California Code, Government Code - GOV § 21507

Any lump-sum benefit, or any uncashed lump-sum death benefit warrant, payable by this system to a beneficiary shall be paid to the estate of the beneficiary if he or she dies prior to payment of the benefit.  The benefit may be paid to a representative of the deceased beneficiary's estate, upon demonstration by court documents that the person is authorized to act in that capacity, or, in the case of an estate with a total value not exceeding the amount prescribed in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 7660 of the Probate Code, to a public administrator upon receipt by this system of a written certification of authority for summary administration from that public administrator.  If the estate does not require probate and the deceased beneficiary was the trustor of a trust, benefits may, in the judgment of the board, be paid to the trustee as named in the trust.  If the estate is not probated, and the deceased beneficiary was not the trustor of a trust, benefits shall be paid to the deceased beneficiary's surviving next of kin, in the order specified in Section 21493.