member's accrued
maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age; provided that the aggregate
death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed
forty per cent of the member's accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced
for age; or



(B)  Six per cent of the member's average final
compensation; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children
under the age of eighteen shall not exceed twelve per cent of the member's
average final compensation.



The death benefit under this paragraph shall be
payable to each child until the child attains age eighteen.



(d)  Benefits payable under this section shall
continue through the end of the last month in which the payee is eligible for
the benefit. [L 1984, c 108, pt of §8; am L 1993, c 22, §1 as superseded by c
67, §3; am L 1994, c 108, §4; am L 1997, c 212, §7 and c 383, §33; am L 2001, c
101, §6; am L 2002, c 128, §12; am L 2004, c 179, §29; am L 2005, c 58, §21; am
L 2006, c 169, §30; am L 2008, c 41, §7]



 



Attorney General Opinions



 



  Hanai children are not included within meaning of
"child" or "children" as used in section.  Att. Gen. Op.
93-1.