Gov. Code, § 31765

Upon the death of a member who was eligible to retire, in circumstances in which a death benefit is payable under Article 12, if the deceased member has designated as beneficiary the member’s spouse who survives the member by not less than 30 days, such surviving spouse may elect, at any time before acceptance of any benefits from the retirement system, to receive, in lieu of the death benefit otherwise payable under Article 12, the same retirement allowance as that to which such spouse would have been entitled had such member retired on the day of the member’s death and selected Optional Settlement 3. Such surviving spouse may elect in writing, before the first payment of any allowance is made, to receive in a lump sum payment all or any part of the member’s accumulated additional contributions. The sum so paid shall not be included in the calculation of the annuity of the surviving spouse.

If, at the death of such spouse, the spouse is survived by one or more unmarried children of such member, under the age of 18, such retirement allowance shall continue to such child or children, collectively, until every child dies, marries, or attains age 18. If such spouse dies, either before or after the death of such member without either making such election or receiving any portion of the death benefit, and no part of the death benefit has been paid to any person, prior to the payment of any benefits, the legally appointed guardian of such children shall make the election herein provided for on behalf of such surviving children as in the guardian’s judgment may appear to be in their interest and advantage and the election so made shall be binding and conclusive upon all parties in interest.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the benefits otherwise payable to the children of the member shall be paid to those children up to the 22nd birthdays of the children if the children remain unmarried and are regularly enrolled as full-time students in an accredited school as determined by the board.