53217.6
. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
section to recognize a public obligation to all those whose duties as
local prosecutors, local public defenders, and local public defender
investigators expose them to more than ordinary risks in their
contribution to an effective statewide criminal justice system and to
ensure that those who serve as local prosecutors, local public
defenders, and local public defender investigators and who become
incapacitated in the performance of their duties or by age may be
replaced by more capable employees and shall receive pension benefits
commensurate with those received by local prosecutors, local public
defenders, and local public defender investigators in other
jurisdictions within the state.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the pension trust
benefits of any officer or employee of any city, including a charter
city, county, including a charter county, or city and county whose
positions meet or, on or after January 1, 2002, met the criteria of a
local prosecutor, local public defender, or local public defender
investigator, as described in Section 20423.6 or 31469.2, shall be
those pension trust benefits accorded to safety members of the
applicable county sheriff's department or the applicable police or
fire department of the public agency. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the pension trust benefits accorded to a local prosecutor, local
public defender, or local public defender investigator may not be
greater than those benefits provided to local safety members of the
Public Employees' Retirement System under Section 21363.1 or safety
members of a county retirement system under Section 31664.2.
(c) Except as provided in subdivision (e) and notwithstanding any
other provision of this chapter, past service shall be converted to
safety service, if the past service was rendered in a position that
has been made subject to safety benefits pursuant to this section.
For local prosecutors described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b)
of Section 20423.6, and 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. Any unfunded liability
resulting from this section shall be paid by the employer.
(d) This section shall apply only to a person whose effective date
of retirement is on or after the date this section becomes operative
in the city, including a charter city, county, including a charter
county, or city and county.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, within 90
days after this section becomes operative in the city, including a
charter city, county, including a charter county, or city and county,
or on the first day of the calendar month following his or her
entrance into service, whichever is later, any local prosecutor,
local public defender, or local public defender investigator may file
a written election not to become subject to the pension benefits
accorded to safety members under the retirement system of the city,
including a charter city, county, including a charter county, or city
and county.
(f) This section shall not be operative in a city, including a
charter city, county, including a charter county, or city and county
unless and until the city council or board of supervisors, by
ordinance or resolution adopted by majority vote, makes this section
operative in the city, county, or city and county. A resolution to
make this section operative shall include all local prosecutors,
local public defenders, and local public defender investigators as
described in Section 20423.6 or 31469.2.
(g) This section does not apply to any local prosecutor, local
public defender, or local public defender investigator, as described
in Section 20423.6 or 31469.2, who dies prior to the date this
section becomes operative in the city, county, or city and county.