2007 California Government Code Article 12. Death Benefit

CA Codes (gov:31780-31792)

31780.  Upon the death before retirement of a member while in
service or while physically or mentally incapacitated for the
performance of his duty, if such incapacity has been continuous from
discontinuance of service, or within one month after discontinuance
of service unless the member's accumulated contributions have been
paid to the member pursuant to Section 31628, the retirement system
is liable for a death benefit which shall be paid:
   (a) As provided in Section 31765 or 31765.1 or 31765.11 or 31781.1
or 31787, if the surviving spouse or guardian of one or more of the
surviving children of the member so elects, or
   (b) If no election is made pursuant to Section 31765, or 31765.1,
or 31765.11, or 31781.1, or 31787 and no person is entitled to a
survivor's allowance pursuant to Article 15.5 (commencing with
Section 31841) or Article 16 (commencing with Section 31861) to such
person as he nominates by written designation duly executed and filed
with the board, before the death of the member, or
   (c) If no such election is made, and a parent as defined in
Article 15.5 but no other person is entitled to a survivor's
allowance pursuant to Article 15.5 or 16 and a surviving spouse or
child is designated as beneficiary, to such surviving spouse or
child, or
   (d) If no such election is made, no person is entitled to a
survivor's allowance pursuant to Article 15.5 or 16, and a member has
not nominated a beneficiary, to his estate.



31780.1.  A child eligible to receive a survivor benefit under
Section 31760.1, 31781.1, 31786, or 31787 shall be considered
unmarried if the child is not married as of the date the member dies,
whether or not the child was previously married.  If the child
thereafter marries, eligibility for the survivor benefit shall
terminate, and the benefit shall not be reinstated if the child
subsequently returns to unmarried status.



31780.2.  (a) Any benefits accorded to a spouse pursuant to this
article and Article 11 (commencing with Section 31760), Article 15.5
(commencing with Section 31841), Article 15.6 (commencing with
Section 31855), and Article 16 (commencing with Section 31861), or
any of them, may be accorded to a domestic partner, as defined in
Section 297 of the Family Code, who is registered with the Secretary
of State pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 297) of
the Family Code.  The county may also require the member and the
member's domestic partner to have a current Affidavit of Domestic
Partnership, in the form adopted by the county board of supervisors,
on file with the county for at least one year prior to the member's
retirement or death prior to retirement.
   (b) If a member described in subdivision (a) has a surviving
dependent child, the surviving dependent child shall receive the
death and survivor's allowance until 18 years of age or until
married, whichever occurs earlier, or until 22 years of age if
enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited educational
institution.  When the member's surviving dependent child reaches 18
years of age or is no longer a dependent, whichever occurs earlier,
or reaches 22 years of age if enrolled as a full-time student in an
accredited educational institution, then the benefits accorded to a
spouse, as specified in subdivision (a), may be accorded to a
domestic partner pursuant to this section.  However, if a surviving
dependent child elects to receive a lump-sum payment, the lump-sum
payment shall be shared among any surviving dependent children and
the domestic partner, pursuant to this section, in a proportional
manner.
   (c) This section is not operative unless and until the county
board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes
this section operative in the county.  In a county of the 10th
class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28031, the county board of
supervisors may implement the benefits described in this section as
determined through the collective bargaining process and based on
actuarial cost estimates.



31781.  The death benefit shall consist of:
   (a) The member's accumulated contributions.
   (b) An amount, provided from contributions by the county or
district, equal to one-twelfth of the annual compensation earnable by
the deceased during the 12 months immediately preceding his death,
multiplied by the number of completed years of service under the
system, but not to exceed 50 percent of such annual compensation.




31781.01.  Notwithstanding Section 31781, the death benefit of a
member covered under Section 31751 shall consist of:
   (a) The member's accumulated contributions.
   (b) A lump sum of two thousand dollars (,000) offset by any
lump-sum death payment made under the federal Social Security Act.



31781.1.  (a) If a member of a retirement system established in a
county subject to the provisions of Section 31676.1 would have been
entitled to retirement in the event of a non-service-connected
disability, but dies as the result of an injury or illness prior to
retirement, the surviving spouse of the member shall have the right
to elect, by written notice filed with the board, to receive and be
paid in lieu of the death benefit provided in Sections 31780 and
31781, an "optional death allowance."
   (b) The allowance shall consist of a monthly payment equal to 60
percent of the monthly retirement allowance to which the deceased
member would have been entitled if he or she had retired by reason of
non-service-connected disability as of the date of his or her death.

   (c) If the surviving spouse elects to receive the "optional death
allowance" the payments due for this allowance shall be retroactive
to the date of the deceased member's death, and shall continue
throughout the life of the spouse.
   (d) If the surviving spouse elects to receive the "optional death
allowance," and thereafter dies leaving an unmarried surviving child
or unmarried children of the deceased member under the age of 18
years, the "optional death allowance" shall thereafter be paid to
those surviving children collectively until each child dies, marries,
or reaches the age of 18 years.  The right of any child to the
allowance shall cease upon the child's death or marriage, or upon
reaching the age of 18 years, and the entire amount of the allowance
shall thereafter be paid collectively to each of the other qualified
children.
   (e) If the deceased member leaves no surviving spouse but leaves
an unmarried child or children under the age of 18 years, the legally
appointed guardian of the child or children shall make the election
provided in this section on behalf of the surviving child or children
that, in his or her judgment, is in the best interests of the
surviving child or children.  The election made shall be binding and
conclusive upon all parties in interest.
   (f) The rights and privileges conferred by this section upon the
surviving spouse and each child of the deceased member are not
dependent upon whether any of these persons have been nominated by
the deceased member as the beneficiary of any death benefits and
shall supersede the rights and claims of any other beneficiary so
nominated.
   (g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the
benefits otherwise payable to each child of the member shall be paid
to each child through the age of 21 if the child remains unmarried
and is regularly enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited
school as determined by the board.
   (h) For purposes of this section, "child" means a natural or
adopted child of the deceased member, or a stepchild living or
domiciled with the deceased member at the time of his or her death.



31781.11.  The board of supervisors of a county of the first class
as described by Sections 28020 and 28022 may, by resolution adopted
by a majority vote, increase the amounts of the death benefits
payable pursuant to Sections 31760.1, 31765.1, 31781.1, and 31785,
with respect to a death occurring on or after the date this section
becomes operative in a county, up to the amount of the monthly
allowance to which the deceased member was or would have been
entitled as of the date of his or her death.



31781.12.  Notwithstanding Section 31781.1, each allowance paid
pursuant to Section 31781.1 on account of a member who dies on or
after the operative date of this section shall be equal to 65 percent
of the monthly retirement allowance to which the deceased member
would have been entitled, without modification in accordance with one
of the optional settlements specified in this article, if he or she
had retired, or been retired, by reason of a nonservice-connected
disability as of the date of death.
   This section shall only be applicable to Los Angeles County and
shall not become operative until the board of supervisors of that
county elects, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make this
section operative in the county.



31781.13.  (a) Notwithstanding Section 31781.1, each allowance paid
on or after the operative date of this section pursuant to Section
31781.1 on account of a member who dies before the operative date of
this section shall be equal to 65 percent of the monthly retirement
allowance to which the deceased member would have been entitled,
without modification in accordance with one of the optional
settlements specified in this article, if he or she had retired, or
been retired, by reason of a nonservice connected disability as of
the date of death, adjusted for the net cost-of-living percentage
increase, if any, awarded to that survivor prior to the operative
date of this section.
   (b) This section shall only be applicable to Los Angeles County
and shall not become operative until the board of supervisors of that
county elects, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make
this section operative in the county.



31781.2.  In lieu of accepting in cash the death benefit payable
under Section 31781 or 31781.01, the surviving spouse of a member who
dies prior to reaching the minimum retirement age and who at the
date of his or her death has 10 or more years of service to his or
her credit, shall have the option to leave the amount of the death
benefit on deposit in the retirement system until the earliest date
when the deceased member could have retired had he or she lived, and
at that time receive the retirement allowance provided for in Section
31765, 31765.1, or 31765.11, whichever is applicable.
   If, at the death of the spouse, he or she is survived by one or
more unmarried children of the member, under the age of 18 years, the
retirement allowance shall continue to the child or children,
collectively, until every child dies, marries, or attains the age of
18 years. If the spouse dies, either before or after the death of the
member, without either making the election or receiving any portion
of the death benefit, and no part of the death benefit had been paid
to any person, prior to the payment of any benefits, the legally
appointed guardian of the children shall make the election herein
provided for on behalf of the surviving children as, in his or her
judgment, may appear to be in their interest and advantage, and the
election so made shall be binding and conclusive upon all parties in
interest.
   Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the benefits
otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be paid to
those children through the age of 21 years if the children remain
unmarried and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in an
accredited school as determined by the board.



31781.3.  The surviving spouse of a member who dies in service after
five years of service or as a result of service-connected injury or
disease may elect, in lieu of the death benefit in Section 31781 or
the life annuity provided in Section 31781.1 or 31787, the following
combined benefit:
   (a) An amount, provided from contributions by the county or
district, equal to one-twelfth of the annual compensation earnable by
the deceased during the 12 months immediately preceding his death,
multiplied by the number of completed years of service under the
system, but not to exceed 50 percent of such annual compensation,
plus
   (b) A monthly allowance as provided in Section 31781.1 or 31787
reduced by a monthly amount which is the actuarial equivalent of the
amount in subdivision (a) as applied to the life of the surviving
spouse.


31781.31.  Notwithstanding Sections 31781.1 and 31781.3, the
surviving spouse of a member subject to Section 31751 who dies in
service after 10 years of service, or as a result of
service-connected injury or disease, may elect, in lieu of the life
annuity provided in Section 31765.11 or the death benefit provided in
Section 31781.01, the following combined benefit:
   (a) An amount, provided from contributions by the county or
district, equal to one-twelfth of the annual compensation earnable by
the deceased during the 12 months immediately preceding his death,
multiplied by the number of completed years of service under the
system, but not to exceed 50 percent of such annual compensation,
plus
   (b) A monthly allowance as provided in Section 31765.11 reduced by
a monthly amount which is the actuarial equivalent of the amount in
subdivision (a) as applied to the life of the surviving spouse.



31782.  The nomination of a beneficiary under this system, other
than nominations under optional settlements 2, 3 and 4, may be
revoked at the pleasure of the person who made it and a different
beneficiary nominated by written designation duly executed and filed
with the board.



31783.  If the nominated beneficiary cannot be found by the board,
or if the nominated beneficiary is the estate of the deceased person,
the board in its discretion may pay to the undertaker who conducted
the funeral all or a portion of the amount payable as a death
benefit, but not more than the funeral expenses of the deceased
person as evidenced by the sworn itemized statement of the undertaker
and by such other documents as the board may require.  Payment so
made is a full discharge of the board and system for the amount so
paid.


31783.5.  (a) Whenever a person or estate entitled to payment of a
member's accumulated contributions or any other benefit fails to
claim the payment or cannot be located, the amount owed from the
retirement fund shall be administered in accordance with subdivision
(c).
   (b) The board shall attempt to locate the claimant through such
means as the board in its sound discretion deems reasonable
including, but not limited to a registered or certified letter,
return receipt requested, mailed to the last known address of the
claimant.
   (c) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the
amounts described in subdivision (a) shall be held for the claimant.
If the amounts are not claimed within five years after the last
attempted contact with the claimant, the amounts shall be deposited
in and become a part of the pension reserve fund.  The board may at
any time after transfer of unclaimed amounts upon receipt of
information satisfactory to it, authorize the return of amounts so
held in reserve to the credit of the claimant.  Those amounts shall
be paid only to claimants who have not yet attained the age for
mandatory distribution under the Internal Revenue Code.



31784.  The person to whom the whole or any part of a death benefit
is payable may, at any time before payment thereof, elect in writing
to have such death benefit or part thereof paid over a period not to
exceed 10 years in monthly installments, plus interest on the unpaid
balance thereof, at a rate to be determined by the board.  If such
person dies before all such installments are paid, the board shall
pay the balance in one lump sum to his estate or person entitled to
receive his property.



31785.  Upon the death of any safety member, after retirement for
service or non-service-connected disability from a retirement system
established in a county subject to the provisions of Section 31676.1
or 31695.1, 60 percent of his or her retirement allowance if not
modified in accordance with one of the optional settlements specified
in Article 11 (commencing with Section 31760), shall be continued
throughout life to his or her surviving spouse.  If there is no
surviving spouse entitled to an allowance hereunder or if she or he
dies before every child of the deceased safety member attains the age
of 18 years, then the allowance which the surviving spouse would
have received had she or he lived, shall be paid to his or her child
or children under that age, collectively, to continue until every
child dies or attains that age; provided, that no child shall receive
any allowance after marrying or attaining the age of 18 years.  No
allowance, however, shall be paid under this section to a surviving
spouse unless she or he was married to the safety member at least one
year prior to the date of his or her retirement.
   Any qualified surviving spouse or children of a member of a
pension system established pursuant to either Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 31900) or Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 32200), who
shall have been retired on or before December 31, 1951, shall be
paid a retirement allowance pursuant to the provisions of this
section.  In cases where the death of a member occurred prior to
January 1, 1952, the payment of the retirement allowance to the
qualified surviving spouse or children shall be made effective on
January 1, 1952.
   Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the benefits
otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be paid to
those children through the age of 21 if the children remain unmarried
and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in an accredited
school as determined by the board.
   The superseding rights pursuant to this section shall not affect
benefits payable to a named beneficiary as provided under Section
31789, 31789.01, 31789.1, 31789.12, 31789.13, 31789.2, 31789.3,
31789.5, or 31790.



31785.1.  (a) Notwithstanding Section 31481 or 31785, upon the death
of any safety member, after retirement for service or
non-service-connected disability from a retirement system established
in a county pursuant to this chapter, 60 percent of his or her
retirement allowance if not modified in accordance with one of the
optional settlements specified in Article 11 (commencing with Section
31760), shall be continued to his or her surviving spouse for life.
If there is no surviving spouse entitled to an allowance under this
section or if she or he dies before every child of the deceased
safety member attains the age of 18 years, then the allowance that
the surviving spouse would have received had he or she lived, shall
be paid to his or her child or children under that age, collectively,
to continue until each child dies or attains that age.  However, no
child may receive any allowance after marrying or attaining the age
of 18 years.
   (b) No allowance may be paid under this section to a surviving
spouse unless he or she was married to the safety member at least two
years prior to the date of death and has attained the age of 55
years on or prior to the date of death.
   (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the
benefits otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be
paid to the children through the age of 21 years if the children
remain unmarried and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in
an accredited school as determined by the board.
   (d) No allowance may be paid pursuant to this section to any
person who is entitled to an allowance pursuant to Section 31785.
   (e) The superseding rights pursuant to this section do not affect
benefits payable to a named beneficiary as provided under Section
31789, 31789.01, 31789.1, 31789.12, 31789.13, 31789.2, 31789.3,
31789.5, or 31790.
   (f) This section is not applicable in any county until the board
of retirement, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes this
section applicable in the county.  The board's resolution may
designate a date, which may be prior or subsequent to the date of the
resolution, as of which the resolution and this section shall be
operative in the county.


31785.4.  Notwithstanding Section 31785, each survivor allowance
paid pursuant to Section 31785 on account of a safety member who
retires on or after the operative date of this section shall be equal
to 65 percent of the member's monthly retirement allowance, if not
modified in accordance with one of the optional settlements specified
in Article 11 (commencing with Section 31760).
   This section shall only be applicable to Los Angeles County and
shall not become operative until the board of supervisors of that
county elects, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make this
section operative in the county.



31785.5.  (a) Notwithstanding Section 31785, each survivor allowance
paid on or after the operative date of this section pursuant to
Section 31785 on account of a safety member who retires before the
operative date of this section shall be equal to 65 percent of the
member's monthly retirement allowance, if not modified in accordance
with one of the optional settlements specified in Article 11
(commencing with Section 31760), as adjusted for the net
cost-of-living percentage increase, if any, awarded to that survivor
prior to the operative date of this section.
   (b) This section shall only be applicable to Los Angeles County
and shall not become operative until the board of supervisors of that
county elects, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make
this section operative in the county.



31786.  Upon the death of any member after retirement for
service-connected disability, his or her retirement allowance as it
was at his or her death if not modified in accordance with one of the
optional settlements specified in Article 11 (commencing with
Section 31760), shall be continued throughout life to his or her
surviving spouse.  If there is no surviving spouse entitled to an
allowance hereunder or if she or he dies before every child of such
deceased member attains the age of 18 years, then the allowance which
the surviving spouse would have received had she or he lived, shall
be paid to his or her child or children under said age, collectively,
to continue until every such child dies or attains said age;
provided, that no child shall receive any allowance after marrying or
attaining the age of 18 years.  No allowance, however, shall be paid
under this section to a surviving spouse unless she or he was
married to the member prior to the date of his or her retirement.
   Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the benefits
otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be paid to
those children through the age of 21 if the children remain unmarried
and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in an accredited
school as determined by the board.



31786.1.  (a) Notwithstanding Section 31481 or 31786, upon the death
of any member after retirement for service-connected disability, his
or her retirement allowance as it was at his or her death if not
modified in accordance with one of the optional settlements specified
in Article 11 (commencing with Section 31760), shall be continued to
his or her surviving spouse for life.  If there is no surviving
spouse entitled to an allowance under this section or if he or she
dies before every child of the deceased member attains the age of 18
years, then the allowance that the surviving spouse would have
received had he or she lived, shall be paid to his or her child or
children under that age, collectively, to continue until each child
dies or attains that age.  However, no child may receive any
allowance after marrying or attaining the age of 18 years.
   (b) No allowance may be paid under this section to a surviving
spouse unless he or she was married to the member at least two years
prior to the date of death and has attained the age of 55 years on or
prior to the date of death.
   (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the
benefits otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be
paid to the children through the age of 21 years if the children
remain unmarried and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in
an accredited school as determined by the board.
   (d) No allowance may be paid pursuant to this section to any
person who is entitled to an allowance pursuant to Section 31786.
   (e) The superseding rights pursuant to this section do not affect
benefits payable to a named beneficiary as provided under Section
31789, 31789.01, 31789.1, 31789.12, 31789.13, 31789.2, 31789.3,
31789.5, or 31790.
   (f) This section is not applicable in any county until the board
of retirement, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes this
section applicable in the county.  The board's resolution may
designate a date, which may be prior or subsequent to the date of the
resolution, as of which the resolution and this section shall be
operative in the county.



31787.  (a) If a member would have been entitled to retirement in
the event of a service-connected disability, but dies prior to
retirement as the result of injury or disease arising out of and in
the course of the member's employment, the surviving spouse of the
member shall have the right to elect, by written notice filed with
the board, to receive and be paid in lieu of the death benefit
provided for in Sections 31780 and 31781, an optional death
allowance.
   (b) The optional death allowance shall consist of a monthly
payment equal to the monthly retirement allowance to which the
deceased member would have been entitled if he or she had retired by
reason of a service-connected disability as of the date of his or her
death.
   (c) If the surviving spouse elects to receive the optional death
allowance, the payments due for this allowance shall be retroactive
to the date of the deceased member's death, and shall continue
throughout the life of the spouse.
   (d) If the surviving spouse elects to receive the optional death
allowance, and thereafter dies leaving an unmarried surviving child
or unmarried children of the deceased member under the age of 18
years, the optional death allowance shall thereafter be paid to those
surviving children collectively until each child dies, marries, or
reaches the age of 18 years. The right of any child to the allowance
shall cease upon the child's death or marriage, or upon reaching the
age of 18 years, and the entire amount of the allowance shall
thereafter be paid collectively to each of the other qualified
children.
   (e) If the deceased member leaves no surviving spouse but leaves
an unmarried child or children under the age of 18 years, the legally
appointed guardian of the child or children shall make the election
provided in this section on behalf of the surviving child or children
that, in his or her judgment, is in the best interests of the
surviving child or children.  The election made shall be binding and
conclusive upon all parties in interest.
   (f) The rights and privileges conferred by this section upon the
surviving spouse and each child of the deceased member are not
dependent upon whether any of those persons have been nominated by
the deceased member as the beneficiary of any death benefits and
shall supersede the rights and claims of any other beneficiary so
nominated.
   (g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the
benefits otherwise payable to each child of the member shall be paid
to each child through the age of 21 years if the child remains
unmarried and is regularly enrolled as a full-time student in an
accredited school as determined by the board.
   (h) For purposes of this section, "child" means a natural or
adopted child of the deceased member, or a stepchild living or
domiciled with the deceased member at the time of his or her death.




31787.5.  (a) A surviving spouse of a member who is killed in the
performance of duty or who dies as the result of an accident or an
injury caused by external violence or physical force, incurred in the
performance of the member's duty, now or hereafter entitled to
receive a death allowance under Section 31787, shall be paid an
additional amount for each of the member's children during the
lifetime of the child, or until the child marries or reaches the age
of 18 years, as follows, subject to the limitation in subdivision
(b):
   (1) For one child, twenty-five percent (25%) of the allowance
provided in Section 31787.
   (2) For two children, forty percent (40%) of the allowance
provided in Section 31787.
   (3) For three or more children, fifty percent (50%) of the
allowance provided in Section 31787.
   (b) If a benefit payable under this section, when added to a
benefit payable under Section 31787, exceeds the maximum benefit
payable by a tax-qualified pension plan under the Internal Revenue
Code (26 U.S.C.A. Sec.  401 et. seq.), the benefit payable under this
section shall be reduced to the amount required to meet that benefit
limit.
   (c) If the surviving spouse does not have legal custody of the
member's children, the allowance provided by this section shall be
payable to the person to whom custody of the children has been
awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction for each child during
the lifetime of the child, or until the child marries or reaches the
age of 18 years.
   (d) The allowance provided by this section shall be payable to the
surviving spouses of members whose duties consist of active law
enforcement or active fire suppression or any other class or group of
members as the retirement board shall fix.  The allowance provided
by this section is not payable to the surviving spouses of members
described in Section 31469.2.
   (e) Any child whose eligibility for an allowance pursuant to this
section commenced on or after October 1, 1965, shall lose that
eligibility effective on the date of his or her adoption.
   (f) This section shall become operative in any county, which has
adopted the provisions of this chapter but which has not previously
adopted the provisions of this section on October 1, 1965.  Each
surviving spouse of a member or other person having legal custody of
a member's child or children who is paid an additional amount for
each of the member's children because of the amendments to this
section enacted at the 1965 or 1967 Regular Session shall receive
those payments as they accrue from and after October 1 of the year
during which this section was amended to provide for the payment to
him or her of that allowance, but the surviving spouse or other
person shall not be given a claim for any increase in those benefits
for a time prior to that date.
   (g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the
benefits otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be
paid to those children through the age of 21 years if the children
remain unmarried and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in
an accredited school as determined by the board.



31787.6.  A surviving spouse of a safety member who is killed in the
performance of duty or who dies as the result of an accident or
injury caused by external violence or physical force, incurred in the
performance of his or her duty, shall be paid the following amount
in addition to all other benefits provided by this chapter:
   A one-time lump-sum benefit equal to an amount, provided from
contributions by the county or district, equal to the annual
compensation earnable by the deceased at his or her monthly rate of
compensation at the time of his or her death.
   This section is not applicable to members described in Section
31469.2.



31789.  Upon the death of any person after retirement and while
receiving a retirement allowance from this system, or any superseded
system, there shall be paid to his estate or to such beneficiary as
he shall nominate by written designation duly executed and filed with
the board, the sum of seven hundred fifty dollars (0) to be
provided from contributions of the county or district.
   This section applies to every member who dies after this section
becomes operative whether he has retired before or after the
operative date or effective date of this section.
   This section shall not be operative in any county until such time
as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by majority
vote, make the provisions of this section applicable in such county.



31789.01.  Notwithstanding Sections 31786, 31787, and 31787.5, upon
the death, after retirement and while receiving a retirement
allowance from this system, of any person who was covered under
Section 31751, there shall be paid to the member's estate, or to such
beneficiary as the member shall nominate by written designation duly
executed and filed with the board, the sum of two thousand dollars
(,000) to be provided from contributions of the county or district,
offset by any lump-sum death payment made under the federal Social
Security Act.


31789.1.  Upon the death of any member after retirement and while
receiving a retirement allowance from this system, or any superseded
system, there shall be paid to his estate or to such beneficiary as
he shall nominate by written designation duly executed and filed with
the board, the sum of seven hundred fifty dollars (0).
   This section applies to every member who dies after this section
becomes operative whether he has retired before or after the
operative date or effective date of this section.
   Only one death benefit payment shall be paid under this section or
under Section 31789, and shall be paid by the system subject to
Section 31789 and this section where the member rendered his last
active service.
   This section shall not become operative in any county until such
time as the board of retirement determines that its benefits may be
financed from surplus earnings of the retirement fund.  Upon this
determination by the retirement board, the provisions of this section
shall become operative.
   Upon adoption by any county providing benefits pursuant to this
section, of Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 31510) of this
chapter, the board of retirement shall, instead, pay those benefits
from the Supplemental Retiree Benefits Reserve established pursuant
to Section 31510.8.



31789.12.  Notwithstanding Section 31789.1, the board may increase
the sum payable pursuant to Section 31789.1 to one thousand dollars
(,000).
   Upon adoption by any county providing benefits pursuant to this
section, of Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 31610) of this
chapter, the board of retirement shall, instead, pay those benefits
from the Supplemental Retiree Benefits Reserve established pursuant
to Section 31618.



31789.13.  Upon the death of any person while receiving a retirement
allowance from the system, the board of retirement may supplement
the sum payable pursuant to Section 31789 by an amount of two hundred
fifty dollars (0) from the surplus earnings established pursuant
to Section 31592.2.
   This section applies to every retiree who dies after this section
becomes operative whether retired before or after the operative date
of this section.
   This section shall not become operative in any county until such
time as the board of retirement determines that this supplemental
benefit can be financed from the surplus earnings established
pursuant to Section 31592.2 which exceed 1 percent of the total
assets of the retirement system.
   The total of the death benefits paid pursuant to Section 31789 and
this section shall not exceed one thousand dollars (,000).  The
death benefits payable pursuant to Section 31789 and this section
shall be paid only by the system which is subject to Section 31789
and this section and in which the member rendered his or her last
service.


31789.2.  Upon the death of any person after retirement and while
receiving a retirement allowance from this system, or any superseded
system, there shall be paid to his estate, or to such beneficiary as
he shall nominate by written designation duly executed and filed with
the board, the sum of seven hundred fifty dollars (0).
   This section applies to every member who dies after this section
becomes operative whether he has retired before or after the
operative date or effective date of this section.
   The death benefit provided by this section shall be paid in lieu
of a payment under Section 31789 or 31789.1 and may be paid in part,
from contributions of the county or district in accordance with
Section 31789, and in part, from surplus earnings of the retirement
system in accordance with Section 31789.1.
   This section shall not be operative in any county until such time
as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a
majority vote, make the provisions of this section applicable in such
county and until such time as the board of retirement, by resolution
adopted by a majority vote, determines that its portion of the
benefits may be financed from surplus earnings of the retirement
fund.
   Upon adoption by any county providing benefits pursuant to this
section, of Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 31510) of this
chapter, only that portion of those benefits which is paid from
surplus earnings described in Section 31592.2 shall be paid, instead,
from the Supplemental Retiree Benefits Reserve established pursuant
to Section 31510.8.


31789.3.  (a) Upon the death of any person after retirement and
while receiving a retirement allowance from this system, or any
superseded system, there shall be paid to his or her estate or to the
beneficiary as he or she shall nominate by written designation duly
executed and filed with the board, an amount determined by the board
of supervisors to be provided from contributions of the county or
district.  The board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by
majority vote, fix and determine an amount that shall not exceed five
thousand dollars (,000).
   (b) This section applies to every member who dies after this
section becomes operative whether he or she has retired before or
after the operative date or effective date of this section.
   (c) The death benefit provided by this section shall be paid in
lieu of a payment under Section 31789 or 31789.1.
   (d) This section shall not be operative in any county until such
time as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by
majority vote, make the provisions of this section applicable in the
county.


31789.5.  (a) Upon the death of any person after retirement and
while receiving a retirement allowance from this system, or any
superseded system, there shall be paid to his or her estate, or to
the beneficiary as he or she shall nominate by written designation
duly executed and filed with the board, an amount determined by the
board of supervisors.  The board of supervisors shall, by resolution
adopted by majority vote, fix and determine an amount that may not
exceed five thousand dollars (,000).
   (b) This section applies to every member who dies after this
section becomes operative whether he or she has retired before or
after the operative date or effective date of this section.
   (c) The death benefit provided by this section shall be paid in
lieu of a payment under Section 31789 or 31789.1 and may be paid in
part, from contributions of the county or district in accordance with
Section 31789, and in part, from surplus earnings of the retirement
system in accordance with Section 31789.1.
   (d) The death benefit provided by this section may, at the
election of the board of retirement, be provided through a group life
insurance policy if the cost of that policy to the system is the
same or less than the cost to the system, county, or district of
other methods of providing the benefit.
   (e) This section may not be operative in any county until the
board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes
this section applicable in the county and the board of retirement,
by resolution adopted by a majority vote, determines that its portion
of the cost of the benefits may be financed from surplus earnings of
the retirement fund.
   (f) Upon adoption, by any county providing benefits pursuant to
this section, of Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 31610), only
that portion of those benefits that is paid from surplus earnings
described in Section 31592.2 shall be paid, instead, from the
Supplemental Retiree Benefits Reserve established pursuant to Section
  31618.



31790.  Upon the death of any person before retirement which person
shall have to his credit at least 10 years of service with the county
or district, there shall be paid to his estate or to such
beneficiary as he shall nominate by written designation duly executed
and filed with the board, the sum of seven hundred fifty dollars
(0) to be provided from the contributions of the county or
district.
   This section shall not be operative in any county until such time
as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by majority
vote, make the provisions hereof applicable to the county.



31791.  Notwithstanding Section 31760.1, 31765.1, 31781.1, 31781.2,
31785, 31786, 31787, or 31787.5, the board of supervisors of a county
of the first class as described by Sections 28020 and 28022 may, by
resolution adopted by a majority vote and with respect to the death
benefit payable pursuant to any, all, or any combination of, those
sections, take any or all of the following actions:
   (a) Increase the maximum age for eligible children who remain
unmarried and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in an
accredited school as determined by the board, to the age of 23 years.

   (b) Provide for payment of the death benefit to any surviving
children for such period as those children remain legally incompetent
to act as adults regardless of age.



31792.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the
contrary, the board may, by a resolution adopted, pursuant to both
this section and Section 31768, by a majority vote and with respect
only to persons who first become members on or after the effective
date of the resolution, act as follows:
   (a) Elect to increase, by 331/3 percent, the amounts payable
pursuant to any one or more of Sections 31781.1, 31785, and 31785.1.

   (b) Elect to decrease, by 20 percent, the amounts payable pursuant
to any one or more of Sections 31786, 31786.1, and 31787.
   This section shall apply only to a county of the first class, as
defined by Section 28020, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes
of 1971, and Section 28022, as amended by Chapter 43 of the Statutes
of 1961.