§ 24-4-207. Bonds — Payments on vouchers and warrants — Adjustment of erroneous payments

(a)

1. (1) The Executive Director of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System and other employees shall make bonds to cover their liability for the faithful performance of their duties, from time to time as provided for by law.

2. (2) The cost of the bonds shall be paid from moneys provided for the administrative expenses of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System.

3. (3) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration is authorized and directed to designate such additional personnel within his or her office and to provide for such services as are necessary for the proper operation of the system.

(b)

1. (1) The Treasurer of State shall pay annuities and make other disbursements authorized by this act only on vouchers signed by the Executive Director of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System and on warrants issued thereon by the Auditor of State.

2. (2) No voucher or warrant shall be drawn on funds of the system unless it has been previously authorized by a specific or general resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System.

(c)

1. (1)

   1. (A) Should any change or error in the records of the system or any audit of a member’s annuity calculations result in any person’s receiving more or less than the person would have been entitled to receive had the records or the calculations been correct, the board shall correct the error and, as far as is equitable and practicable, shall adjust the payment in accordance with the provisions of this subsection and in such a manner that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which the person was correctly entitled shall be paid.

   2. (B) However, no monthly adjustment of less than one dollar ($1.00) shall be made.

2. (2)

   1. (A) The board shall have the right to recover any overpayment that any person may have received from funds of the system, provided the overpayment is determined and the person is so notified within one (1) year of the date of the last overpayment.

   2. (B) If the overpayment is determined at a date later than one (1) year after the date of the last overpayment, the overpayment shall not be recouped by the board unless the overpayment is a result of an error on the part of a member, retirant, or beneficiary.

   3. (C) In all instances where an overpayment is determined, any subsequent payments shall be adjusted to the correct amount.

3. (3) If it is determined that any person has received an underpayment from the funds of the system, regardless of the date of the determination, the system shall pay in a lump sum to the person the total of any underpayments made prior to the date of determination, and any subsequent payments shall be adjusted to the correct amount.

4. (4)

   1. (A) If the annuity amount is decreased upon the reconsideration, the matters involved in the decrease shall be set forth in writing and shall be subject to review upon the filing of an appeal thereof by the member or annuity recipient.

   2. (B) The redetermination shall be deemed to be final and binding on all parties unless, within twenty (20) days after the mailing of notice of the redetermination to the member’s last known address, or twenty (20) days after personal delivery of the notice to the member, an appeal thereof is filed with the Executive Director of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System.

   3. (C) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration shall promptly hear all appeals of annuity determinations or redeterminations and shall conduct such hearings in accordance with procedures set forth by the board.