a. any employee of a board of education who retires on a benefit or benefits based in the aggregate upon 25 or more years of nonconcurrent service credit in one or more State or locally-administered retirement systems, or retires on a disability pension based upon fewer years of service credit in that system or systems, or elected deferred retirement based in the aggregate upon 25 or more years of nonconcurrent service credit in one or more State or locally-administered retirement systems and receives a retirement allowance from that system or systems;

b. any employee of a county college who retires on a benefit or benefits based in the aggregate upon 25 or more years of nonconcurrent service credit in one or more State or locally-administered retirement systems, or retires on a disability pension based upon fewer years of service credit in that system or systems, or elected deferred retirement based in the aggregate upon 25 or more years of nonconcurrent service credit in one or more State or locally-administered retirement systems and receives a retirement allowance from that system or systems; or who receives a disability benefit pursuant to section 18 of P.L.1969, c.242 (C. 18A:66-184); and

c. any employee of a county college who retires on a benefit based upon 10 or more years of service credit in the alternate benefit program P.L.1969, c.242 (C. 18A:66-167 et seq.) and who has additional years of service credited in another defined contribution retirement program as an employee of a private institution of higher education which, under contract with a county government, provided services as a county college and subsequently merged with a county technical institute to become a county college, which additional years of service when added to the service credited in the alternate benefit program totals 25 or more years and any such employee who retired prior to the effective date of P.L.1999, c.382 if the employee applies to the program for coverage within one year after the effective date of P.L.1999, c.382.

The costs of the premium or periodic charges for the benefits and reimbursement of medicare premiums provided to a retiree and the dependents of the retiree under this section shall be paid by the State. An employee who becomes a member of a State or locally-administered retirement system on or after the effective date of P.L.2010, c.2 shall pay as a qualified retiree 1.5 percent of the retiree’s monthly retirement allowance, including any future cost-of-living adjustments, through the withholding of the contribution, for health benefits coverage provided under P.L.2007, c.103 (C. 52:14-17.46.1 et seq.) and the State shall pay the remainder of the premium or periodic charges for benefits provided to a qualified retiree and the dependents of the retiree, and the cost for reimbursement of Medicare premiums.

L.1992, c.126, s.2; amended 1999, c.382; 2001, c.209, s.3; 2010, c.2, s.3.