Article 1. General of California Government Code >> Division 4. >> Title 3. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.

This chapter may be cited as the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937.

The purpose of this chapter is to recognize a public obligation to county and district employees who become incapacitated by age or long service in public employment and its accompanying physical disabilities by making provision for retirement compensation and death benefit as additional elements of compensation for future services and to provide a means by which public employees who become incapacitated may be replaced by more capable employees to the betterment of the public service without prejudice and without inflicting a hardship upon the employees removed.

The right of a person to a pension, annuity, retirement allowance, return of contributions, the pension, annuity, or retirement allowance, any optional benefit, any other right accrued or accruing to any person under this chapter, the money in the fund created or continued under this chapter or the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, and any property purchased for investment purposes pursuant to this chapter, are exempt from taxation, including any inheritance tax, whether state, county, municipal, or district. They are not subject to execution or any other process of court whatsoever except to the extent permitted by Section 31603 of this code and Section 704.110 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and are unassignable except as specifically provided in this chapter.

(a) The board may comply with and give effect to a revocable written authorization signed by a retired member or beneficiary of a retired member entitled to a retirement allowance or benefit under this chapter or the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, authorizing the treasurer or other entity authorized by the board to deduct a specified amount from the retirement allowance or benefit payable to any retired member or beneficiary of a retired member for any of the following purposes:
  (1) Paying premiums on any policy or certificate of group life insurance or group disability insurance issued by an admitted insurer.
  (2) Paying premiums for a prepaid group medical or hospital service plan.
  (3) Paying premiums for a vision care program or dental plan, approved by the board, for the benefit of the retired member or his or her dependents.
  (4) Paying premiums on national service life insurance or United States government converted insurance.
  (5) Payment for the purchase of shares in or the payment of money to any regularly chartered credit union.
  (6) Payment to a charitable organization or a federally chartered veterans' organization that is approved by the board.
  (7) Payments to a recognized retiree organization.
  (8) Payment for the purchase of United States savings bonds.
  (9) The payment of personal income taxes to the government of the United States or the State of California.
  (10) Payment for any retiree benefit programs available through the recognized retiree organization. The board may require that this payment be to a single party designated by the recognized retiree organization, either to itself or to a third-party administrator.
  (b) Each month the order shall be drawn in favor of the insurer, institution, credit union, organization, or government named in the written authorization for an amount equal to the deductions authorized in subdivision (a) and made during the month.
  (c) The board may charge a reasonable fee for the making of the deductions and payments.

(a) The board shall comply with and give effect to a revocable written authorization signed by a retired member or beneficiary of a retired member entitled to a retirement allowance or benefit under this chapter or the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, authorizing the treasurer or other entity authorized by the board to deliver the monthly warrant, check, or electronic fund transfer, for the retirement allowance or benefit to any specified bank, savings and loan institution, or credit union to be credited to the account of the retired member or survivor of a deceased retired member. That delivery is full discharge of the liability of the board to pay a monthly retirement allowance or benefit to the retired member or survivor of a deceased retired member.
  (b) Any payments directly deposited by electronic fund transfer following the date of death of a person who was entitled to receive a retirement allowance or benefit under this chapter or the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 shall be refunded to the retirement system.
  (c) In order to obtain information from a financial institution following the death of a retired member or the beneficiary of a retired member, as provided in subdivision (o) of Section 7480, the board may certify in writing to the financial institution that the retired member or the beneficiary of a retired member has died and that transfers to the account of the retired member or beneficiary of a retired member at the financial institution from the retirement system occurred after the date of death of the retired member or the beneficiary of a retired member.

Upon receipt of proof, satisfactory to the board, that a warrant or check drawn in payment of a retirement allowance or in payment of any other account due from the retirement system has been lost or destroyed, the treasurer or other entity authorized by the board upon request of the board of retirement shall as provided by Section 31590 issue a duplicate warrant or check bearing the same date as the original in payment of the same amount, without requiring a bond from the payee, and the treasurer or other entity authorized by the board shall pay the duplicate in lieu of the original warrant or check and any losses incurred by reason of the issuance of duplicate warrants or checks shall be a charge against the account from which the payment is derived. This section shall not be operative in any county until the time as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution, make this section applicable in the county.

(a) Upon the death of any member after retirement, any retirement allowance earned but not yet paid to the member shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, be paid to the member's designated beneficiary.
  (b) Upon the death of any person receiving a survivor's allowance under this chapter, any allowance earned but not yet paid to the survivor shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, be paid to the survivor's designated beneficiary.

(a) An actuarial valuation shall be made within one year after the date on which any system established under this chapter becomes effective, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed three years. The valuation shall be conducted under the supervision of an actuary and shall cover the mortality, service, and compensation experience of the members and beneficiaries, and shall evaluate the assets and liabilities of the retirement fund. Upon the basis of the investigation, valuation, and recommendation of the actuary, the board shall, at least 45 days prior to the beginning of the succeeding fiscal year, recommend to the board of supervisors the changes in the rates of interest, in the rates of contributions of members, and in county and district appropriations as are necessary. With respect to the rates of interest to be credited to members and to the county or district, the board may, in its sound discretion, recommend a rate that is higher or lower than the interest assumption rate established by the actuarial survey. No adjustment shall be included in the new rates for time prior to the effective date of the revision.
  (b) (1) Upon the basis of the investigation, valuation, and recommendation of the actuary, the board shall, at least 45 days prior to the beginning of the succeeding fiscal year, recommend to the governing body of a district within the county system that is not governed by the board of supervisors the changes in the rates of contributions of district members and in district appropriations as are necessary.
  (2) This subdivision shall not be operative in any county until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by majority vote, makes the provision applicable in that county.

Notwithstanding Section 31587, and in accordance with Section 31453 or 31510.1, the board may determine county or district contributions on the basis of a normal contribution rate which shall be computed as a level percentage of compensation which, when applied to the future compensation of the average new member entering the system, together with the required member contributions, will be sufficient to provide for the payment of all prospective benefits of such member. The portion of liability not provided by the normal contribution rate shall be amortized over a period not to exceed 30 years.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the board of retirement may, at the request of the board of supervisors, adopt a funding period of 30 years to amortize unfunded accrued actuarial obligations, as determined by their actuary or by an actuary employed by the board of investments, for benefits applicable to all membership categories for the purpose of determining employer contribution rates for counties and districts. The board of retirement shall approve a new amortization period based upon a request from the board of supervisors that demonstrates a financial necessity. The board of retirement may deny a request when the request would subject the fund to an unsound financial risk. A board of retirement may take an action pursuant to this section only once.

(a) The board of supervisors shall, not later than 90 days after the beginning of the immediately succeeding fiscal year, adjust the rates of interest, the rates of contributions of members, and county and district appropriations in accordance with the recommendations of the board, but shall not fix them in amounts that reduce the individual benefits provided in this chapter or the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013.
  (b) (1) The governing body of a district within the county system that is not governed by the board of supervisors shall, not later than 90 days after the beginning of the immediately succeeding fiscal year, adjust the rates of contributions of district members and in district appropriations in accordance with the recommendations of the board, but shall not fix them in amounts that reduce the individual benefits provided in this chapter or the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013.
  (2) This subdivision shall not be operative in any county until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by majority vote, makes the provision applicable in that county.

(a) The independent assumptions and calculations of an actuary contained in the actuarial valuation required by Section 31453 shall not be subject to the "meet and confer" provisions of the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act; however, it is recognized that those provisions require that the board or the board of supervisors meet and confer with representatives of recognized employee organizations prior to determining a course of action with respect to the recommendations contained in the actuarial valuation.
  (b) (1) The independent assumptions and calculations of an actuary contained in the actuarial valuation required by Section 31453 shall not be subject to the "meet and confer" provisions of the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act; however, it is recognized that those provisions require that the governing body of a district within the county system that is not governed by the board of supervisors meet and confer with representatives of recognized employee organizations prior to determining a course of action with respect to the recommendations contained in the actuarial valuation.
  (2) This subdivision shall not be operative in any county until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by majority vote, makes the provision applicable in that county.
  (c) The intent of the Legislature, in enacting this section, is to insure the solvency and actuarial soundness of the retirement systems governed by this chapter by preserving the independent nature of the actuarial evaluation process.

In any county subject to the provisions of Section 31676.1, 31676.11, 31676.12, or 31695.1 the board of supervisors may, by vote entered in the minutes of the board, make an additional appropriation sufficient to fund over a period of 30 years any deficit which may result to the system because of the adoption of Section 31676.1, 31676.11, 31676.12, or 31695.1 or by the adoption of Articles 6.8, 7.5 and 8.7. The board of supervisors may make such additional appropriation whether recommended by the board or not.

Whenever, in any county subject to the provisions of Section 31676.1 the board of supervisors makes any additional appropriations pursuant to Section 31454.5, the governing body of every district, including the board of supervisors where it is the governing body, also shall make an additional appropriation in the amount to which it has agreed, otherwise in the same proportion as the total pay roll deductions from the salaries of all members employed by such district for the latest pay roll period bear to the total pay roll deductions from the salaries of all members employed by the county for the same pay roll period.

Unless the context otherwise requires, or unless superseded by any provision of the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, the definitions and general provisions contained in this article govern the construction of this chapter.

(a) It is unlawful for a person to do any of the following:
  (1) Make, or cause to be made, any knowingly false material statement or material representation, to knowingly fail to disclose a material fact, or to otherwise provide false information with the intent to use it, or allow it to be used, to obtain, receive, continue, increase, deny, or reduce any benefit accrued or accruing to a person under this chapter.
  (2) Present, or cause to be presented, any knowingly false material statement or material representation for the purpose of supporting or opposing an application for any benefit accrued or accruing to a person under this chapter.
  (3) Knowingly accept or obtain payment from a retirement system with knowledge that the recipient is not entitled to the payment under the provisions of this chapter and with the intent to retain the payment for personal use or benefit.
  (4) Knowingly aid, abet, solicit, or conspire with any person to do an act prohibited by this section.
  (b) For purposes of this section, "statement" includes, but is not limited to, any oral or written application for benefits, report of family relationship, report of injury or physical or mental limitation, hospital records, test results, physician reports, or other medical records, employment records, duty statements, reports of compensation, or any other evidence material to the determination of a person's initial or continued eligibility for a benefit or the amount of a benefit accrued or accruing to a person under this chapter.
  (c) A person who violates any provision of this section is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
  (d) A person violating any provision of this section may be required by the court in a criminal action to make restitution to the retirement system, or to any other person determined by the court, for the amount of the benefit unlawfully obtained, unless the court finds that restitution, or a portion of it, is not in the interests of justice. Any restitution order imposed pursuant to this section shall be satisfied before any criminal fine imposed under this section may be collected.
  (e) The provisions provided by this section are cumulative and shall not be construed as restricting the application of any other law.

"Actuarial equivalent" means a benefit of equal value when computed upon the basis of the mortality tables adopted by the board of supervisors and regular interest thereon.

"Annuity" means payment for life derived from contributions made by a member.

"Beneficiary" means any person in receipt of a pension, annuity, retirement allowance, death benefit, or any other benefit.

If, after December 31, 1957, and either before or after retirement a member dies leaving a spouse and has not designated a beneficiary, and, prior to the payment of any portion of the death benefit, such spouse files with the board written evidence, satisfactory to the board, that she or he is the surviving spouse and the date of the marriage, such surviving spouse shall be deemed, for the purposes of this chapter, to have been nominated as the beneficiary by such member.

(a) A member's ex-spouse who is receiving or is entitled to receive payments from the system, including a portion of the surviving spouse's allowance, pursuant to an order of the court dividing the community property interest in the member's retirement allowance may designate one or more beneficiaries who shall receive those payments following the death of the ex-spouse. If there is no designated beneficiary, payment shall be made to the estate of the ex-spouse. Those payments shall terminate upon the death of the member or the surviving spouse.
  (b) This section applies only to a county of the first class, as defined by Section 28020, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, and Section 28022, as amended by Chapter 43 of the Statutes of 1961.

(a) A member's ex-spouse who is receiving or is entitled to receive payments from the system, including a portion of the surviving spouse's allowance, pursuant to an order of the court dividing the community property interest in the member's retirement allowance may designate one or more beneficiaries who shall receive those payments following the death of the ex-spouse. If there is no designated beneficiary, payment shall be made to the estate of the ex-spouse. Those payments shall terminate upon the death of the member or the surviving spouse.
  (b) This section shall not be operative in any county until the board of supervisors, by resolution, makes this section applicable in the county.

(a) In a county in which a board of investments has been established pursuant to Section 31520.2:
  (1) As used in Sections 31453, 31453.5, 31454, 31454.1, 31454.5, 31472, 31588.1, 31589.1, 31591, 31592.3, 31594, 31595.1, 31595.9, 31596, 31596.1, 31601.1, 31607, 31611, 31616, 31625, 31784, and 31872, "board" means a board of investments.
  (2) As used in the first paragraph of Section 31592.2, "board" means a board of investments.
  (3) Sections 31510.4, 31522, 31523, 31524, 31525, 31528, 31529, 31529.5, 31595, 31618, 31680, and 31680.1 apply to both the board of retirement and board of investments, and "board" means both "board of retirement" and "board of investments."
  (b) In Article 17 (commencing with Section 31880), "board" means the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System.
  (c) In all other cases, "board" means the board of retirement.

(a) In a county in which a board of investments has been established pursuant to Section 31520.2:
  (1) As used in Sections 31453, 31453.5, 31454, 31454.1, 31454.5, 31472, 31588.1, 31589.1, 31591, 31592.3, 31594, 31595.1, 31595.9, 31596, 31596.1, 31601.1, 31607, 31610, 31611, 31612, 31613, 31616, 31618, 31621.11, 31625, 31639.26, 31784, and 31872, "board" means board of investments.
  (2) As used in the first paragraph of Section 31592.2 and the first paragraph and subdivision (c) of the second paragraph of Section 31595, "board" means a board of investments.
  (3) Sections 31521, 31522, 31522.1, 31522.2, 31523, 31524, 31525, 31528, 31529, 31529.5, 31535.1, 31580.2, 31614, 31680, and 31680.1, apply to both the board of retirement and board of investments, and "board" means either or both the board of retirement and board of investments.
  (4) Subdivision (a) of Section 31526 and subdivisions (a) and (b) of the second paragraph of Section 31595 apply to both the board of retirement and board of investments, and "board" means either or both the board of retirement and board of investments.
  (b) In Article 17 (commencing with Section 31880) of this chapter, "board" means the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System.
  (c) In all other cases, "board" means the board of retirement.
  (d) This section shall apply only in a county of the first class, as defined in Section 28020, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, and Section 28022, as amended by Chapter 43 of the Statutes of 1961.

"Compensation" means the remuneration paid in cash out of county or district funds, plus any amount deducted from a member's wages for participation in a deferred compensation plan established pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 18310) of Part 1 of Division 5 of Title 2 or pursuant to Article 1.1 (commencing with Section 53212) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5, but does not include the monetary value of board, lodging, fuel, laundry, or other advantages furnished to a member.

(a) "Compensation earnable" by a member means the average compensation as determined by the board, for the period under consideration upon the basis of the average number of days ordinarily worked by persons in the same grade or class of positions during the period, and at the same rate of pay. The computation for any absence shall be based on the compensation of the position held by the member at the beginning of the absence. Compensation, as defined in Section 31460, that has been deferred shall be deemed "compensation earnable" when earned, rather than when paid.
  (b) "Compensation earnable" does not include, in any case, the following:
  (1) Any compensation determined by the board to have been paid to enhance a member's retirement benefit under that system. That compensation may include:
  (A) Compensation that had previously been provided in kind to the member by the employer or paid directly by the employer to a third party other than the retirement system for the benefit of the member, and which was converted to and received by the member in the form of a cash payment in the final average salary period.
  (B) Any one-time or ad hoc payment made to a member, but not to all similarly situated members in the member's grade or class.
  (C) Any payment that is made solely due to the termination of the member's employment, but is received by the member while employed, except those payments that do not exceed what is earned and payable in each 12-month period during the final average salary period regardless of when reported or paid.
  (2) Payments for unused vacation, annual leave, personal leave, sick leave, or compensatory time off, however denominated, whether paid in a lump sum or otherwise, in an amount that exceeds that which may be earned and payable in each 12-month period during the final average salary period, regardless of when reported or paid.
  (3) Payments for additional services rendered outside of normal working hours, whether paid in a lump sum or otherwise.
  (4) Payments made at the termination of employment, except those payments that do not exceed what is earned and payable in each 12-month period during the final average salary period, regardless of when reported or paid.
  (c) The terms of subdivision (b) are intended to be consistent with and not in conflict with the holdings in Salus v. San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (2004) 117 Cal.App.4th 734 and In re Retirement Cases (2003)110 Cal.App.4th 426.

(a) This section applies only to a county of the first class, as defined by Section 28020, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, and Section 28022, as amended by Chapter 43 of the Statutes of 1961.
  (b) Notwithstanding Sections 31460 and 31461, neither "compensation" nor "compensation earnable" shall include any of the following: cafeteria or flexible benefit plan contributions, transportation allowances, car allowances, or security allowances, as enumerated in a resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (c).
  (c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), this section shall not be operative until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes this section operative with respect to any employee who becomes a member after the effective date of the resolution.
  (d) Regardless of whether it has acted pursuant to subdivision (c), at any time the board of supervisors, by separate resolution adopted by a majority vote, may make this section operative with respect to any member not represented by a certified employee organization who makes an irrevocable election to become subject to this section.
  (e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any determination made by the board of retirement, pursuant to Section 31461, prior to the effective date of this section.
  (f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the validity of any memorandum of understanding or similar agreement that has been executed prior to the effective date of this section.

"Compensation earnable" by a public administrator, coroner or coroner-public administrator member compensated by means of fees means the average compensation as determined by the board, for the period under consideration, upon the basis of the average amount of fees received each month by such member.

(a) The average compensation during any period of service as a member of the Public Employees' Retirement System, a member of a retirement system established under this chapter in another county, a member of the State Teachers' Retirement System, or a member of a retirement system of any other public agency of the state that has established reciprocity with the Public Employees' Retirement System subject to the conditions of Section 31840.2 shall be considered compensation earnable by a member for purposes of computing final compensation for that member provided:
  (1) The period intervening between active memberships in the respective systems does not exceed 90 days, or six months if Section 31840.4 applies.
  (2) He or she retires concurrently under both systems and is credited with that period of service under the other system at the time of retirement.
  (b) This section shall be applied retroactively under this chapter in favor of any member whose membership in the Public Employees' Retirement System or in a retirement system established under this chapter in any county terminated prior to October 1, 1957, provided that he or she was eligible to and elected deferred retirement therein within 90 days after eligibility for reciprocity, the period intervening between active memberships in the respective systems did not exceed 90 days, or six months if Section 31840.4 applies, and he or she retires concurrently under both systems and is credited with that period of service under the other system at the time of retirement. The limitation of the 90-day or six-month period between the active membership in the two retirement systems shall not apply to an employee who entered the employment in which he or she became a member of the State Employees' Retirement System prior to July 18, 1961; provided he or she entered that employment within 90 days, or six months if Section 31840.4 applies , after the termination of employment in the county system, whether that employment is with the state or with a county, a city, or other public agency that contracts with the Public Employees' Retirement System, the State Teachers' Retirement System, or a retirement system of any other public agency of the state that has established reciprocity with the Public Employees' Retirement System subject to the conditions of Section 31840.2.

(a) This section applies only to a county of the first class, as defined by Section 28020, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, and Section 28022, as amended by Chapter 43 of the Statutes of 1961.
  (b) Notwithstanding Sections 31460 and 31461, neither "compensation" nor "compensation earnable" shall include any increase, made on or after January 1, 1996, in cafeteria or flexible benefit plan contributions for any member represented by a certified employee organization, nor shall they include any increase in cafeteria or flexible benefit plan contributions made on or after January 1, 1995, for any member not represented by a certified employee organization, provided that the nonrepresented member waives the applicability of Sections 31460 and 31461 in writing prior to receiving any cash payment based on the increase.
  (c) This section shall not be operative in the county until the time as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, make the provisions of this section applicable in the county.

(a) This section applies only to a county of the first class, as defined by Section 28020.
  (b) "Compensation earnable" in a county of the first class shall include only those items of remuneration specifically included as a result of the court-approved settlement in (1) the consolidated cases of Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers' Association, et al. v. Board of Retirement, Los Angeles County Employees' Retirement Association (Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BS 051355) and Milton Cohen v. Board of Retirement, Los Angeles County Employees' Retirement Association (Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BS 051774), (2) the case of Los Angeles County Fire Department Association of Chiefs, et al. v. Board of Retirement, Los Angeles County Employees' Retirement Association, County of Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BS 057432), and (3) the case of Cecil Bugh v. Board of Retirement, Los Angeles County Employees' Retirement System (Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BS 055611), all of which were included in Coordination Proceeding Special Title (Rule 1550(b)), Retirement Cases, Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 4049, even if a final judicial determination in that coordinated case, or any subsequent case, should conclude that any additional item of remuneration must be included in that definition with respect to any other county. Those items of remuneration in addition to base salary and the pensionable portion, if any, of cafeteria plan contributions, are set forth in Resolution No. 01-001, adopted by the board of retirement on or before the effective date of this section and shall include only the following:

Earnings Code No. Title 099 Patrol Station Retention Bonus 358 Temporary Promotion Bonus 359 Lifeguard Paramedic, Catalina 503 Uniform Allowance 504 Night Shift Differential 505 Coroner's Inquest Reporter 507 Cogeneration or Hydroelectric Ops and Mtce 508 Henninger Flats Watchman 509 Freezer Work 510 Department Head Merit 511 Board of Supervisors Performance Lump Sum 512 Fire Suppression Transportation Truck Driver 514 Backhoe Operator 516 Explosives Work 517 Evening Shift Differential 518 Power Equipment Repair, Snow Conditions 519 Engineering Employees, Hazard Pay 520 Home Care Compensation 522 Custodian Acting as Watchman 523 DPD Deputy Director Recruitment Incentive Contracting and Productivity 525 Improvement Incentive for Managers 528 WEBCOM Press Operator 529 Power Equipment Operator, Fire Suppression 530 RN Extra Weekends Worked 531 Standby 532 Additional Responsibilities or Exceptional Performance 533 Power Sweeper Operator in Emergency Conditions 534 Power Plant Relief Engineer 535 Clinic Physician, First Hour and One-Half Consulting Specialist, MD, & Mental 536 Health Consultant, MD, First and Fifth Hours 538 RN Assigned as Acting or Relief Charge Nurse 539 RN Weekend Differential 540 Relief Nurse Holiday Differential
  (Hourly Item) 541 Relief Nurse Weekend Differential
  (Hourly Item) 544 Appraisers Laundry and Dry Cleaning Allowance 545 Heavy Duty Tow Truck Driver 546 Slurry Seal Truck Driver 547 Lifeguard Paramedic-Shift 548 Lifeguard Paramedic-Hourly Incentive Awards for Medi-Cal 550 Reimbursements, Health Services 551 Group Incentive Award, Treasurer Tax Collector Pioneer Excavation, Tunnel Operations, Fire Suppression and 553 Snow Removal--Construction Inspection and Surveying Groups Pioneer Excavation, Tunnel 554 Operations, Fire Suppression and Snow Removal 555 Scaffold or Swing Stage, 30 Feet Above Grade 556 High Scale and Rigging Operations, General 557 Evening Shift, Med Tech 558 Night Shift, Med Tech 565 Paramedic Recertification Bonus 567 Deputy Sheriff Reserve Annual Compensation 570 Home Care Program Standby 571 CSW Licensure Supervision 572 MOU Lump Sum Bonus 601 Lifeguard Paramedic, Relief Supervising Transportation Deputy 602 Performing Dispatcher Duties 603 Automotive Service Excellence Certificates 604 RN Mobile Intensive Care Certification 605 Custodian Floor Waxing Bonus 606 Fire Equipment Mechanic Assigned Field Repair Duties 607 SDPO Assigned Acting Director In A Camp 608 Bilingual Bonus 609 RN Assigned to Emergency Room 610 Antelope Valley Firefighting Crew 611 Tree Trimmer Supervisor, Power Operations 612 Shooting Bonus, Expert 613 Shooting Bonus, Distinguished Expert 614 Shooting Bonus, Marksman 615 Shooting Bonus, Sharpshooter 616 Antelope Valley Quarters, On Fire Call 617 Clinic Nurse Assigned to Probation Camp 618 Transportation Bus Driver, Sheriff 619 Lifeguard Paramedic 620 San Gabriel Dam Operator 621 Nurse Retention Incentive 622 Advanced Appraiser Certification 623 Probation Transcriber Typist Production Incentive 624 Bilingual Additional Bonus Children's Social Workers 625 Agriculture Inspectors Assigned to Standardization 626 Firefighter Paramedic not Assigned to a Paramedic Post 628 Bilingual Bonus for Other Than Monthly Employees 629 Mortuary Attendant at LAC/USC MC 630 Safety Police Educational/Longevity Incentive Mental Health Workers Assigned to 632 Sheriff's Detention Facilities 634 Supervising Detention Services Officer of the Day 635 Transportation Deputy Bus Driver, Probation 636 Sheriff's Station Commander Expenses 637 Professional Development Expenses 638 Probation Telecom Equipment Bonus 639 Intern Housing Allowance LAC/USC Med. Center 640 Children's Services ERCP Retention 641 Shooting Bonus, Expert-Reserve 642 Shooting Bonus, Distinguished Expert-Reserve 643 Shooting Bonus, Marksman-Reserve 644 Shooting Bonus, Sharpshooter-Reserve 645 Welder Certification Bonus FLSA Premium Pay for Regularly 782 Scheduled Work Assignment 903 Non-Elective Leave Buyback 910 Sick Buyback 911 Vacation Buyback 912 Holiday Buyback 913 Sick Pre-71 Buyback 914 Sick Buyback-Probation 56 Hour 915 Vacation Buyback-56 Hour 930 Special Paid Leave Buyback 931 Appraisers Leave Buyback 932 Intern/Resident Leave Buyback None Emp Suggest None Park, Nontaxable None Park, Taxable None Prior Salary None Transportation Allowance None Traffic Mitigation

Any additional item of remuneration may subsequently be included in "compensation earnable" pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between a county of the first class and any of its recognized employee organizations or a resolution adopted by its board of supervisors.
  (c) No item of remuneration included in "compensation earnable" as a result of the court-approved settlement and as set forth in the resolution described above in subdivision (b) may be removed therefrom as a result of any subsequent judicial determination, except that a county of the first class and a recognized employee organization may agree only through a memorandum of understanding to exclude the item of remuneration from "compensation earnable" or the board of supervisors may adopt a resolution excluding the item of remuneration from "compensation earnable" with respect to nonrepresented employees.
  (d) This section shall not be operative in the county until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes the provisions of this section applicable in the county.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, salary bonuses or any other compensation incentive payments for regular duties or for additional services outside regular duties received under the program known on April 1, 1997, as the Executive and Unclassified Management Operational Incentive Plan or any successor program that is substantially similar by any members who are in positions identified as executive or unclassified management shall be excluded from all retirement benefit calculations.

(a) "Compensation earnable" shall not include overtime premium pay other than premium pay for hours worked within the normally scheduled or regular working hours that are in excess of the statutory maximum workweek or work period applicable to the employee under Section 201 and following of Title 29 of the United States Code.
  (b) This section shall not apply to a member who is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013.

(a) "Final compensation" means the average annual compensation earnable by a member during any three years elected by a member at or before the time he or she files an application for retirement, or, if he or she fails to elect, during the three years immediately preceding his or her retirement. If a member has less than three years of service, his or her final compensation shall be determined by dividing his or her total compensation by the number of months of service credited to him or her and multiplying by 12.
  (b) This section shall not apply to a member who is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 for all or any portion of his or her membership in the county retirement system.

(a) For a member who is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 for all or any portion of his or her membership in the county retirement system, "final compensation" as defined in Section 7522.32 shall apply.
  (b) If a member has less than three years of service, that member' s final compensation shall be determined by dividing the total compensation by the number of months of service credited to the member and multiplying by 12.
  (c) When determining final compensation for a member who does not have three consecutive years of earned pensionable compensation due to an absence, the compensation for any absence shall be based on the pensionable compensation of the position held by the member immediately prior to the absence.

(a) (1) "Final compensation" means the average annual compensation earnable by a member during any year elected by a member at or before the time he or she files an application for retirement, or, if he or she fails to elect, during the year immediately preceding his or her retirement.
  (2) This section shall not be operative in any county until such time as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, make the provisions of this section applicable in such county.
  (b) This section shall not apply to a member who is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 for all or any portion of his or her membership in the county retirement system.

In any county subject to the provisions of Section 31462.1, every retirement allowance, optional death allowances, or annual death allowance, payable to or on account of any member, granted prior to the effective date of Section 31462.1 in such county, shall be recalculated as though Section 31462.1 had been in force in such county on the effective date of such allowance. Any increased allowances resulting from such recalculation shall be payable only prospectively on and after the operative date of this section in that county. This section shall not be operative in any county until such time as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, make the provisions of this section applicable in such county.

(a) "Final compensation" for members whose service is on a tenure that is temporary, seasonal, intermittent, or for part time only means one-third of the total compensation earned for that period of time during which the member rendered the equivalent of three years of full-time service.
  (b) The member may elect at or before the time he or she files an application for retirement the period of time during which he or she has earned three full years of credit upon which final compensation shall be calculated. If he or she does not so elect, that period of time immediately preceding his or her retirement shall be used.
  (c) This section also applies to a member meeting the conditions specified in subdivision (a), whose service is described in subdivision (a), and who is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (Article 4 (commencing with Section 7522) of Chapter 21 of Division 7 of Title 1).

(a) For members participating in the designated plans who are employed by the County of Los Angeles on or after October 1, 2000, and who retire or die on or after July 1, 2001, "final compensation" means the average annual compensation earnable by a member during any year elected by the member at or before the time he or she files an application for retirement or, if the member fails to elect, during the year immediately preceding his or her retirement.
  (b) As used in this section, the "designated plans" means the retirement plans sponsored by the County of Los Angeles that are commonly known as Retirement Plans B, C, and D for general members and Retirement Plan B for safety members.
  (c) This section shall only be applicable to Los Angeles County and shall not become operative until the board of supervisors of that county elects, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make this section operative.

"Normal contributions" means contributions by a member at the normal rates of contributions, but does not include additional contributions by a member.

"Accumulated normal contributions" means the sum of all normal contributions standing to the credit of a member's individual account and regular interest thereon.

"Additional contributions" means contributions made by members in addition to normal contributions under Sections 31504 and 31627.

"Accumulated additional contributions" means the sum of all additional contributions standing to the credit of a member's individual account and regular interest thereon.

"Accumulated contributions" means accumulated normal contributions plus any accumulated additional contributions standing to the credit of a member's account.

(a) "District" means a district, formed under the laws of the state, located wholly or partially within the county other than a school district.
  (b) "District" also includes any institution operated by two or more counties, in one of which there has been adopted an ordinance placing this chapter in operation.
  (c) "District" also includes any organization or association authorized by Chapter 26 of the Statutes of 1935, as amended by Chapter 30 of the Statutes of 1941, or by Section 50024, which organization or association is maintained and supported entirely from funds derived from counties, and the board of any retirement system is authorized to receive the officers and employees of that organization or association into the retirement system managed by the board.
  (d) "District" also includes, but is not limited to, any sanitary district formed under Part 1 (commencing with Section 6400) of Division 6 of the Health and Safety Code.
  (e) "District" also includes any city, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation formed or created under the constitution or laws of this state and located or having jurisdiction wholly or partially within the county.
  (f) "District" also includes any nonprofit corporation or association conducting an agricultural fair for the county pursuant to a contract between the corporation or association and the board of supervisors under the authority of Section 25905.
  (g) "District" also includes the Regents of the University of California, but with respect only to employees who were employees of a county in a county hospital, who became university employees pursuant to an agreement for transfer to the regents of a county hospital or of the obligation to provide professional medical services at a county hospital, and who under that agreement had the right and did elect to continue membership in the county's retirement system established under this chapter.
  (h) "District" also includes the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a new public agency created on February 1, 1977, pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 40400) of Part 3 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code.
  (1) Employees of the South Coast Air Quality Management District shall be deemed to be employees of a new public agency occupying new positions on February 1, 1977. On that date, those new positions are deemed not to have been covered by any retirement system.
  (2) No retirement system coverage may be effected for an employee of the South Coast Air Quality Management District who commenced employment with the district during the period commencing on February 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1978, unless and until the employee shall have elected whether to become a member of the retirement association established in accordance with this chapter for employees of Los Angeles County or the retirement association established in accordance with this chapter for employees of San Bernardino County. The election shall occur before January 1, 1980. Any employee who fails to make the election provided for herein shall be deemed to have elected to become a member of the retirement association established in accordance with this chapter for the County of Los Angeles.
  (3) The South Coast Air Quality Management District shall make application to the retirement associations established in accordance with this chapter for employees of Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County for coverage of employees of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
  (4) An employee of the South Coast Air Quality Management District who commenced employment with the district during the period commencing on February 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1978, and who has not terminated employment before January 1, 1980, shall be covered by the retirement association elected by the employee pursuant to paragraph (2). That coverage shall be effected no later than the first day of the first month following the date of the election provided for in paragraph (2).
  (5) Each electing employee shall receive credit for all service with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. However, the elected retirement association may require, as a prerequisite to granting that credit, the payment of an appropriate sum of money or the transfer of funds from another retirement association in an amount determined by an enrolled actuary and approved by the elected retirement association's board. The amount to be paid shall include all administrative and actuarial costs of making that determination. The amount to be paid shall be shared by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the employee. The share to be paid by the employee shall be determined by good faith bargaining between the district and the recognized employee organization, but in no event shall the employee be required to contribute more than 25 percent of the total amount required to be paid. The elected retirement association's board may not grant that credit for that prior service unless the request for that credit is made to, and the required payment deposited with, the elected retirement association's board no earlier than January 1, 1980, and no later than June 30, 1980. The foregoing shall have no effect on any employee's rights to reciprocal benefits under Article 15 (commencing with Section 31830).
  (6) An employee of the South Coast Air Quality Management District who commenced employment with the district after December 31, 1978, shall be covered by the retirement association established in accordance with this chapter for employees of San Bernardino County. That coverage shall be effected as of the first day of the first month following the employee's commencement date.
  (7) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (4) above, employees of the South Coast Air Quality Management District who were employed between February 1, 1977, and December 31, 1978, and who terminate their employment between February 1, 1977, and January 1, 1980, shall be deemed to be members of the retirement association established in accordance with this chapter for the employees of Los Angeles County commencing on the date of their employment with the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
  (i) "District" also includes any nonprofit corporation that operates one or more museums within a county of the 15th class, as described by Sections 28020 and 28036 of the Government Code, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, pursuant to a contract between the corporation and the board of supervisors of the county, and that has entered into an agreement with the board and the county setting forth the terms and conditions of the corporation's inclusion in the county's retirement system.
  (j) "District" also includes any economic development association funded in whole or in part by a county of the 15th class, as described by Sections 28020 and 28036 of the Government Code, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, and that has entered into an agreement with the board of supervisors and the county setting forth the terms and conditions of the association's inclusion in the county's retirement system.
  (k) "District" also includes any special commission established in the Counties of Tulare and San Joaquin as described by Section 14087.31 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, pursuant to a contract between the special commission and the county setting forth the terms and conditions of the special commission's inclusion in the county's retirement system with the approval of the board of supervisors and the board of retirement.
  (l) (1) "District" also includes the retirement system established under this chapter in Orange County.
  (2) "District" also includes the retirement system established under this chapter in San Bernardino County at such time as the board of retirement, by resolution, makes this section applicable in that county.
  (3) "District" also includes the retirement system established under this chapter in Contra Costa County.
  (4) "District" also includes the retirement system established under this chapter in Ventura County.
  (m) "District" also includes the Kern County Hospital Authority, a public agency that is a local unit of government established pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 101852) of Part 4 of Division 101 of the Health and Safety Code.

(a) "Employee" means any officer or other person employed by a county whose compensation is fixed by the board of supervisors or by statute and whose compensation is paid by the county, and any officer or other person employed by any district within the county.
  (b) "Employee" includes any officer or attaché of any superior court that has been brought within the operation of this chapter.
  (c) "Employee" includes any officer or other person employed by a district as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 31468 and whose compensation is paid from funds of the district.
  (d) "Employee" includes any member paid from the county school service fund who elected pursuant to Section 1313 of the Education Code to remain a member of this system.
  (e) "Employee" includes any person permanently employed by a local agency formation commission including the executive officer thereof.

(a) "County peace officer" means the sheriff and any officer or employee of the sheriff's office of a county employed and qualifying as a constable or deputy constable or marshal or deputy marshal or deputy sheriff or equal or higher rank, irrespective of the duties to which that person may be assigned, excepting, however, those employees whose principal duties are those of a telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist or mechanic.
  (b) Any other provision in the Government Code to the contrary notwithstanding, "county peace officer" shall also include and mean any inspectors, detectives and investigators employed by the district attorney, whose principal duties are to investigate crime and criminal cases and to receive regular compensation for that service.
  (c) "County peace officer" does not include a local prosecutor, local public defender, or local public defender investigator, as defined in Section 31469.2.

(a) For purposes of this chapter, "local prosecutor" means any one of the following:
  (1) A county officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria:
  (A) He or she is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was employed in the office of the district attorney.
  (B) His or her job classification is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was district attorney, deputy district attorney, chief deputy district attorney, senior deputy district attorney, assistant district attorney, chief assistant district attorney, senior assistant district attorney, or any other similar classification or title.
  (C) His or her effective date of retirement is on or after the date Section 31470.14 becomes applicable in the county.
  (2) A county officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria:
  (A) He or she was employed in the office of a district attorney prior to the date the local child support agency transitioned from the district attorney to a new county department, as specified in Section 17304 of the Family Code.
  (B) His or her job classification was district attorney, deputy district attorney, chief deputy district attorney, senior deputy district attorney, assistant district attorney, chief assistant district attorney, senior assistant district attorney, or any other similar classification or title.
  (C) He or she is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was an attorney in a local child support agency, as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 17000 of the Family Code, with no break in service between employment by a district attorney and the local child support agency.
  (D) His or her effective date of retirement is on or after the date Section 31470.14 becomes applicable in the county.
  (3) A city officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria:
  (A) He or she is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was employed in the office of the city attorney.
  (B) He or she is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was primarily engaged in the active enforcement of criminal laws within any court operating in a county.
  (C) His or her job classification is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was city attorney, deputy city attorney, chief deputy city attorney, assistant city attorney, chief assistant city attorney, or any other similar classification or title.
  (D) His or her effective date or retirement is on or after the date Section 31470.14 becomes applicable in the county.
  (b) For purposes of this chapter, "local public defender" means a city or county officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria:
  (1) He or she is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was employed in the office of the public defender, the alternate public defender, or any similar office title.
  (2) His or her job classification is or, on January 1, 2002, was public defender, deputy public defender, chief deputy public defender, senior deputy public defender, assistant public defender, chief assistant public defender, senior assistant public defender, or any other similar classification or title.
  (3) His or her effective date of retirement is on or after the date Section 31470.14 becomes applicable in the county.
  (c) For purposes of this chapter, "local public defender investigator" means a city or county officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria:
  (1) He or she is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was employed in the office of the public defender, the alternate public defender, or any other similar office title.
  (2) His or her job classification is or, on or after January 1, 2002, was inspector, investigator, detective, or any other similar classification or title.
  (3) His or her principal duties are or, on or after January 1, 2002, were to investigate crime and criminal statutes.
  (4) His or her effective date of retirement is on or after the date Section 31470.14 becomes applicable in the county.

"Safety member" means any person who is any of the following:
  (a) A member of a pension system established pursuant to either Chapter 4 or Chapter 5, who elects by written notice filed with the board, to become a safety member.
  (b) Any person employed by a county, subject to Section 31676.1 or 31695.1 or by a district or court organized or existing within such a county, whose principal duties consist of active law enforcement or active fire suppression as described in Section 31470.2 and 31470.4, or active lifeguard service as limited by Section 31470.6 or juvenile hall group counseling and group supervision if adopted by the board of supervisors as provided in Section 31469.4.
  (c) Any person described in Section 31469.2 in any county in which Section 31470.14 has become operative.

"Safety member" means persons employed as probation officers, juvenile hall or juvenile home group counselors, and group supervisors who are primarily engaged in the control and custody of delinquent youths who must be detained under physical security in order not to be harmful to themselves or others. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable in any county until the board of supervisors by resolution make the provisions applicable.

(a) This section shall be applicable in the retirement system of any county of the 10th class, as defined by Sections 28020 and 28031, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, if the board of supervisors executes a memorandum of understanding with the employee representatives and adopts, by majority vote, a resolution providing for safety status for probation officers, as provided in Section 31469.4.
  (b) The purpose of this section is to provide optional safety status for probation officers employed on or before March 1, 1991. Notwithstanding Section 31558.6, that option shall be exercised within 120 days from the effective date of the implementation of Section 31469.4, together with the option to receive credit as a safety member for all or part of the time during which his or her duties would have made him or her eligible to become a safety member, if this section had then been in effect.
  (c) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the retirement benefits of existing probation officers who elect to transfer from general membership in the county retirement system to safety membership shall be implemented pursuant to Section 31484.5, except that:
  (1) The definition of final compensation in Section 31462.1 shall no longer apply to probation officers electing safety status; instead, the definition of final compensation in Section 31462 shall apply at the date of retirement to all credited safety service regardless of previous service under Section 31462.1. However, the board of supervisors may adopt a resolution providing that the definition of final compensation contained in Section 31462.1 shall apply to certain probation officers electing safety status who are specifically identified in the resolution and who are retiring on or after the date specified in the resolution.
  (2) For employees entitled to a cost-of-living adjustment upon retirement, Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) shall apply, except that the increase in the allowance shall not exceed a maximum of 3 percent in any given year credited as safety membership. An employee who elects safety retirement under Section 31469.4 and who thereby waives his or her entitlement to a higher cost-of-living allowance shall be deemed to have waived the higher cost-of-living allowance with regard to all previous service credited as safety service at the date of retirement, regardless of previous service under any other provision, and shall be deemed to have relinquished any right to the higher cost-of-living allowance without refund of contributions therefor, except as determined by the board of supervisors.
  (3) An employee who elects safety retirement under Section 31469.4 may elect to receive credit as a safety member for all or part of the time during which his or her duties would have made him or her eligible to become a safety member if this section had then been in effect as provided in Section 31639.7, except that an election to receive part credit may be exercised only in multiples of five years of service. A member who elects to receive credit for only a part of that county service shall elect that county service latest in time and may not receive credit for any portion of county service prior in time to any county service for which he or she does not elect to receive credit.
  (4) A member not previously within the safety membership category who elects to receive credit for all or part of the time during which the member's duties would have made him or her eligible to become a safety member if this section had then been in effect shall pay into the retirement system the amount that would have had to be contributed by the employer to fund the employer's liability for safety membership and an amount equal to the difference between the employee's contributions actually made during the time for which he or she claims credit and the contributions the member would have made during that period if he or she had been in safety status during that period.
  (d) All probation officers in Tier III who elect to transfer from general membership in the county retirement system to safety membership pursuant to this section shall be placed in Tier II regardless of their status prior to selecting Tier III benefits.
  (e) All persons hired after the effective date of implementation of Section 31469.4 shall, upon retirement, have his or her cost-of-living allowance and final compensation computed in accordance with this section.

Law enforcement employees of a harbor improvement district are safety members subject to Article 6.8 (commencing with Section 31639) and Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 31662) of this chapter, and to such other provisions of this chapter as apply to safety members.

(a) In a county of the 18th class, as defined by Sections 28020 and 28039, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, the board of supervisors may meet and confer pursuant to the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1) with a recognized employee organization that represents county employees who are not safety members because the board of supervisors has not made Section 31469.4 applicable in the county, and endeavor to reach agreement on any conditions to be required of employees or an employee organization seeking to have Section 31469.4 made applicable. The conditions shall include, but not be limited to, whether the employees shall be required to pay all or part of the following:
  (1) The increase in the employer's normal cost contributions.
  (2) Any increase of the employer's unfunded actuarial accrued liability in excess of what it would have accrued if the employees had remained miscellaneous members.
  (3) Any increase in the employer's normal cost contributions or unfunded actuarial liability attributable to employees who have become safety members electing to purchase credit as a safety member pursuant to Section 31639.7 for the time served in an eligible position prior to becoming a safety member.
  (b) Any payments made by employees on behalf of the employer to cover the increased cost of safety retirement shall be as determined upon actuarial advice from the retirement board's actuaries, and shall be approved by the board of retirement.
  (c) This section shall not be operative in the county until the date on which the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes the provisions of this section applicable in the county.

"Member" means any person included in the membership of the retirement association pursuant to Article 4, and includes safety members as defined in Sections 31469.3, 31470.2, 31470.4 and 31470.6, or any person who has elected in writing to come within the provisions of Article 9.

"Member" includes "county peace officer member" except in sections where county peace officer members are specifically excluded. Anything else in this act to the contrary notwithstanding, where there is a conflict with the special provisions pertaining to county peace officer members said special provisions shall apply.

(a) All sheriffs, undersheriffs, chief deputies sheriff, jailers, turnkeys, deputies sheriff, bailiffs, constables, deputies constable, motorcycle officers, aircraft pilots, heads and assistant heads of all divisions of the office of the sheriff, detectives and investigators in the office of the district attorney, marshals, court service officers only in a county of the third class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28024, and all regularly appointed deputy marshals are eligible.
  (b) In a county of the eighth class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28029, both as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, all peace officers in the Park Ranger class series in the Department of Regional Parks, Recreation, and Open Space are eligible. This subdivision shall not be operative until such time as the county board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, make this subdivision applicable in the county.
  (c) Local prosecutors, local public defenders, and local public defender investigators are eligible if the county board of supervisors adopts a resolution by a majority vote making this subdivision and Section 31470.14 applicable in the county.

(a) All sheriffs, undersheriffs, assistant sheriffs, chief deputy sheriffs, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, jailers, turnkeys, deputy sheriffs, bailiffs, constables, deputy constables, motorcycle officers, aircraft pilots, detectives, and investigators in the office of the district attorney, and marshals and all regularly appointed deputy marshals, who are first so employed on or after the operative date of this section in a county, are eligible. This section is an alternative to Section 31470.2.
  (b) This section shall apply only in a county of the second class, as defined by Sections 28020 and 28023, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971.
  (c) This section shall not be operative in a county unless and until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes this section operative in that county.

Clerks, bookkeepers, stenographers, court service officers, except in a county of the third class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28024, and other employees who may have been appointed as deputies sheriff or deputies marshal but who do not perform the duties of any peace officers enumerated and honorary deputies sheriff or other persons holding appointments as deputies sheriff who receive no compensation therefor who do not regularly perform official duties and those whose principal duties clearly do not fall within the scope of active law enforcement, even though such a person is subject to occasional call, or is occasionally called upon to perform duties within the scope of active law enforcement are ineligible.

All county foresters, county firewardens, deputies or assistant county foresters, deputies or assistant county firewardens, firefighters, fire apparatus engineers, fire prevention inspectors, forest firemen, fire patrolmen, aircraft pilots, and foremen assigned to fire suppression crews, all other personnel assigned to active fire suppression in any county forester's or county firewarden's department and all officers, engineers, and firemen of any county fire protection district, and all other personnel assigned to active fire suppression in any county fire protection district are eligible.

Bookkeepers, stenographers, cooks, laborers, county fire protection district fire foremen, call firemen, and firefighters whose principal duties clearly do not fall within the scope of active fire suppression, even though the person is subject to occasional call, or is occasionally called upon, to perform duties within the scope of active fire suppression, and volunteer employees, honorary deputy county foresters, honorary deputy county firewardens, and voluntary firewardens holding appointments as such who receive no compensation therefor and who do not regularly perform official duties, are ineligible.

(a) A permanent employee of a county having a population in excess of 500,000 whose principal duties consist of active protection, rescue, and rendition of aid or assistance to persons injured or imperiled in water areas at beaches and lakes, streams, dams, reservoirs, or other bodies of open water (not including swimming pools) or in small craft or airplanes at sea near the shoreline and the recovery from water areas of submerged objects and bodies of persons drowned or believed to have drowned in those areas, or the immediate supervision thereof, including persons employed to perform the duties now performed under the titles of director of beaches, assistant director of beaches, deputy director of beaches, chief lifeguard, assistant chief lifeguard, captain lifeguards, lieutenant rescue boat, lieutenant lifeguards, beach lifeguard, but who performs additional duties, some of which (including the maintenance of peace and order and the apprehension of law violators) are customarily performed by police or peace officers, and whose other duties (such as resuscitation work involving the use of special equipment in cases having no connection with their principal duties) which in other areas are customarily performed by firemen, and other and further duties (such as the rescue of persons from disabled aircraft and small boats in inshore or inland waters and the removal of dangerous obstructions from waters) which do not come directly within any of the aforesaid classifications but are essential to the safety and security of the public, excluding those whose principal duties are those of a telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise clearly do not fall within the scope of active lifeguarding or lifesaving service, even though a person is subject to occasional call, or is occasionally called upon, to perform duties within the scope of active lifeguarding or lifesaving service, shall be considered and is hereby classified as an employee whose principal duties consist in "active law enforcement." Persons employed to perform the duties of director of beaches, assistant director of beaches, or deputy director of beaches shall not be within the classification of "active law enforcement" employee, unless those persons have previously been included within that classification, or have performed duties which would have qualified such person as an "active law enforcement" employee under this section.
  (b) In a county with a population in excess of four million, the provisions of subdivision (a) shall also apply to persons employed under the titles and to perform the duties of division chief-public safety, assistant division chief-public safety, or district manager-public safety.

The election by a member to receive credit for employment in public service or in county service pursuant to Section 31641.1 or 31641.5 does not make such person a member during any part of such public service or county service.

In cases of doubt as to whether a person is eligible to become a safety member, the board shall decide.

All public administrators, coroners and coroner-public administrators, whether compensated on a fee or salary basis, are eligible, except that the membership of such persons is subject to the approval of the board of supervisors.

Notwithstanding Section 31470.2, all welfare fraud investigators and administrators budgeted within Orange County shall be eligible, regardless of which county department actually supervises or funds them, and shall receive those benefits upon a majority vote of the board of supervisors.

Notwithstanding Section 31470.2, all welfare fraud investigators and administrators in counties of the 16th class, as described by Sections 28020 and 28037, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, shall be ineligible for safety membership, unless and until the board of supervisors shall elect, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make those investigators and administrators eligible.

Child support investigators and administrators in counties of the 16th class, as described by Section 28020 and 28037, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, are eligible. This section shall not be operative in any county until such time as the board of supervisors shall elect, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, to make this section applicable in the county.

Officers and employees whose function clearly fall within the scope of hazardous materials services are eligible. This section shall not be operative in any county until the time as the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, make this section applicable in the county.

(a) Local prosecutors, local public defenders, and local public defender investigators are eligible.
  (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c) and notwithstanding Sections 31639.7 and 31639.75, past service as a general member shall be converted to safety service if the past service was rendered in a position that has subsequently been reclassified as a safety position pursuant to this section. For local prosecutors, as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 31469.2, service in the office of a district attorney and a local child support agency shall be considered service for the district attorney for purposes of this section.
  (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, within 90 days after this section becomes operative in the county, or on the first day of the calendar month following his or her entrance into service, whichever is later, a local prosecutor, local public defender, or local public defender investigator may file a written election not to become a local safety member pursuant to this section.
  (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, local prosecutors, local public defenders, and local public defender investigators shall be subject to the benefit formula contained in Section 31664 or 31664.2, or any other benefit formula applicable to safety members that does not provide benefits greater than those benefits provided under Section 31664.2, as designated in the resolution described in subdivision (e). A local prosecutor, local public defender, or local public defender investigator shall not be deemed to be a county peace officer, as defined in Section 31469.1, for any purpose under this chapter.
  (e) This section shall not be operative in a county unless and until the board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by majority vote, makes this section operative in the county. A resolution to make this section operative in the county shall include all local prosecutors, local public defenders, and local public defender investigators described in Section 31469.2.
  (f) A provision in a memorandum of understanding that an employer is not obligated to meet and confer regarding wages, hours, or conditions of employment during the term of the memorandum shall not be construed to preclude meetings regarding the provisions of this section between an employer and local prosecutors, local public defenders, and local public defender investigators prior to the expiration of the term of the memorandum of understanding.
  (g) This section does not apply to any person described in Section 31469.2 who dies prior to the date this section becomes applicable in the county.

"Pension" means payments for life derived from contributions made from funds controlled by the board of supervisors, or from funds of a district.

"Recognized retiree organization" means an organization in which a majority of the members of the organization are retired members of the system and which the board, upon request, has approved recognition.

"Regular interest" means interest at 2 1/2 percent a year until otherwise determined by the board compounded semiannually on June 30th and December 31st.

"Regular interest" or "interest" when used for purposes of computing deposits under this chapter, except as otherwise specifically provided, shall mean that amount of interest which would have been credited to the account of the member on the amount to be deposited at the interest rates established for the system if the contributions required to be deposited had been made in the amounts and at the times required if the member had been making such deposits during the time service was rendered until the amount required to be deposited has been paid. For purposes of this section "deposits" includes "redeposits".

"Retirement allowance" means the pension plus the annuity.

"Retirement association" means an association of all persons who may qualify as annuitants or beneficiaries pursuant to this chapter.

"Retirement fund" means the Employees Retirement Fund.

"Retirement system" means each of the systems created and established pursuant to this chapter or its predecessor. The retirement system for county employees created by Chapter 677 of the Statutes of 1937, as amended, is continued in existence under this chapter.

"Salary fund" means the fund from which salaries are ordinarily paid.

"Public agency" means the United States of America, this state, or any department or agency of either, or any county, or any city, which city or county is within this state, or any public corporation, municipal corporation, or public district, which public corporation, municipal corporation, or public district is situated in whole or in part within the county, and any local agency formation commission. Section 31468 does not apply to this section.

"Public service" means service rendered as an officer or employee of a public agency for which service the officer or employee received compensation from the public agency and with respect to which he is not entitled to receive credit in any retirement system supported wholly or in part by public funds after he becomes a member of this system.

(a) (1) Notwithstanding Section 31479, an elective or appointive county official may receive credit for service rendered as a city council member even though that service was not compensated.
  (2) This section shall not be operative in any county until it is adopted by a majority vote of the board of supervisors.
  (b) This section shall not apply to service performed as an elective or appointive officer that is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013.

"Public service" also means service rendered as an officer or employee of a department or agency of the District of Columbia for which the officer or employee received compensation and with respect to which he is not entitled to receive credit in any retirement system supported wholly or in part by public funds after he becomes a member of this system.

"Public service" also means service in the merchant marine of the United States during the period of December 7, 1941, through August 15, 1945, whether or not the employee received compensation from the United States Government and with respect to which he or she is not entitled to receive credit in any retirement system supported wholly or in part by public funds after he or she became a member of this system. This section shall apply to both members and retired members of a county retirement association subject to this chapter. Both members and retired members may purchase public service credit pursuant to Sections 31641.1 and 31641.2. For a retired member the additional pension amount accruing because of any public service credit purchased shall be computed as though the service had been credited on the effective date of retirement and increased by any cost-of-living increases which may have been granted since the effective date of retirement and shall begin as of the first of the month following either the date of receipt of the retired member's election to purchase the credit pursuant to Section 31641.1 or the date of receipt of the full cost of the purchase computed pursuant to Section 31641.2 whichever is later. This section shall not be operative in any county until the board of supervisors shall, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, make this section applicable in the county.

The provisions of this chapter, as they apply to retirement for service or disability, deferred retirement, and the death benefit, shall not be applicable to any member claiming public service pursuant to Section 31478 or to any member claiming service credit for uncompensated illness leave of absence in excess of 12 consecutive months pursuant to Section 31646.1, unless such member has rendered service, other than the public service or the uncompensated illness leave of absence for which the member has elected to receive credit, sufficient to meet the minimum requirements of this chapter covering each of the benefits enumerated in this section.

An amendment either heretofore or hereafter made to this chapter, unless expressly stated otherwise, does not grant, take away, or otherwise affect the right to, or the amount of, any retirement allowance, or other benefit, of:
  (a) Any member who has retired or shall retire prior to the effective date of such amendment.
  (b) The spouse, children, beneficiary or coannuitant of any member if such member has retired or shall retire prior to the effective date of such amendment.
  (c) The spouse, children, beneficiary or coannuitant of any member, if such member has died or shall die, prior to retirement and prior to the effective date of such amendment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a participant in a deferred compensation plan established pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 18310) of Part 1 of Division 5 of Title 2 or pursuant to Article 1.1 (commencing with Section 53212) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5, may also participate in a retirement system of a public agency established pursuant to this chapter.

(a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in Section 20894, this section shall apply to all participants in retirement systems governed by this chapter.
  (b) A person shall not receive credit for the same service in two retirement systems supported wholly or in part by public funds under any circumstance.
  (c) Nothing in this section shall preclude concurrent participation and credit for service in a public retirement system and in a deferred compensation plan that meets the requirements of Section 457 of Title 26 of the United States Code, a tax-deferred retirement plan that meets the requirements of Section 40l(k) of Title 26 of the United States Code, or a defined contribution plan and trust that meets the requirements of Section 401(a), 403(b), or 415(m) of Title 26 of the United States Code.
  (d) Nothing in this section shall preclude concurrent participation and credit for service in the defined benefit plan provided under this chapter and in a supplemental defined benefit plan maintained by the employer that meets the requirements of Section 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code, provided all of the following conditions exist:
  (1) The defined benefit plan provided under this chapter has been designated as the employer's primary plan for the person and the supplemental defined benefit plan is adopted by the governing body of the employer.
  (2) The supplemental defined benefit plan has received a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service stating that the plan qualifies under Section 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code, and has furnished proof thereof to the employer.
  (3) The person's participation in the supplemental defined benefit plan does not, in any way, interfere with the person's rights to membership in the defined benefit plan, or any benefit provided, under this chapter.
  (e) If any provision of this section conflicts with the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, that provision shall not apply to a member who is subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 for all or any portion of his or her membership in the county retirement system.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter applicable in such county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, such governing body may at any time thereafter adopt a further ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of such provision or provisions as to employees of the county or district whose services commence after a given future date specified in the latter ordinance or resolution.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to such county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, such governing body may at any time thereafter adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of such provision or provisions as to current employees of the county or district who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated as to them. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits which the governing body of a county or district elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the governing body of a county or district to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter. The governing board of a county or district prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions shall provide oral or written explanation of the effect and impact of such termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any such provisions. The governing board shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that such member has been fully informed regarding the effect of such termination, and understands that such termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. Such affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person. The governing body shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated, specify the provision or provisions which shall be applicable to current employees making the election. Employees who elect to have such provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the governing body. Except as otherwise provided herein, the retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. Any employee who has made such an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement. Any employee who has made an election whereby the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 no longer applies, shall have the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462 applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under the provisions of Section 31462.1. Any employee who has made an election whereby a cost-of-living adjustment provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) no longer applies shall have the cost-of-living adjustment provision, if any, specified by the governing body applied to all previous service at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under such other provision of Article 16.5. Any employee who has made an election whereby a death benefit provision of Article 12 (commencing with Section 31780) no longer applies, shall have the death benefit provisions specified by the governing body applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under other provisions of Article 12. A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated may not rescind such an election unless the governing body of the county or district again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the county or district through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution. Any such election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under such employee's entitlement. This section shall not be applicable to safety members. This section shall only be applicable to a county of the third class as described by Section 28024.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to such county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, such governing body may, at any time thereafter, adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of such provision or provisions as to current employees of the county or district who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated as to them. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits which the governing body of a county or district elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the governing body of a county or district to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter. The governing board of a county or district, prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions, shall provide written explanation of the effect and impact of such termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any such provisions. The governing board shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that such member has been fully informed regarding the effect of such termination, and understands that such termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. Such affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person. The governing body shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated, specify the provision or provisions which shall be applicable to current employees making the election. Employees who elect to have such provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the governing body. Except as otherwise provided herein, the retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. Any employee who has made such an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement. Any employee who has made an election whereby the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 no longer applies, shall have the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462 applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under the provisions of Section 31462.1. Any employee who has made an election whereby a cost-of-living adjustment provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) no longer applies shall have the cost-of-living adjustment provision, if any, specified by the governing body applied to all previous service at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under such other provision of Article 16.5. Any employee making such election shall be refunded all moneys contributed by that employee for those benefits, and such employee shall be deemed to thereby have waived and relinquished any right to such automatic cost-of-living benefits. A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated may not rescind such an election unless the governing body of the county or district again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the county or district through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution. Any such election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under such employee's entitlement. This section shall only be applicable to a county of the 10th class as described by Section 28031.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to that county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, the governing body may at any time thereafter adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of that provision or provisions as to current employees of the county or district who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated as to them. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits which the governing body of a county or district elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the governing body of a county or district to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter. The governing board of a county or district prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions shall provide an oral or written explanation of the effect and impact of the termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any such provisions. The governing board shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that the member has been fully informed regarding the effect of the termination, and understands that the termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. The affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person. The governing body shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated, specify the provision or provisions which shall be applicable to current employees making the election. Employees who elect to have the provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the governing body. Except as otherwise provided herein, the retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. Any employee who has made such an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement. Any employee who has made an election whereby the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 no longer applies, shall have the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462 applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under the provisions of Section 31462.1. Any employee who has made an election whereby a cost-of-living adjustment provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) no longer applies shall have the cost-of-living adjustment provision, if any, specified by the governing body applied to all previous service at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under such other provision of Article 16.5. Any employee who has made an election whereby a death benefit provision of Article 12 (commencing with Section 31780) no longer applies shall have the death benefit provisions specified by the governing body applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under other provisions of Article 12. A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated may not rescind such an election unless the governing body of the county or district again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the county or district through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution. Any such election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under such employee's entitlement. This section shall not be applicable to safety members. This section shall only be applicable to a county of the eighteenth class as described by Section 28039.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to such county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, such governing body may, at any time thereafter, adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of such provision or provisions as to current employees of the county or district who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated as to them. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits which the governing body of a county or district elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the governing body of a county or district to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter. The governing board of a county or district, prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions, shall provide written explanation of the effect and impact of such termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any such provisions. The governing board shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that such member has been fully informed regarding the effect of such termination, and understands that such termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. Such affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person. The governing body shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated, specify the provision or provisions which shall be applicable to current employees making the election. Employees who elect to have such provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the governing body. Except as otherwise provided herein, the retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. Any employee who has made such an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement. Any employee who has made an election whereby the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 no longer applies, shall have the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462 applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under the provisions of Section 31462.1. Any employee who has made an election whereby a cost-of-living adjustment provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) no longer applies shall have the cost-of-living adjustment provision, if any, specified by the governing body applied to all previous service at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under such other provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870). Any employee making such election shall be refunded all moneys contributed by that employee for those benefits, and such employee shall be deemed to thereby have waived and relinquished any right to such automatic cost-of-living benefits. A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated may not rescind such an election unless the governing body of the county or district again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the county or district through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution. Any such election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under such employee's entitlement. This section shall only be applicable to a county of the 25th class as described by Section 28046.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to that county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, the governing body may at any time thereafter adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of that provision or provisions as to current employees of the county or district who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated as to them. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits which the governing body of a county or district elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the governing body of a county or district to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter. The governing board of a county or district prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions shall provide an oral or written explanation of the effect and impact of the termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any such provisions. The governing board shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that the member has been fully informed regarding the effect of the termination, and understands that the termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. The affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person. The governing body shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated, specify the provision or provisions which shall be applicable to current employees making the election. Employees who elect to have the provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the governing body. The retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. Any employee who has made such an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement. A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated may not rescind such an election unless the governing body of the county or district again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the county or district through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution. Any such election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under such employee's entitlement. An employee may make the election described herein at any time. The effective date of the election shall be the first day of the biweekly payroll period following execution and filing of the employee's affidavit. An employee suffering a break in service shall, if he or she returns to covered employment within three years of the date of separation, return at the higher level if and only if his or her prior coverage was at that level. The provision in this paragraph applies only to separations occurring between June 30, 1983, through and including June 30, 1988, and further applies only to employees who were active members on June 30, 1983, and to employees laid off prior to that date who were on a civil service reemployment list on June 30, 1983. This provision does not apply to employees leaving the retirement system because of a change of status from full time to part time, regular appointment to project appointment and back to regular appointment, or regular appointment to intermittent appointment and back to regular appointment. After June 30, 1988, an employee who is laid off and rehired within one year from the date of separation shall return at the higher level if and only if his or her prior coverage was at that level. A former employee who has elected deferred retirement from the higher benefit level and who returns to covered employment shall return to the higher benefit level. The benefit levels described in this section are those in existence on July 1, 1983. This section shall only be applicable to a county of the fourth class as described by Sections 28020 and 28025.

(a) This section shall apply to the retirement system of Contra Costa County and only if the board of supervisors of that county adopts, by majority vote, a resolution making this section applicable in the county. Notwithstanding any other law, the board of supervisors may make this section applicable in the county on a date specified in the resolution, which date may be different than the date of the resolution.
  (b) (1) When the board of supervisors meets and confers pursuant to the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1) with the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs' Association, the parties may agree, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding as described in Section 3505.1, that the provisions of this section shall apply to safety employees represented by the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs' Association.
  (2) The terms of any agreement reached with the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs' Association pursuant to this subdivision shall be made applicable by the board of supervisors to unrepresented county employees who are safety members in the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and in similar job classifications as employees within applicable bargaining units and the supervisors and managers of those employees.
  (3) An ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section may establish different retirement benefits for different bargaining units of safety employees represented by the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs' Association and the unrepresented groups of safety employees in similar job classifications and the supervisors and managers of those employees. The ordinance or resolution may also establish the time period during which employees may make an election under this section and the date on which an employee shall be employed to be subject to this section.
  (c) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, if the board of supervisors makes a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to safety employees of the county represented by the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs' Association through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, the board of supervisors may at any time thereafter adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of that provision or provisions as to current employees of the county who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated as to those employees. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits that the board of supervisors elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The termination of benefits shall be consistent with the memorandum of understanding described in subdivision (b). Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing the board of supervisors to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter.
  (2) The board of supervisors, prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions shall provide a written explanation of the effect and impact of the termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions.
  (3) The board of supervisors shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that the member has been fully informed regarding the effect of the termination, and understands that the termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. The affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person and shall waive and release any right to a benefit under the terminated provision or provisions for the period of service following the election.
  (4) The board of supervisors shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated, and consistent with the memorandum of understanding described in subdivision (b), specify the provision or provisions that shall be applicable to current employees making the election. More than one optional set of provisions may be made available for election, including, but not limited to, the "3 Percent at 55" retirement formula, a cost-of-living adjustment, and the definition of final compensation pursuant to Section 31462 or 31462.1.
  (5) Employees who elect to have the provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the board of supervisors. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service and the retirement allowance for service rendered on or after the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. The total retirement allowance for an employee subject to this section shall be the sum of the retirement allowance calculated for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election and the retirement allowance calculated for service rendered on or after the effective date of the election. Any employee who has made an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement.
  (6) Any employee who has made an election that the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 no longer applies, shall have the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 applied to all service rendered prior to the effective date of the election and the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462 applied to all service rendered on or after the effective date of the election. For purposes of applying Section 31835 to a retirement system other than the retirement system in Contra Costa County, the highest average compensation described in this paragraph shall apply.
  (7) Any employee who has made an election that a cost-of-living adjustment provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) no longer applies shall have the cost-of-living adjustment provision, if any, for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election calculated on the basis of the cost-of-living adjustment provision applicable during that period of service. Any cost-of-living adjustment provision specified by the board of supervisors for service rendered after the effective date of the election shall apply solely to that service. A termination of benefits shall be consistent with the memorandum of understanding described in subdivision (b).
  (8) A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of the provision or provisions terminated may not rescind that election, unless the board of supervisors again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the employees who are represented by the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs' Association, through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution pursuant to a memorandum of understanding as described in Section 3505.1.
  (9) An election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under that employee's entitlement.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the governing body of a county or district following meet and confer has made a particular provision or provisions of this chapter providing for increased benefits applicable to such county or district through the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, such governing body may at any time thereafter adopt another ordinance or resolution terminating the applicability of such provision or provisions as to current employees of the county or district who elect by written notice filed with the board to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated as to them. This section is intended only to authorize the termination of those benefits which the governing body of a county or district elected to increase over the basic benefits or to make applicable in addition to the basic benefits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the governing body of a county or district to terminate the basic benefits required under the provisions of this chapter. The governing board of a county or district prior to adopting an ordinance or resolution allowing the termination of the applicability of any increased benefit provisions shall provide oral and written explanation of the effect and impact of such termination for each member requesting termination of the applicability of any such provisions. The governing board shall require members requesting termination of the applicability of any provisions to sign an affidavit stating that such member has been fully informed regarding the effect of such termination and understands that such termination of a provision or provisions is irrevocable. Such affidavit shall also state that the employee has chosen termination of the provision or provisions of the employee's own free will and was not coerced into termination of any provision by the employer or any other person. The governing body shall, in the ordinance or resolution granting current employees the option of electing to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated, specify the provision or provisions which shall be applicable to current employees making the election. Employees who elect to have such provision or provisions terminated, shall have their retirement allowance for service rendered after the effective date of election calculated on the basis of the provision made applicable by the governing body. Except as otherwise provided herein, the retirement allowance for service rendered prior to the effective date of the election shall be calculated on the basis of the provision or provisions applicable during that period of service. Any employee who has made such an election shall not be eligible for retirement unless the employee meets the minimum requirements of the provision or provisions applicable at the date of retirement. Any employee who has made an election whereby the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462.1 no longer applies, shall have the definition of "final compensation" in Section 31462 applied at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under the provisions of Section 31462.1. Any employee who has made an election whereby a cost-of-living adjustment provision of Article 16.5 (commencing with Section 31870) no longer applies shall have the cost-of-living adjustment provision, if any, specified by the governing body applied to all previous service at the date of retirement regardless of previous service under such other provision of Article 16.5. Any employee making such election shall be refunded all moneys contributed by that employee for those benefits, and such employee waives and relinquishes all rights to such automatic cost-of-living benefits. A current employee who has elected to have the applicability of such provision or provisions terminated may not rescind such an election unless the governing body of the county or district again makes the particular provision or provisions applicable to the county or district through the adoption of a subsequent ordinance or resolution. Any such election made by a current employee shall be binding upon the employee's spouse and all others claiming benefits under such employee's entitlement. This section shall not be applicable to safety members. This section shall only be applicable to a county of the thirteenth class as described by Section 28034.

It is the intent of the Legislature that counties that are considering the adoption of defined contribution plans, also consider having those plans administered by their county retirement systems.

"Treasurer" as used in Sections 31595.9, 31625, 31625.1, 31629, and 31706 means the county treasurer or any other entity authorized by the board.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a member who elects to purchase retirement service credit under Section 31486.3, 31486.35, 31499.3, 31499.13, 31641.1, 31641.5, 31641.55, 31646, 31652, or 31658, or under the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 31643 or 31644 shall complete that purchase within 120 days after the effective date of his or her retirement.
  (b) This section is not operative in any county until the board of supervisors, by resolution, makes this section applicable in the county.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a member who elects to purchase retirement service credit under Section 31490.5, 31490.6, 31494.3, 31494.5, 31641.1, 31641.5, 31646, 31652, or 31658, or under the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 31643 or 31644 shall complete that purchase within 120 days after the effective date of his or her retirement.
  (b) This section applies only to a county of the first class, as defined by Section 28020, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, and Section 28022, as amended by Chapter 43 of the Statutes of 1961.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including, but not limited to, Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1, no resolution, ordinance, contract, or contract amendment under this chapter adopted on or after January 1, 2004, may provide any retirement benefits for some, but not all, general members of a county or district.
  (b) No resolution, ordinance, contract, or contract amendment under this chapter adopted on or after January 1, 2004, may provide different retirement benefits for any subgroup of general members within a membership classification, including, but not limited to, bargaining units or unrepresented groups, unless benefits provided by statute for members hired on or after the date specified in the resolution are adopted by the county or district governing board, by resolution adopted by majority vote, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding made under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 2). All nonrepresented employees within similar job classifications as employees in a bargaining unit subject to a memorandum of understanding, or supervisors and managers thereof, shall be subject to the same formula for the calculation of retirement benefits applicable to the employees in the bargaining unit. No retirement contract amendment may be imposed by the employer in absence of a memorandum of understanding under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act.
  (c) This section does not preclude changing membership classification from one membership classification to another membership classification.
  (d) This section shall not apply to retirement benefits for a member described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 31676.15.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in a county of the 10th class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28031, the board of supervisors may, by resolution, ordinance, contract, or contract amendment under this chapter, provide any retirement benefits for some, but not all, general members or safety members of a county.
  (b) The resolution, ordinance, contract, or contract amendment described in subdivision (a) may provide a different formula for calculation of retirement benefits, by making any section of this chapter applicable to any subgroup of members within a membership classification, including, but not limited to, bargaining units, or unrepresented groups, applicable to service credit earned on and after the date specified in the resolution, which date may be earlier than the date the resolution is adopted.
  (c) A resolution adopted pursuant to this section may require members to pay all or part of the contributions by a member or employer, or both, that would have been required if the section or sections specified in subdivision (b), as adopted by the board or governing body, had been in effect during the period of time designated in the resolution. The payment by a member shall become part of the accumulated contributions of the member. For those members who are represented by a bargaining unit, the payment requirement shall be approved in a memorandum of understanding executed by the board of supervisors and the employee representatives.
  (d) A resolution adopted pursuant to this section may require safety members hired on and after the effective date of the act adding this subdivision to pay all or part of the contributions by a member or employer, or both. The payment by a safety member shall become part of the accumulated contributions of the safety member. For those safety members who are represented by a bargaining unit, the payment requirement and any changes to the payment requirement shall not be effective until approved in a memorandum of understanding executed by the board of supervisors and the employee representatives.
  (e) This section shall only apply to members who retire on or after the effective date of the resolution described in subdivision (a) or (b).
  (f) This section shall not become operative unless and until the county board of supervisors, by resolution adopted by a majority vote, makes this section operative in the county.

In accordance with Section 401(a)(8) of Title 26 of the United States Code, a forfeiture of benefits under this chapter shall not be applied to increase benefits that a member would otherwise receive under this chapter.

All distributions of benefits provided under this chapter shall comply with the requirements of Section 401(a)(9) of Title 26 of the United States Code that are applicable to public employee plans, including, but not limited to, requirements relating to the following:
  (a) The time that benefit payments begin, including benefit payments paid after the death of a member.
  (b) The form of distribution of benefits.
  (c) Incidental death benefits.

In accordance with Section 401(a)(31) of Title 26 of the United States Code, a person who is entitled to a distribution under this chapter that is an eligible rollover distribution may elect to have all or a part of that distribution paid directly to an eligible, specified plan, subject to terms and conditions established by the board. If a person elects to have the eligible rollover distribution paid to an eligible, specified plan, the payment, when it is distributable, shall be made in the form of a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to the eligible retirement plan.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in a county of the fourth class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28025, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, the board of supervisors may, by resolution adopted by majority vote, as part of any negotiated memorandum of understanding with a bargaining unit that represents safety employees, require a safety employee of that bargaining unit or unrepresented safety employee hired after approval of the resolution, to elect in writing, either the pension calculation stated in Section 31664 or the pension calculation stated in Section 31664.2. The election shall be made within 45 calendar days of beginning employment with the county. If a new safety employee does not elect the pension calculation stated in Section 31664.2 within 45 days of beginning employment, the new safety employee shall be deemed to have elected the pension calculation stated in Section 31664. Once made, a safety employee under this section shall not be permitted to rescind his or her election.
  (b) The resolution described in subdivision (a) may provide a different formula or calculation of retirement benefits for new members of other safety bargaining units or other unrepresented safety employees hired after approval of the resolution, by making any section of this chapter applicable to those different safety bargaining units or unrepresented employees, within the safety member classification, pursuant to a negotiated memorandum of understanding as described in Section 3505.1.
  (c) The resolution described in subdivision (a) may provide a different formula or calculation of safety retirement benefits for new safety members in one bargaining unit than that which is provided for new safety members of other bargaining units or new unrepresented safety members.
  (d) A resolution adopted pursuant to this section or previously adopted resolutions of the board may require members to pay all or part of the contributions by a member or employer, or both, that would have been required if the section or sections specified within this chapter were or have been adopted by resolution. The payment by a member shall become part of the accumulated contributions of the member. For those members who are represented by a bargaining unit, the payment requirement shall be approved in a memorandum of understanding executed by the board of supervisors and the employee representatives.
  (e) The board of supervisors, in a resolution described in subdivision (a), shall not require that a bargaining unit be divided solely for the purpose of providing different retirement benefits. However, if the members of a bargaining unit within the same or similar membership classification so elect, retirement benefits may be separately negotiated with that bargaining unit.
  (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the effective date of a resolution described in subdivision (a) may be different than the date of the resolution.

(a) In accordance with Section 401(a)(37) of Title 26 of the United States Code, if a member dies while performing qualified military service, as defined in Section 414(u) of Title 26 of the United States Code, the survivors of the member shall be entitled to any additional benefits that would have been provided under the retirement system had the member resumed his or her prior employment with an employer that participates in the system and then terminated employment on account of death.
  (b) For purposes of this section, "additional benefits" shall not include benefit accruals relating to the period of qualified military service.
  (c) The death of a member or former member while performing qualified military service shall not be treated as a service-connected death or disability.
  (d) Service for vesting purposes shall be credited to a member who dies while performing qualified military service for the period of his or her qualified military service.
  (e) This section shall apply to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2007.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in a county of the eighth class, as defined in Sections 28020 and 28029, as amended by Chapter 1204 of the Statutes of 1971, the board of supervisors may, by resolution adopted by majority vote, if authorized by a mutually agreed upon and negotiated memorandum of understanding with a bargaining unit that represents safety employees, require a safety employee of that bargaining unit first hired after approval of the resolution, and may also require an unrepresented safety employee first hired after approval of the resolution, to receive a pension calculation provided in Section 31664.2, with a highest compensation period determined pursuant to Section 31462, and with a cost-of-living adjustment provided in Section 31870.
  (b) The resolution described in subdivision (a) may provide a different formula or calculation of retirement benefits for new safety members in one bargaining unit or new unrepresented safety members than that provided for new safety members of other bargaining units or new unrepresented safety members.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the rights of each member to his or her accrued retirement benefits under the retirement system shall be nonforfeitable, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code that are applicable to public employee plans, to the extent then funded, on the date of the termination of the system, the partial termination of the system, or the complete discontinuance of contributions under the system, as provided in Title 26 of the United States Code.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, no amount shall be distributed from a retirement system established under this chapter prior to the time that the distribution may be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code that are applicable to public employee plans, including, but not limited to, requirements relating to the distribution of amounts prior to the earlier of a member's death, disability, separation from service with all employers that maintain the retirement system, or attainment of normal retirement age, as defined by the retirement system.

(a) A member who has not attained normal retirement age shall have a bona fide separation from service to the extent required by Section 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code before working for the county or a district. The board shall establish, by regulation, the criteria under which a bona fide separation is satisfied.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, to the extent required or permitted by Section 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code, no amount shall be paid to any member before the date the member has attained normal retirement age or has had a bona fide separation from service, whichever is earlier.
  (c) The board may establish, by regulation, normal retirement age consistent with federal law and eligibility requirements under state law.
  (d) To the extent that the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (Article 4 (commencing with Section 7522) of Chapter 21 of Division 7 of Title 1) would provide for greater restrictions with regard to separation from service, the provisions of that act shall prevail.

(a) A member who, while currently employed, has reached normal retirement age, as defined by the retirement system, and has met the benefit commencement requirements in Article 8 or Article 9, shall be fully vested in the benefits payable under the retirement system. Upon satisfying the requirements of this section, a member may be retired upon filing with the board a written application in the manner provided in Articles 8 and 9 of this chapter, as applicable.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), Articles 8 and 9 of this chapter, or any other applicable law, a member's earned and accrued benefits may be forfeited under Section 7522.70, 7522.72, or 7522.74.