Sec. 855.502.  SUPPLEMENTAL DEATH BENEFITS PROGRAM.  (a)  As soon as practical after the supplemental death benefits program is established and at the time of each investigation of members' mortality and service experience required by Section 855.110, the actuary shall investigate the mortality experience of the members and eligible annuitants participating in the supplemental death benefits program.  On the basis of the result of that investigation, the actuary shall recommend to the board of trustees rates and tables necessary to determine supplemental death benefits contribution rates.  The rates and tables may provide for the anticipated mortality experience of the persons covered under the supplemental death benefits fund and for a contingency reserve.
(b)  Before a municipality's participation date in the supplemental death benefits fund and before January 1 of each subsequent year, the actuary shall compute, on the basis of rates and tables adopted by the board of trustees, the supplemental death benefits contribution rate of a municipality participating in the supplemental death benefits contribution fund.  The rate must be expressed as a percentage of the compensation of members employed by the municipality.  When the rate is approved by the board of trustees, the rate is effective for the calendar year for which it was approved.
(c)  If the balance in the supplemental death benefits fund is insufficient to pay the supplemental death benefits due, the board of trustees may direct that, to the extent available, an amount equal to the amount of the deficiency be transferred from the general reserves account of the endowment fund to the supplemental death benefits fund.  The board may adjust future contributions to the supplemental death benefits fund to repay to the general reserves account the transferred amount.
(d)  If the total number of members covered by the supplemental death benefits fund becomes fewer than 4,000, the board of trustees may order that the fund be discontinued and all coverage terminated.  The termination date must be December 31 of a year designated by the board and may not be before the expiration of six months after the date on which the order of termination was adopted.
(e)  To protect against adverse claim experience, the board of trustees may secure reinsurance from one or more stock insurance companies doing business in this state if the board determines that reinsurance is necessary.  The retirement system shall pay the premiums for reinsurance from the supplemental death benefits fund.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1876, ch. 453, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.  Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 235, ch. 18, Sec. 109, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.  Renumbered from Vernon's Ann.Civ.St. Title 110B, Sec. 65.502 and amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 179, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.