(a) The board shall terminate a participant's, former participant's or beneficiary's membership in any and all plans in which he or she is or has been a member and shall not thereafter pay any benefits to the participant, former participant or his or her beneficiaries if an affected participant, former participant or beneficiary either waives the right to demand that the board seek a determination of eligibility in circuit court as set forth in section three of this article or fails to respond to the notice within forty days after service thereof as set forth in said section or if a circuit court has determined that the participant or former participant rendered less than honorable service in accordance with section four of this article: Provided, That this article does not authorize the termination of benefits received by a beneficiary that are received as a result of the beneficiary's own membership in a plan or the beneficiary's status as a beneficiary of a member other than the participant or former participant.

(b) If the participant or former participant is deceased and there are two or more beneficiaries at least one of whom has given the board timely notice that he or she wishes to exercise the right to demand that the board seek a determination of eligibility in circuit court, the board shall take the action as provided in this section with respect to all the beneficiaries only upon a determination by the court that the participant or former participant has rendered less than honorable service.