A hospital which provides retirement coverage under the Florida Retirement System and which is terminating coverage because the hospital is closing is authorized to purchase annuities for all personnel with 25 or more years of creditable service who have reached age 55 and who have applied for retirement under the Florida Retirement System. No such annuity shall provide for more than the total difference in retirement income between the retirement benefit based on average monthly compensation and creditable service as of the member's early retirement date and the early retirement benefit. Hospitals as described in this section are authorized to invest funds, purchase annuities, or provide local supplemental retirement programs for purposes of providing annuities for their personnel. All retirement annuities shall comply with s. 14, Art. X of the State Constitution.
Fla. Stat. § 155.45