892                               Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 424

34A.

(A) FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1971,
AND FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, EACH RE-
TIRED MEMBER'S RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE AS HERE-
UNDER DEFINED, EXCLUSIVE OF ANY ADDITIONAL VOL-
UNTARY ANNUITY, SHALL BE ADJUSTED BY A RATIO AS
PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.

(B)(1) EACH RETIRED MEMBER SHALL HAVE A BASE
WHICH SHALL BE THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR THE
CALENDAR YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST OF THE FISCAL
YEAR IN WHICH HE RETIRED WAS LAST EMPLOYED.

(2)    THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX TO BE USED FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR IN WHICH THE RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE
IS PAYABLE SHALL BE THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR
THE CALENDAR YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST OF THE
PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR.

(3)    THE RATIO OF ADJUSTMENT OF THE RETIRE-
MENT ALLOWANCE REFERRED TO IN SUBSECTION (A) OF
THIS SECTION SHALL BE OBTAINED BY DIVIDING THE
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IN SUBSECTION (B)(2) BY THE
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IN SUBSECTION (B)(1) OF THIS
SECTION.

(C)    FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION THE RE-
TIREMENT ALLOWANCE REFERRED TO IN SUBSECTION
(A) OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE THAT RETIREMENT AL-
LOWANCE ELECTED BY THE MEMBER UNDER SECTION 31
OF THIS ARTICLE, EXCLUSIVE OF ANY ADDITIONAL VOL-
UNTARY ANNUITY. THIS RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE, HOW-
EVER, SHALL NOT INCLUDE THE SUPPLEMENTAL PAY-
MENTS MADE UNDER SECTION 31 A OF THIS ARTICLE.

(D)    FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, CONSUMER
PRICE INDEX SHALL MEAN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
(ALL ITEMS—UNITED STATES CITY AVERAGE), AS PUB-
LISHED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.

(E)    IN NO INSTANCE SHALL ANY RETIRED MEMBER
RECEIVE LESS THAN THE BENEFITS TO WHICH HE WOULD
BE ENTITLED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 31
AND 31A OF THIS ARTICLE.

(F)    THE ALLOWANCE OF A SURVIVING BENEFICIARY
OF A RETIRED MEMBER SHALL, WHEN AND IF PAYABLE,
BE ADJUSTED BY THE SAME RATIO AS PROVIDED IN THIS
SECTION.

53 A.

(a) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1971, and for each
fiscal year thereafter, each retired member's retirement allowance as
hereunder defined, exclusive of any additional voluntary annuity,
shall be adjusted by a ratio as provided in this section.

(b)(1) Each retired member shall have a base which shall be the
Consumer Price Index for the calendar year ending December 31st
of the Fiscal Year in which he retired WAS LAST EMPLOYED.