(A) As used in this section, "paying system" and "transferring system" have the same meanings as in section 3309.35 of the Revised Code.

(B)

(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, a member of the school employees retirement system with at least eighteen months of contributing service in the system, the public employees retirement system, or the state teachers retirement system who exempted self from membership in one or more of the systems pursuant to section 145.03 or 3309.23 of the Revised Code, or former section 3307.25 or 3309.25 of the Revised Code, or was exempt under section 3307.24 of the Revised Code, may purchase credit for each year or portion of a year of service for which the member was exempted.

(2) A member may not purchase credit under this section for service that was exempted from contribution under section 3309.23 of the Revised Code and subject to the tax on wages imposed by the "Federal Insurance Contributions Act," 68A Stat. 415 (1954), 26 U.S.C.A. 3101, as amended.

(C) Upon receipt of a request from a member eligible to purchase credit under this section and certification of the member's service and compensation from the employer for which the exempt service was performed, the school employees retirement system shall determine the amount of credit the member is eligible to purchase in accordance with divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section.

(1) If the credit to be purchased is for service exempted under section 3309.23 or former section 3309.25 of the Revised Code, determine the amount of credit that would have been earned had the service not been exempt.

(2) If the credit to be purchased is for service exempted under section 145.03 or 3307.24, or former section 3307.25 of the Revised Code, request certification from the applicable retirement system that the service was exempt and the amount of service credit that would have been earned had the service not been exempt.

(D) For each year or portion of a year of credit purchased under this section, a member shall pay to the retirement system an amount determined by multiplying the member's compensation for the twelve months of contributing service preceding the month in which the member applies to purchase the credit by a percentage rate established by rule of the school employees retirement board adopted under division (H) of this section.

(E) Subject to board rules, a member may purchase all or part of the credit the member is eligible to purchase under this section in one or more payments. If the member purchases the credit in more than one payment, compound interest at a rate specified by rule of the board shall be charged on the balance remaining after the first payment is made.

(F) Credit purchasable under this section shall not exceed one year of service for any twelve-month period. If the period of service for which credit is purchasable under this section is concurrent with a period of service that will be used to calculate a retirement benefit from this system, the public employees retirement system, or the state teachers retirement system, the amount of the credit shall be adjusted in accordance with rules adopted by the school employees retirement board.

A member who is also a member of the public employees retirement system or the state teachers retirement system shall purchase credit for any service for which the member exempted self under section 145.03 or 3309.23 of the Revised Code, or former section 3307.25 or 3309.25 of the Revised Code, or was exempt under section 3307.24 of the Revised Code, from the retirement system in which the member has the greatest number of years of service credit. If the member receives benefits under section 3309.35 of the Revised Code, the state retirement system that is the paying system under that section shall receive from the system or systems that are the transferring systems the amounts paid by the member for purchase of credit for exempt service plus interest at the actuarial assumption rate of the transferring system . The interest shall be for the period beginning on the date of the member's last payment for purchase of the credit and ending on the date of the member's retirement.

(G) If a member dies or withdraws from service, any payment made by the member under this section shall be considered as accumulated contributions of the member.

(H) The retirement board shall adopt rules to implement this section.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 42, §1, eff. 3/23/2015.

Effective Date: 07-13-2000 .