Ala. Code § 36-27B-3
Upon receipt of proof satisfactory to the respective Board of Control, of the death of a contributing member, in-service, who had completed at least one year of contributing membership service; or of the death of a contributing member as a result of an injury arising out of and in the course of the performance of his duties regardless of length of membership service, in lieu of the matching amount equal to the accumulated contributions of the member not to exceed $5,000.00 payable pursuant to the provisions of Section 36-27-16(c)(2), (3) and (4) or Section 16-25-14(g)(2), (3) and (4), there shall be paid a death benefit equal to the annual earnable compensation of the member as reported to the retirement systems for the preceding fiscal or scholastic year as the case may be; provided that in the event of the death of a contributing member to whom such benefit is payable who has completed less than one year of contributing membership service said benefits shall be equal to the annual earnable compensation of the member at the time his death occurs. For purposes of this section, a member shall be deemed to be in-service on the date of his death if his death occurs not more than 180 calendar days after the member's last day in pay status, provided that he shall not have terminated employment, retired or made application for refund of his contributions.
Ala. Code § 36-27B-3 (1975)