Benefits granted to certain surviving spouses

Any member of the faculty or others described in subsection (1)(a) of K.S.A. 74-4925 and amendments thereto, who is a member of the Kansas public employees retirement system for the purpose of being granted retirement benefits based on prior service only and who has attained age 60 and has 10 or more years of service which is construed to be credited service in determining eligibility for a vested benefit as provided in subsection (3) of K.S.A. 74-4925 and amendments thereto, whose spouse is such member's beneficiary and who has not yet retired but who dies while still in service with the state of Kansas, such surviving spouse may be granted a benefit under the joint and ½ to joint annuitant survivor option as if the member had retired on the date of such member's death. This section shall apply to cases involving such members who died after January 1, 1969.