Arizona Laws 38-900.01. Statutory construction
A. Because the plan as enacted at a particular time is a unique amalgam of rights and obligations having a critical impact on the actuarial integrity of the plan, the legislature intends that the plan as enacted at a particular time be construed and applied as a coherent whole and without reference to any other provision of the plan in effect at a different time.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 38-900.01
- Claimant: means a member, beneficiary or estate that files an application for benefits with the retirement plan. See Arizona Laws 38-881
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- plan: means the corrections officer retirement plan established by this article. See Arizona Laws 38-881
B. The plan was established in order to provide a uniform, consistent and equitable statewide program for those eligible corrections officers as defined by the plan. A member of the plan does not have a vested right to benefits under the plan until the member files an application for benefits and is found eligible for those benefits. An eligible claimant‘s right to benefits vests on the date of the member’s application for those benefits or the member’s last day of employment under the plan, whichever occurs first.