West Virginia Code 18-7A-28e – Limitations on benefit increases
(a) The state shall not increase any existing benefits or create any new benefits for any retirees or beneficiaries currently receiving monthly benefit payments from the retirement system, other than an increase in benefits or new benefits effected by operation of law in effect on the effective date of this article, in an amount that would exceed more than one percent of the accrued actuarial liability of the system as of the last day of the preceding fiscal year as determined in the annual actuarial valuation for each plan completed for the Consolidated Public Retirement Board as of the first day of the following fiscal year.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 18-7A-28e
- Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
- Annuities: means the annual retirement payments for life granted beneficiaries in accordance with this article. See West Virginia Code 18-7A-3
- board: means a county board of education. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Retirement board: means the Consolidated Public Retirement Board created pursuant to §. See West Virginia Code 18-7A-3
- Retirement system: means the State Teachers Retirement System established by this article. See West Virginia Code 18-7A-3
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(b) If any increase of existing benefits or creation of new benefits for any retirees or beneficiaries currently receiving monthly benefit payments under the retirement system, other than an increase in benefits or new benefits effected by operation of law in effect on the effective date of this article, causes any additional unfunded actuarial accrued liability in any of the West Virginia state sponsored pension systems as calculated in the annual actuarial valuation for each plan during any fiscal year, additional unfunded actuarial accrued liability of that pension system shall be fully amortized over no more than the six consecutive fiscal years following the date the increase in benefits or new benefits become effective as certified by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board. Following the receipt of the certification of additional actuarial accrued liability, the Governor shall submit the amount of the amortization payment each year for the retirement system as part of the annual budget submission or in an executive message to the Legislature.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the computation of annuities or benefits for active members due to retirement, death or disability as provided for in the retirement system shall not be amended in such a manner as to increase any existing benefits or to provide for new benefits.
(d) The provisions of this section terminate effective July 1, 2034: Provided, That if bonds are issued pursuant to article eight, chapter twelve of this code, the provisions of this section shall not terminate while any of the bonds are outstanding.