Section 145.201. Additional service credit purchased by elected or appointed officials

(A) Subject to the limit described in division (C) of this section, any member who is or has been an elected official of the state or any political subdivision thereof or has been appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate to serve full-time as a member of a board, commission, or other public body may at any time prior to retirement purchase additional service credit in an amount not to exceed thirty-five per cent of the service credit allowed the member for the period of service as an elected or appointed official subsequent to January 1, 1935, other than credit for military service, part-time service, and service 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.

For each year of additional service credit purchased under this section, the member shall pay into the employees' savings fund an amount specified by the public employees retirement board that is equal to one hundred per cent of the additional liability resulting from the purchase of that year or portion of a year of credit as determined by an actuary employed by the board. The member shall receive full credit for such additional elective service in computing an allowance or benefit under section 145.33, 145.331, 145.332, 145.36, 145.361, or 145.46 of the Revised Code, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter. The payment to the employees' savings fund, and payments made to the employers' accumulation fund prior to the effective date of this amendment, for such additional elective service credit shall, in the event of death or withdrawal from service, be considered as accumulated contributions of the member.

The board may determine by rule what constitutes full- or part-time service for purposes of this section.

(B) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section, a member who purchased service credit under this section prior to January 1, 1980, on the basis of part-time service shall be permitted to retain the credit and shall be given full credit for it in computing an allowance or benefit under section 145.33, 145.331, 145.332, 145.36, 145.361, or 145.46 of the Revised Code. The public employees retirement board has no authority to cancel or rescind such credit.

(C) A purchase made under this section shall not exceed the limits established by division (n) of section 415 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 415(n), as amended.

(D) Subject to rules adopted by the public employees retirement board, a member who has purchased service credit under this section is entitled to be refunded all or a portion of the actual amount the member paid for the service credit if, in computing an age and service retirement allowance under division (A) of section 145.33or section 145.332 of Revised Code, the allowance exceeds a limit established by either of those sections.

A refund under this division cancels the equivalent amount of service credit.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.148, SB 343, §1, eff. 1/7/2013.

Effective Date: 10-13-2000; 04-06-2007