This bill amends several sections of the South Dakota Retirement System statutes to clarify the administration of disability benefits. Specifically, it updates Section 3-12C-816 to outline the process for determining eligibility for disability benefits, including the executive director's authority to request advice from the disability advisory committee and the potential requirement for independent medical examinations and functional capacity assessments. It also establishes that refusal to undergo these evaluations can lead to denial of the application. Additionally, the executive director is mandated to issue a decision on the application and notify the member via certified mail.

Further amendments are made in Section 3-12C-817, which stipulates that approved disability benefits commence the month following the termination of the member's contributory service, with a one-year limit for service termination post-approval. Section 3-12C-822 clarifies that benefits will terminate if a member is no longer certified as disabled, with a similar process for determining ongoing eligibility as in the initial application. The executive director must notify the member of any termination of benefits through certified mail, with benefits ceasing sixty days after the notice is sent.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/06/2026: 3-12C-816, 3-12C-817, 3-12C-822
Enrolled, 02/10/2026: 3-12C-816, 3-12C-817, 3-12C-822