HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                       1225

spouses shall be payable in accordance with this subsection. A
person serving in the office of Governor after January 17, 1979,
shall be eligible to receive a retirement allowance equal to one
third the annual salary received during his last term of office,
provided that the Governor has served at least one full term and
has attained age 55. The retirement allowance so determined
shall continue for the life of the retiree. IT SHALL BE ADJUSTED
FROM YEAR TO YEAR FOR COST OF LIVING CHANGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 118 OF THIS ARTICLE. This retirement allowance or pension
shall be suspended and not paid during any period when the former
Governor is employed by any agency of the State of Maryland. A
Governor leaving office at any time because of physical or mental
disability, pursuant to the provisions of Constitution Article
II, Section 6(c), including one who became disabled before having
served at least one term, shall begin receiving a retirement
allowance immediately upon leaving office equal to the amount he
would have received had he served a full term and attained age
55. However, when such physical or mental disability no longer
exists and the retiree has not yet attained age 55, this
disability retirement allowance shall terminate. When such
retiree attains age 55, he shall receive the normal retirement
allowance provided he is otherwise qualified. Upon the death of
a Governor at any time after leaving office, the surviving
spouse, regardless of age, shall receive a benefit for the
remainder of the spouse's life equal to one half the benefit
which the retired Governor was receiving or would have been
entitled to receive, INCLUDING ANY COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.
THIS RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE SHALL BE ADJUSTED FROM YEAR TO YEAR FOR
COST OF LIVING CHANGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 118 OF THIS
ARTICLE, PROVIDED HOWEVER, THE ADJUSTMENT MAY NOT EXCEED 5 PERCENT
ANNUALLY. or would have been entitled to receive, INCLUDING ANY
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. Upon the death of a Governor while
in office, the surviving spouse, regardless of the age of the
Governor or the spouse, shall receive for the remainder of the
spouse's life one half the benefit which the Governor would have
been entitled to receive had he completed one term and attained
age 55. THE BENEFITS PROVIDED IN THIS SUBSECTION FOR A RETIRED
GOVERNOR AND THE SURVIVING SPOUSE OF THE RETIRED GOVERNOR SHALL
BE ADJUSTED FROM YEAR TO YEAR FOR COST OF LIVING CHANGES IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE SET FORTH IN § 118 OF THIS ARTICLE.
THE BENEFITS PROVIDED IN THIS SUBSECTION FOR A RETIRED GOVERNOR
AND THE SURVIVING SPOUSE OF THE RETIRED GOVERNOR SHALL BE
ADJUSTED FROM YEAR TO YEAR FOR COST OF LIVING CHANGES IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE SET FORTH IN § 118 OF THIS ARTICLE,
EXCEPT THAT THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE OF THE
RETIRED GOVERNOR'S SURVIVING SPOUSE MAY NOT EXCEED 5% PER YEAR.

THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR THE RETIRED GOVERNOR'S

SURVIVING SPOUSE SHALL BE CALCULATED ON A BASE THAT IS THE SUM OF
THE RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE OF THE RETIRED GOVERNOR TOGETHER WITH
ANY COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO THE RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE
PRIOR TO THE DEATH OF THE RETIRED GOVERNOR.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1986.