21574.7
. (a) In lieu of benefits provided in Section 21571, 21572,
or 21573, if the death benefit provided by Section 21532 is payable
on account of a state member's death that occurs under circumstances
other than those described in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a) of Section 21530, or if an allowance under Section
21546 is payable, the payment pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be
made in the following order of priority:
(1) The surviving spouse of the member who has the care of
unmarried children, including stepchildren, of the member who are
under 22 years of age or are incapacitated because of a disability
that began before and has continued without interruption after the
attainment of that age.
(2) The guardian of surviving unmarried children, including
stepchildren, of the member who are under 22 years of age or are so
incapacitated.
(3) The surviving spouse of the member who does not qualify under
paragraph (1).
(4) Each surviving parent of the member.
(b) Regardless of the benefit provided by Section 21532 and of the
beneficiary designated by the member under that section, or
regardless of the allowance provided under Section 21546, the
following applicable 1959 survivor allowance, under the conditions
stated and from contributions of the employer, shall be paid:
(1) A surviving spouse who was either continuously married to the
member for at least one year prior to death, or was married to the
member prior to the occurrence of the injury or onset of the illness
that resulted in death, and has the care of unmarried children,
including stepchildren, of the deceased member who are under 22 years
of age or are so incapacitated, shall be paid one thousand five
hundred dollars ($1,500) per month if there is one child or one
thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800) per month if there are two or
more children. If there also are children who are not in the care of
the surviving spouse, the portion of the allowance payable under
this paragraph, assuming that these children were in the care of the
surviving spouse, that is in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars
($750) per month, shall be divided equally among all those children
and payments made to the spouse and other children, as the case may
be.
(2) If there is no surviving spouse, or if the surviving spouse
dies, and if there are unmarried children, including stepchildren, of
the deceased member who are under 22 years of age or are so
incapacitated, or if there are children not in the care of the
spouse, the children shall be paid an allowance as follows:
(A) If there is only one child, the child shall be paid seven
hundred fifty dollars ($750) per month.
(B) If there are two children, the children shall be paid one
thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per month divided equally
between them.
(C) If there are three or more children, the children shall be
paid one thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800) per month divided
equally among them.
(3) A surviving spouse who has attained or attains the age of 60
years, and who was either continuously married to the member for at
least one year prior to death, or was married to the member prior to
the occurrence of the injury or onset of the illness that resulted in
death, shall be paid seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per month.
No allowance shall be paid under this paragraph while the surviving
spouse is receiving an allowance under paragraph (1) or while an
allowance is being paid under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2). The
allowance paid under this paragraph shall be three hundred dollars
($300) per month while an allowance is being paid under subparagraph
(B) of paragraph (2).
(4) If there is no surviving spouse or surviving child who
qualifies for the 1959 survivor allowance, or if the surviving spouse
dies and there is no surviving child, or if the surviving spouse
dies and the children die or marry or, if not incapacitated, reach 22
years of age, each of the member's dependent parents who has
attained or attains the age of 60 years, and who received at least
one-half of his or her support from the member at the time of the
member's death, shall be paid seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per
month.
(c) "Stepchildren," for purposes of this section, shall include
only stepchildren of the member living with the member in a regular
parent-child relationship at the time of the death of the member.
(d) This section shall only apply to state and school members
effective on or after January 1, 2000.
(e) All assets and liabilities of state employers subject to this
section, and their employees, on account of benefits provided under
this article shall be pooled into a single account, and a single
employer rate shall be established to provide benefits under this
section on account of state members employed by the state.
(f) All assets and liabilities of school employers, as defined in
Section 20063, that are subject to this section, and their employees,
on account of benefits provided under this article shall be pooled
into a single account, and a single employer rate shall be
established to provide benefits under this section.
(g) The rate of contribution of an employer subject to this
section shall be calculated using a method determined by the board.
Surplus assets shall be applied to reduce the rate of contribution.
If a deficit exists, the rate of contribution shall be increased
until the deficit is paid.
(h) On and after January 1, 2000, all state employees and school
members shall be covered by this section.