As used in this chapter:

(1) "Administrator" means the director of the retirement systems.

(2) "Alternate payee" means a spouse or former spouse of a member or retired member who is recognized by a domestic relations order as having a right to receive all or a portion of the benefits payable by a retirement system with respect to such member or retired member.

(3) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority.

(4) "Death benefit" means any benefit payable upon the death of a member under Sections 9-1-1650, 9-1-1660, 9-8-110(1), (3), or (4), 9-9-100(1), (2), or (3), 9-11-110, or 9-11-130. The term 'death benefit' does not include any optional form death benefit or any benefit payable under life insurance maintained by a retirement system, by this State or any of its agencies, or by a political subdivision of this State.

(5) "Disability benefit" means any benefit payable to a member or retired member on account of his disability under Sections 9-1-1540, 9-8-60, 9-9-65, or 9-11-80.

(6) "Domestic relations order" means any judgement, decree, or order, including approval of a property settlement agreement, which relates to the provision of alimony payments or marital property rights to a spouse or former spouse of a member or retired member, and is made pursuant to a domestic relations law, including a law of this State or of another state.

(7) "Member" means any person included in the membership of the retirement system.

(8) "Optional form death benefit" means any periodic benefit payable upon the death of a member or retired member on account of the member's selection of an optional form of allowance under Sections 9-1-1620, 9-8-70, 9-9-70, or 9-11-150.

(9) "Qualified domestic relations order" means a domestic relations order which creates or recognizes the existence of an alternate payee's right, or assigns to an alternate payee the right, to receive all or a portion of a benefit payable with respect to a member or retired member under a retirement system, which directs that retirement system to disburse benefits to the alternate payee, and which meets the requirements of this chapter.

(10) "Retirement benefit" means any benefit payable to a retired member and which is based on the member's age, service, pay, or accumulated contributions. "Retirement benefit" does not include any optional form death benefit.

(11) "Retirement System" or "system" means the South Carolina Retirement System, Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors of the State of South Carolina, Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, or South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System.

HISTORY: 1995 Act No. 38, Section 1, eff July 1, 1995 (became law without the Governor's signature on April 27, 1995); 2012 Act No. 278, Pt IV, Subpt 2, Section 58, eff July 1, 2012.