republic-os/legislation/us/states/sc/2021-2022/s-658.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Retirement systems secondary beneficiaries"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1-11-710, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AUTHORITY MAKING INSURANCE AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE AND RETIRED EMPLOYEES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AUTHORITY MAY ESTABLISH RULES FOR ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT FOR FULLY INSURED INSURANCE PRODUCTS FOR WHICH IT IS THE PLAN SPONSOR AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEDICAL EVIDENCE OF INSURABILITY SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED SOONER THAN THIRTY DAYS FROM THE DATE A PERSON IS FIRST ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN A FULLY INSURED INSURANCE PRODUCT; TO AMEND SECTION 9-1-1650, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO AMOUNTS PAID UPON THE TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME CONTINGENT BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 9-8-110, RELATING TO PAYMENTS ON THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OR BENEFICIARY UNDER THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR JUDGES AND SOLICITORS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME SECONDARY BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A SECONDARY BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A SECONDARY BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 9-9-100, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO PAYMENTS ON THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OR BENEFICIARY UNDER THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME CONTINGENT BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 9-11-110, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LUMP SUM PAID IN THE EVENT OF A DEATH UNDER THE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME CONTINGENT BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; AND TO REPEAL CHAPTER 2, TITLE 9 RELATING TO THE RETIREMENT AND PRERETIREMENT ADVISORY PANEL. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2021-2022"
identifier: "S 658"
citation: "South Carolina S 658 (2021-2022)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bennett"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 19
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2021-03-11"
last_action: "2021-06-01"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/2f82496a-6f67-4763-acd1-d1a16cbd6bed"
source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=658&session=124&summary=B"
source_hash: "891887d89d0e76268e2e4305f9344848c37e709b9b11b0adf7970fd0594d8aba"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"]
---

# South Carolina S 658 (2021-2022) — Retirement systems secondary beneficiaries

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1-11-710, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AUTHORITY MAKING INSURANCE AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE AND RETIRED EMPLOYEES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AUTHORITY MAY ESTABLISH RULES FOR ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT FOR FULLY INSURED INSURANCE PRODUCTS FOR WHICH IT IS THE PLAN SPONSOR AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEDICAL EVIDENCE OF INSURABILITY SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED SOONER THAN THIRTY DAYS FROM THE DATE A PERSON IS FIRST ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN A FULLY INSURED INSURANCE PRODUCT; TO AMEND SECTION 9-1-1650, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO AMOUNTS PAID UPON THE TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME CONTINGENT BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 9-8-110, RELATING TO PAYMENTS ON THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OR BENEFICIARY UNDER THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR JUDGES AND SOLICITORS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME SECONDARY BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A SECONDARY BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A SECONDARY BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 9-9-100, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO PAYMENTS ON THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OR BENEFICIARY UNDER THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME CONTINGENT BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 9-11-110, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LUMP SUM PAID IN THE EVENT OF A DEATH UNDER THE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RETIRED MAY NAME CONTINGENT BENEFICIARIES IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES, TO PROVIDE THAT A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY DOES NOT HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS UNLESS ALL PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES HAVE PREDECEASED THE MEMBER AND THE MEMBER'S DEATH OCCURS BEFORE RETIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER MAY NOT NAME A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER A PRERETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT PROGRAM; AND TO REPEAL CHAPTER 2, TITLE 9 RELATING TO THE RETIREMENT AND PRERETIREMENT ADVISORY PANEL. - ratified title

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Filed** (filed) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/bills/658.htm)
2. **3/11/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/658_20210311.htm)
3. **3/31/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/658_20210331.htm)
4. **4/1/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/658_20210401.htm)
5. **5/4/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/658_20210504.htm)

## Votes

- Table Amendment 1 — **63–39** (pass) · lower
- 2nd Reading — **43–0** (pass) · upper
- Passage of Bill — **97–9** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Bennett — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-03-11** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-03-11** Referred to Committee on Finance `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-31** Committee report: Favorable Finance `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-04-01** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2021-04-07** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2021-04-07** Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0
- **2021-04-08** Read third time and sent to House `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-13** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-04-13** Referred to Committee on Ways and Means `referral-committee`
- **2021-05-04** Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-06** Debate adjourned until Tues., 5-11-21
- **2021-05-11** Requests for debate-Rep(s). King, Gilliard, Ott, Pendarvis, Brawley, Wetmore
- **2021-05-11** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2021-05-11** Roll call Yeas-97 Nays-9
- **2021-05-12** Read third time and enrolled `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-05-13** Ratified R 76
- **2021-05-17** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2021-06-01** Effective date See Act for Effective Date
- **2021-06-01** Act No. 62

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/2f82496a-6f67-4763-acd1-d1a16cbd6bed`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).