California 2025-2026 Regular Session

California Senate Bill SB443 Compare Versions

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1-Amended IN Senate March 27, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 443Introduced by Senator RubioFebruary 18, 2025 An act to amend Section 7522.02 7522.05 of the Government Code, relating to retirement. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 443, as amended, Rubio. Retirement: joint powers authority: Cities of La Verne and Covina. authorities.The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems. This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.Existing law authorizes a joint powers authority to offer defined benefit plans or formulas that are not PEPRA plans or formulas, provided that the plans or formulas were those the employees received prior to the creation of the authority, the employees are not new members under PEPRA, and they are employed by the authority within 180 days, as specified. This bill would also authorize a joint powers authority to offer those defined benefit plans or formulas to a member agency that is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, for employees who are not new members under PEPRA and are employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 7522.05 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.SECTION 1.Section 7522.02 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.02.(a)(1)Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3)(A)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B)If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b)The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c)(1)Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A)Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B)Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C)Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D)Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2)An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d)If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e)If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f)(1)If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2)On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3)The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g)(1)If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2)The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3)On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h)If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(i)The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(j)This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(k)On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
1+CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 443Introduced by Senator RubioFebruary 18, 2025 An act to amend Section 7522.02 of the Government Code, relating to retirement. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 443, as introduced, Rubio. Retirement: joint powers authority: Cities of La Verne and Covina. The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems. This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 7522.02 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(h)(i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(i)(j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(j)(k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
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3- Amended IN Senate March 27, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 443Introduced by Senator RubioFebruary 18, 2025 An act to amend Section 7522.02 7522.05 of the Government Code, relating to retirement. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 443, as amended, Rubio. Retirement: joint powers authority: Cities of La Verne and Covina. authorities.The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems. This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.Existing law authorizes a joint powers authority to offer defined benefit plans or formulas that are not PEPRA plans or formulas, provided that the plans or formulas were those the employees received prior to the creation of the authority, the employees are not new members under PEPRA, and they are employed by the authority within 180 days, as specified. This bill would also authorize a joint powers authority to offer those defined benefit plans or formulas to a member agency that is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, for employees who are not new members under PEPRA and are employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
3+ CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 443Introduced by Senator RubioFebruary 18, 2025 An act to amend Section 7522.02 of the Government Code, relating to retirement. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 443, as introduced, Rubio. Retirement: joint powers authority: Cities of La Verne and Covina. The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems. This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
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5- Amended IN Senate March 27, 2025
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7-Amended IN Senate March 27, 2025
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99 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
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1111 Senate Bill
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1313 No. 443
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1515 Introduced by Senator RubioFebruary 18, 2025
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1717 Introduced by Senator Rubio
1818 February 18, 2025
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20- An act to amend Section 7522.02 7522.05 of the Government Code, relating to retirement.
20+ An act to amend Section 7522.02 of the Government Code, relating to retirement.
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2222 LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
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2424 ## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
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26-SB 443, as amended, Rubio. Retirement: joint powers authority: Cities of La Verne and Covina. authorities.
26+SB 443, as introduced, Rubio. Retirement: joint powers authority: Cities of La Verne and Covina.
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28-The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems. This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.Existing law authorizes a joint powers authority to offer defined benefit plans or formulas that are not PEPRA plans or formulas, provided that the plans or formulas were those the employees received prior to the creation of the authority, the employees are not new members under PEPRA, and they are employed by the authority within 180 days, as specified. This bill would also authorize a joint powers authority to offer those defined benefit plans or formulas to a member agency that is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, for employees who are not new members under PEPRA and are employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.
28+The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems. This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
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3030 The California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act and, among other provisions, establishes new retirement formulas that may not be exceeded by a public employer offering a defined benefit pension plan for employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, generally authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to jointly exercise any common power, which may include hiring employees and establishing retirement systems.
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3232 This bill would authorize the City of La Verne and the City of Covina, if on or after January 1, 2026, they form a joint powers authority, to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power. The bill would specify that these provisions would apply to an employee who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, as specified.
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3634 This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
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40-Existing law authorizes a joint powers authority to offer defined benefit plans or formulas that are not PEPRA plans or formulas, provided that the plans or formulas were those the employees received prior to the creation of the authority, the employees are not new members under PEPRA, and they are employed by the authority within 180 days, as specified.
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42-This bill would also authorize a joint powers authority to offer those defined benefit plans or formulas to a member agency that is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, for employees who are not new members under PEPRA and are employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.
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4436 ## Digest Key
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4638 ## Bill Text
4739
48-The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 7522.05 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.SECTION 1.Section 7522.02 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.02.(a)(1)Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3)(A)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B)If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b)The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c)(1)Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A)Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B)Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C)Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D)Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2)An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d)If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e)If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f)(1)If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2)On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3)The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g)(1)If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2)The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3)On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h)If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(i)The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(j)This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(k)On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
40+The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 7522.02 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(h)(i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(i)(j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(j)(k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
4941
5042 The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
5143
5244 ## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
5345
54-SECTION 1. Section 7522.05 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.
46+SECTION 1. Section 7522.02 of the Government Code is amended to read:7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(h)(i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(i)(j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(j)(k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.
5547
56-SECTION 1. Section 7522.05 of the Government Code is amended to read:
48+SECTION 1. Section 7522.02 of the Government Code is amended to read:
5749
5850 ### SECTION 1.
5951
60-7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.
52+7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(h)(i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(i)(j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(j)(k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.
6153
62-7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.
54+7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(h)(i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(i)(j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(j)(k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.
6355
64-7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.
56+7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.(B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).(b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.(c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:(A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.(B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.(C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.(D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.(2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.(d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.(e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.(f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.(3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.(3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.(h)(i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.(i)(j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.(j)(k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.
6557
6658
6759
68-7522.05. (a) A joint powers authority formed on or after January 1, 2013, and formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), where at least one member agency provided benefits on or before December 31, 2012, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02, may provide employees of that joint powers authority the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power where that employee was not a new member with that employer and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the member agency providing for the exercise of a common power. power or, if the member agency is a non-founding member of the joint powers authority, within 180 days of the agency becoming a member agency.
69-
70-(b) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, hired by that joint powers authority from the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013.
71-
72-
73-
74-
75-
76-(a)(1)Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.
77-
78-
60+7522.02. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in this article, on and after January 1, 2013, this article shall apply to all state and local public retirement systems and to their participating employers, including the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Teachers Retirement System, the Legislators Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System II, county and district retirement systems created pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3), independent public retirement systems, and to individual retirement plans offered by public employers. However, this article shall be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. The administration of the requirements of this article shall comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code.
7961
8062 (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to the entities described in Section 9 of Article IX of, and Sections 4 and 5 of Article XI of, the California Constitution, except to the extent that these entities continue to be participating employers in any retirement system governed by state statute. Accordingly, any retirement plan approved before January 1, 2013, by the voters of any entity excluded from coverage by this section shall not be affected by this article.
8163
82-
83-
8464 (3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a public employee whose interests are protected under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, erred in determining that the application of this article precludes certification under that section, or until January 1, 2016, whichever is sooner.
85-
86-
8765
8866 (B) If a federal district court upholds the determination of the United States Secretary of Labor, or their designee, that application of this article precludes them from providing a certification under Section 5333(b) of Title 49 of the United States Code, this article shall not apply to a public employee specified in subparagraph (A).
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90-
91-
9268 (4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), this article shall not apply to a multiemployer plan authorized by Section 302(c)(5) of the federal Taft-Hartley Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) if the public employer began participation in that plan prior to January 1, 2013, and the plan is regulated by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.).
93-
94-
9569
9670 (b) The benefit plan required by this article shall apply to public employees who are new members as defined in Section 7522.04.
9771
98-
99-
10072 (c) (1) Individuals who were employed by any public employer before January 1, 2013, and who became employed by a subsequent public employer for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to the retirement plan that would have been available to employees of the subsequent employer who were first employed by the subsequent employer on or before December 31, 2012, if the individual was subject to concurrent membership for which creditable service was performed in the previous six months or reciprocity established under any of the following provisions:
101-
102-
10373
10474 (A) Article 5 (commencing with Section 20350) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 5 of Title 2.
10575
106-
107-
10876 (B) Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3.
109-
110-
11177
11278 (C) Any agreement between public retirement systems to provide reciprocity to members of the systems.
11379
114-
115-
11680 (D) Section 22115.2 of the Education Code.
117-
118-
11981
12082 (2) An individual who was employed before January 1, 2013, and who, without a separation from employment, changed employment positions and became subject to a different defined benefit plan in a different public retirement system offered by their employer shall be subject to that defined benefit plan as it would have been available to employees who were first employed on or before December 31, 2012.
12183
122-
123-
12484 (d) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a defined benefit pension plan that provides a defined benefit formula with a lower benefit factor at normal retirement age and results in a lower normal cost than the defined benefit formula required by this article, that employer may continue to offer that defined benefit formula instead of the defined benefit formula required by this article, and shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 7522.10 for pensionable compensation subject to that formula. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the retirement board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the defined benefit plan may only participate in the lower cost defined benefit formula that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article or is approved by the Legislature as provided in this subdivision.
125-
126-
12785
12886 (e) If a public employer, before January 1, 2013, offers a retirement benefit plan that consists solely of a defined contribution plan, that employer may continue to offer that plan instead of the defined benefit pension plan required by this article. However, if the employer adopts a new defined benefit pension plan or defined benefit formula on or after January 1, 2013, that plan or formula must conform to the requirements of this article or must be determined and certified by the retirement systems chief actuary and the systems board to have no greater risk and no greater cost to the employer than the defined benefit formula required by this article and must be approved by the Legislature. New members of the employers plan may only participate in the defined contribution plan that was in place before January 1, 2013, or a defined contribution plan or defined benefit formula that conforms to the requirements of this article. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an employer from offering a defined contribution plan on or after January 1, 2013, either with or without a defined benefit plan, whether or not the employer offered a defined contribution plan prior to that date.
12987
130-
131-
13288 (f) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Cities of Brea and Fullerton form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the City of Brea, the City of Fullerton, or a city described in paragraph (2) who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.
133-
134-
13589
13690 (2) On or before January 1, 2017, a city in Orange County that is contiguous to the City of Brea or the City of Fullerton may join the joint powers authority described in paragraph (1) but not more than three cities shall be permitted to join.
13791
138-
139-
14092 (3) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.
141-
142-
14393
14494 (g) (1) If, on or after January 1, 2013, the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority to any employee of the Belmont Fire Protection District, the Estero Municipal Improvement District, and the City of San Mateo who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the agency providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.
14595
146-
147-
14896 (2) The formation of a joint powers authority on or after January 1, 2013, shall not act in a manner as to exempt a new employee or a new member, as defined by Section 7522.04, from the requirements of this article. New members may only participate in a defined benefit plan or formula that conforms to the requirements of this article.
149-
150-
15197
15298 (3) On and after January 1, 2024, a county and a trial court that separate their joint contract into individual contracts pursuant to Section 20471.2 may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, provided that the employee subsequently does not otherwise meet the definition of a new employee.
15399
100+(h) If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.
154101
155-
156-(h)If, on or after January 1, 2026, the City of La Verne and the City of Covina form a joint powers authority pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5), that joint powers authority may provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of a common power, to which the employee is associated, by the joint powers authority. This shall apply to any employee of the City of La Verne and the City of Covina who is not a new member and subsequently is employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the city providing for the exercise of a common power, to which the employee was associated, by the joint powers authority.
102+(h)
157103
158104
159105
160106 (i) The Judges Retirement System and the Judges Retirement System II shall not be required to adopt the defined benefit formula required by Section 7522.20 or 7522.25 or the compensation limitations defined in Section 7522.10.
161107
108+(i)
109+
162110
163111
164112 (j) This article shall not be construed to provide membership in any public retirement system for an individual who would not otherwise be eligible for membership under that systems applicable rules or laws.
113+
114+(j)
165115
166116
167117
168118 (k) On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this article and may adopt regulations or resolutions for this purpose.
169119
120+SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
170121
122+SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
171123
124+SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
172125
173-
174-The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to offer continuous benefits for employees upon the formation of a joint powers authority by the City of La Verne and the City of Covina.
126+### SEC. 2.