Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
This article shall be known as the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013.
Article 4 - California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013
California Government Code — §§ 7522-7522.76
Sections (24)
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 756, Sec. 1.5. (SB 443) Effective January 1, 2026.
(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 system’s 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 system’s chief actuary and the system’s 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 employer’s 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.
(h)(1) On or after January 1, 2026, the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency, a joint powers authority formed pursuant to the provisions of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500)), may provide a defined benefit plan or formula pursuant to paragraph (2) to an employee of a member agency of the joint powers authority or of another public agency, as defined in Section 20056, who is not a new member and who is subsequently employed by the joint powers authority within 180 days of the effective date of the retirement plan contract amendment made pursuant to this section.
(2)On or before April 1, 2026, the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency may select a defined benefit plan or formula offered by one of its member agencies prior to the exercise of a common power which the member agency offered to its employees on December
31, 2012, and designate that formula for its employees as specified in paragraph (1).
(3)This subdivision does not exempt a new employee or a new member 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.
(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 system’s 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.
(l)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.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 3. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
For the purposes of this article:
(a)“Defined benefit formula” means a formula used by the retirement system to determine a retirement benefit based on age, years of service, and pensionable compensation earned by an employee up to the limit defined in Section 7522.10.
(b)“Employee contributions” means the contributions to a public retirement system required to be paid by a member of the system, as fixed by law, regulation, administrative action, contract, contract amendment, or other written agreement recognized by the retirement system as establishing an employee contribution.
(c)“Federal system” means the old age, survivors, disability, and health insurance provisions of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 301 et seq.).
(d)“Member” means a public employee who is a member of any type of a public retirement system or plan.
(e)“New employee” means either of the following:
(1)An employee, including one who is elected or appointed, of a public employer who is employed for the first time by any public employer on or after January 1, 2013, and who was not employed by any other public employer prior to that date.
(2)An employee, including one who is elected or appointed, of a public employer who is employed for the
first time by any public employer on or after January 1, 2013, and who was employed by another public employer prior to that date, but who was not subject to reciprocity under subdivision (c) of Section 7522.02.
(f)“New member” means any of the following:
(1)An individual who becomes a member of any public retirement system for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was not a member of any other public retirement system prior to that date.
(2)An individual who becomes a member of a public retirement system for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member of another public retirement system prior to that date, but who was not subject to reciprocity under subdivision (c) of Section
7522.02.
(3)An individual who was an active member in a retirement system and who, after a break in service of more than six months, returned to active membership in that system with a new employer. For purposes of this subdivision, a change in employment between state entities or from one school employer to another shall not be considered as service with a new employer.
(g)“Normal cost” means the portion of the present value of projected benefits under the defined benefit that is attributable to the current year of service, as determined by the public retirement system’s actuary according to the most recently completed valuation. For the purpose of determining normal cost, the system’s actuary may use a single rate of contribution or an age-based rate of contribution as is
applicable to that retirement system.
(h)“Public employee” means an officer, including one who is elected or appointed, or an employee of a public employer.
(i)“Public employer” means:
(1)The state and every state entity, including, but not limited to, the Legislature, the judicial branch, including judicial officers, and the California State University.
(2)Any political subdivision of the state, or agency or instrumentality of the state or subdivision of the state, including, but not limited to, a city, county, city and county, a charter city, a charter county, school district, community college district, joint powers authority, joint powers agency, and any
public agency, authority, board, commission, or district.
(3)Any charter school that elects or is required to participate in a public retirement system.
(j)“Public retirement system” means any pension or retirement system of a public employer, including, but not limited to, an independent retirement plan offered by a public employer that the public employer participates in or offers to its employees for the purpose of providing retirement benefits, or a system of benefits for public employees that is governed by Section 401(a) of Title 26 of the United States Code.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 756, Sec. 2. (SB 443) Effective January 1, 2026.
(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 or, if the member agency is a
nonfounding 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.
(c)A joint powers authority shall obtain approval from a retirement system pursuant to procedures prescribed by the retirement system prior to adding a new employer to the joint powers authority and enrolling any of its employees into membership.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 4. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
(a)On and after January 1, 2013, each public retirement system shall modify its plan or plans to comply with the requirements of this section for each public employer that participates in the system.
(b)Whenever pensionable compensation, as defined in Section 7522.34, is used in the calculation of a benefit, the pensionable compensation shall be subject to the limitations set forth in subdivision (c).
(c)The pensionable compensation used to calculate the defined benefit paid to a new member who retires from the system shall not exceed the following applicable percentage of the contribution and benefit base
specified in Section 430(b) of Title 42 of the United States Code on January 1, 2013:
(1)One hundred percent for a member whose service is included in the federal system.
(2)One hundred twenty percent for a member whose service is not included in the federal system.
(d)(1) The retirement system shall adjust the pensionable compensation described in subdivision (c) based on the annual changes to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: U.S. City Average, calculated by dividing the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: U.S. City Average, for the month of September in the calendar year preceding the adjustment by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: U.S. City Average,
for the month of September of the previous year rounded to the nearest thousandth. The adjustment shall be effective annually on January 1, beginning in 2014.
(2)The Legislature reserves the right to modify the requirements of this subdivision with regard to all public employees subject to this section, except that the Legislature may not modify these provisions in a manner that would result in a decrease in benefits accrued prior to the effective date of the modification.
(e)A public employer shall not offer a defined benefit or any combination of defined benefits, including a defined benefit offered by a private provider, on compensation in excess of the limitation in subdivision (c).
(f)(1) Subject to the limitation in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.42, a public employer may provide a contribution to a defined contribution plan for compensation in excess of the limitation in subdivision (c) provided the plan and the contribution meet the
requirements and limits of federal law.
(2)A public employee who receives an employer contribution to a defined contribution plan shall not have a vested right to continue receiving the employer contribution.
(g)Any employer contributions to any employee defined contribution plan above the pensionable compensation limits in subdivision (c) shall not exceed the employer’s contribution rate, as a percentage of pay, required to fund the defined benefit plan for income subject to the limitation in subdivision (c) of Section 7522.42.
(h)The retirement system shall limit the pensionable compensation used to calculate the contributions required of an employer or a new member to the amount of compensation that would
be used for calculating a defined benefit as set forth in subdivision (c) or (d).
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
Except as provided in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 7522.02, each public employer and each public retirement system that offers a defined benefit plan shall offer only the defined benefit formulas established pursuant to Sections 7522.20 and 7522.25 to new members.
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
(a)A public employer that does not offer a supplemental defined benefit plan before January 1, 2013, shall not offer a supplemental defined benefit plan for any employee on or after January 1, 2013.
(b)A public employer that provides a supplemental defined benefit plan, including a defined benefit plan offered by a private provider, before January 1, 2013, shall not offer a supplemental defined benefit plan to any additional employee group to which the plan was not provided before January 1, 2013.
(c)Except as provided in Chapter 38 (commencing with Section 25000) of Article 1 of Part 13 of Title 1 of the Education Code, a public
employer shall not offer or provide a supplemental defined benefit plan, including a defined benefit plan offered by a private provider, to any employee hired on or after January 1, 2013.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 76, Sec. 74. (AB 383) Effective January 1, 2014.
(a)Each retirement system that offers a defined benefit plan for nonsafety members of the system shall use the formula prescribed by this section. The defined benefit plan shall provide a pension at retirement for service equal to the percentage of the member’s final compensation set forth opposite the member’s age at retirement, taken to the preceding quarter year, in the following table, multiplied by the number of years of service in the system as a nonsafety member. A member may retire for service under this section after five years of service and upon reaching 52 years of age.
(b)Pensionable compensation used to calculate the defined benefit shall be limited as described in Section 7522.10.
(c)A new member of the State Teachers’ Retirement System shall be subject to the formula established pursuant to Section 24202.6 of the Education Code.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 5. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
(a)Each retirement system that offers a defined benefit plan for safety members of the system shall use one or more of the defined benefit formulas prescribed by this section. A member may retire for service under any of the formulas in this section after five years of service and upon reaching 50 years of age.
(b)The Basic Safety Plan shall provide a pension at retirement for service equal to the percentage of the member’s final compensation set forth opposite the member’s age at retirement, taken to the preceding quarter year, in the following table, multiplied by the number of years of service in the system as a safety member.
(c)The Safety Option Plan One shall provide a pension at retirement for service equal to the percentage of the member’s final compensation set forth opposite the member’s age at retirement, taken to the preceding quarter year, in the following table, multiplied by the number of years of
service in the system as a safety member.
(d)The Safety Option Plan Two shall provide a pension at retirement for service equal to the percentage of the member’s final compensation set forth opposite the member’s age at retirement, taken to the preceding quarter year, in the
following table, multiplied by the number of years of service in the system as a safety member.
(e)On and after January 1, 2013, an employer shall offer one or more of the safety formulas prescribed by this section to new members who are safety employees. The formula offered shall be the formula that is closest to, and provides a lower benefit at 55 years of age than, the formula provided to members in the same retirement classification offered by the employer on December 31, 2012.
(f)On and after January 1, 2013, an employer and its employees subject to Safety Option Plan One or Safety Option Plan Two may agree in a memorandum of understanding to be subject to Safety Option Plan One or the Basic Safety Plan, subject to the following:
(1)The lower plan shall apply to members first employed on or after the effective date of the lower plan, and
shall be agreed to in a memorandum of understanding that has been collectively bargained in accordance with applicable laws.
(2)A retirement plan contract amendment with a public retirement system to alter a retirement formula pursuant to this subdivision shall not be implemented by the employer in the absence of a memorandum of understanding that has been collectively bargained in accordance with applicable laws.
(3)An employer shall not use impasse procedures to impose the lower plan.
(4)An employer shall not provide a different defined benefit for nonrepresented, managerial, or supervisory employees than the employer provides for other public employees, including represented employees, of the same
employer who are in the same membership classifications.
(g)Pensionable compensation used to calculate the defined benefit shall be limited as described in Section 7522.10.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 6. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
(a)This section shall apply to all public employers and to all new members. Equal sharing of normal costs between public employers and public employees shall be the standard. The standard shall be that employees pay at least 50 percent of normal costs and that employers not pay any of the required employee contribution.
(b)The “normal cost rate” shall mean the annual actuarially determined normal cost for the plan of retirement benefits provided to the new member and shall be established based on the actuarial assumptions used to determine the liabilities and costs as part of the annual actuarial valuation. The plan of retirement benefits shall include any
elements that would impact the actuarial determination of the normal cost, including, but not limited to, the retirement formula, eligibility and vesting criteria, ancillary benefit provisions, and any automatic cost-of-living adjustments as determined by the public retirement system.
(c)New members employed by those public employers defined in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (i) of Section 7522.04, the Legislature, the California State University, and the judicial branch who participate in a defined benefit plan shall have an initial contribution rate of at least 50 percent of the normal cost rate for that defined benefit plan, rounded to the nearest quarter of 1 percent, unless a greater contribution rate has been agreed to pursuant to the requirements in subdivision (e). This contribution shall not be paid by the employer on the
employee’s behalf.
(d)Notwithstanding subdivision (c), once established, the employee contribution rate described in subdivision (c) shall not be adjusted on account of a change to the normal cost rate unless the normal cost rate increases or decreases by more than 1 percent of payroll above or below the normal cost rate in effect at the time the employee contribution rate is first established or, if later, the normal cost rate in effect at the time of the last adjustment to the employee contribution rate under this section.
(e)Notwithstanding subdivision (c), employee contributions may be more than one-half of the normal cost rate if the increase has been agreed to through the collective bargaining process, subject to the following conditions:
(1)The employer shall not contribute at a greater rate to the plan for nonrepresented, managerial, or supervisory employees than the employer contributes for other public employees, including represented employees, of the same employer who are in related retirement membership classifications.
(2)The employer shall not increase an employee contribution rate in the absence of a memorandum of understanding that has been collectively bargained in accordance with applicable laws.
(3)The employer shall not use impasse procedures to increase an employee contribution rate above the rate required by this section.
(f)If the terms of a contract, including a memorandum
of understanding, between a public employer and its public employees, that is in effect on January 1, 2013, would be impaired by any provision of this section, that provision shall not apply to the public employer and public employees subject to that contract until the expiration of that contract. A renewal, amendment, or any other extension of that contract shall be subject to the requirements of this section.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 7. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
For the purposes of determining a retirement benefit to be paid to a new member of a public retirement system, the following shall apply:
(a)Final compensation shall mean the highest average annual pensionable compensation earned by the member during a period of at least 36 consecutive months, or at least three consecutive school years if applicable, immediately preceding his or her retirement or last separation from service if earlier, or during any other period of at least 36 consecutive months, or at least three consecutive school years if applicable, during the member’s applicable service that the member designates on the application for retirement.
(b)On or after January 1, 2013, an employer shall not modify a benefit plan to permit a calculation of final compensation on a basis of less than the average annual compensation earned by the member during a consecutive 36-month period, or three school years if applicable, for members who have been subject to at least a 36-month or three-school-year calculation prior to that date.
Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 197, Sec. 5. (SB 148) Effective September 13, 2023.
(a)“Pensionable compensation” of a new member of any public retirement system means the normal monthly rate of pay or base pay of the member paid in cash to similarly situated members of the same group or class of employment for services rendered on a full-time basis during normal working hours, pursuant to publicly available pay schedules, subject to the limitations of subdivision (c).
(b)Compensation that has been deferred shall be deemed pensionable compensation when earned rather than when paid.
(c)Notwithstanding any other law, “pensionable compensation” of a new member does not include the following:
(1)Any compensation determined by the board to have been paid to increase a member’s retirement benefit under that system.
(2)Compensation that had previously been provided in kind to the member by the employer or paid directly by the employer to a third party other than the retirement system for the benefit of the member and which was converted to and received by the member in the form of a cash payment.
(3)Any one-time or ad hoc payments made to a member.
(4)Severance or any other payment that is granted or awarded to a member in connection with or in anticipation of a separation from employment, but is received by the member while employed.
(5)Payments for unused vacation, annual leave, personal leave, sick leave, or compensatory time off, however denominated,
whether paid in a lump sum or otherwise, regardless of when reported or paid.
(6)Payments for additional services rendered outside of normal working hours, whether paid in a lump sum or otherwise.
(7)Any employer-provided allowance, reimbursement, or payment, including, but not limited to, one made for housing, vehicle, or uniforms.
(8)Compensation for overtime work, other than as defined in Section 207(k) of Title 29 of the United States Code.
(9)Employer contributions to deferred compensation or defined contribution plans.
(10)Any bonus paid in addition to the compensation
described in subdivision (a).
(11)Any other form of compensation a public retirement board determines is inconsistent with the requirements of subdivision (a).
(12)Any other form of compensation a public retirement board determines should not be pensionable compensation.
(13)(A) Any form of compensation identified that has been agreed to be nonpensionable pursuant to a memorandum of understanding for state employees bound by the memorandum of understanding. The state employer subject to the memorandum of understanding shall inform the retirement system of the excluded compensation and provide a copy of the memorandum of understanding.
(B)The state employer may determine if excluded compensation identified in subparagraph (A) shall apply to nonrepresented state employees who are either excluded from the definition of state employee in Section 3513, or are nonelected officers or employees of the executive branch of government who are not members of the civil service and aligned with state employees subject to the memorandum of understanding described in subparagraph (A). The state employer shall inform the retirement system of the exclusion of this compensation and provide a copy of the public pay schedule detailing the exclusion.
(d)Notwithstanding any other law, if a form of compensation is expressly designated as pensionable compensation for a new member pursuant to a memorandum of understanding for state employees, the memorandum of understanding shall be
controlling as to that form of compensation without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, those provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. This subdivision does not apply to any form of compensation that is excluded from the definition of pensionable compensation pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (9), inclusive, of subdivision (c). The state employer shall inform the retirement system of the inclusion of this form of compensation and provide a copy of the public pay schedule detailing the inclusion.
(e)The state employer may determine if a form of compensation shall be designated as pensionable compensation for new members, who are nonrepresented state employees excluded from the definition
of state employee in Section 3513, or are nonelected officers or employees of the executive branch of government who are not members of the civil service. This subdivision does not apply to any form of compensation that is excluded from the
definition of pensionable compensation pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (9), inclusive, of subdivision (c). The state employer shall inform the retirement system of the inclusion of this form of compensation and provide a copy of the public pay schedule detailing the inclusion.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 9. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
(a)A public employer shall not provide to a public employee who is elected or appointed, a trustee, excluded from collective bargaining, exempt from civil service, or a manager any vesting schedule for the employer contribution payable for postretirement health benefits that is more advantageous than that provided generally to other public employees, including represented employees, of the same public employer who are in related retirement membership classifications.
(b)This section shall not require an employer to change the vesting schedule for the employer contribution payable for postretirement health benefits of any public employee who was subject to a specific vesting
schedule pursuant to statute, collective bargaining agreement, or resolution for these employer contributions prior to January 1, 2013, or who had a contractual agreement with an employer prior to January 1, 2013, for a specific vesting schedule for these employer contributions.
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
(a)In addition to any other benefit limitation prescribed by law, for the purposes of determining a public retirement benefit paid to a new member of a public retirement system, the maximum salary, compensation, or payrate taken into account under the plan for any year shall not exceed the amount permitted to be taken into account under Section 401(a)(17) of Title 26 of the United States Code or its successor.
(b)A public employer shall not seek an exception to the prohibition in subdivision (a) on or after January 1, 2013.
(c)For employees first hired on or after January 1, 2013, a public employer shall not make employer
contributions to any qualified retirement plan or plans on behalf of an employee based on that portion of the amount of total pensionable compensation that exceeds the amount specified in Section 401(a)(17) of Title 26 of the United States Code, or its successor.
(d)This section shall not apply to salary, compensation, or payrate paid to individuals who, due to their dates of hire, are not subject to the limits specified in subdivision (a).
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 10. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.
(a)A public employer shall not offer a plan of replacement benefits for members and any survivors or beneficiaries whose retirement benefits are limited by Section 415 of Title 26 of the United States Code. This section shall apply to new members.
(b)A public retirement system may continue to administer a plan of replacement benefits for employees first hired prior to January 1, 2013.
(c)A public employer that does not offer a plan of replacement benefits prior to January 1, 2013, shall not offer such a plan for any employee on or after January 1, 2013.
(d)A public employer that offers a plan of replacement benefits prior to January 1, 2013, shall not offer such a plan to any additional employee group to which the plan was not provided prior to January 1, 2013.
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
This section shall apply to all public employers and to all public employees:
(a)Any enhancement to a public employee’s retirement formula or retirement benefit adopted on or after January 1, 2013, shall apply only to service performed on or after the operative date of the enhancement and shall not be applied to any service performed prior to the operative date of the enhancement.
(b)If a change to a member’s retirement membership classification or a change in employment results in an enhancement in the retirement formula or retirement benefit applicable to that member, that enhancement shall apply
only to service performed on or after the operative date of the change and shall not be applied to any service performed prior to the operative date of the change.
(c)For purposes of this section, “operative date” in a collective bargaining agreement means one of the following:
(1)The date that the agreement is signed by the parties.
(2)A date agreed to by the parties that will occur after the date that the agreement is signed by the parties.
(3)A date designated by the parties that occurred prior to the date the agreement was signed if the most recent collective bargaining contract was expired at the time of the agreement and the date designated is not earlier than 12 months prior to the date of the agreement or the
day after the last day of the expired bargaining contract, whichever occurred later.
(d)For purposes of this section, an increase to a retiree’s annual cost-of-living adjustment within existing statutory limits shall not be considered to be an enhancement to a retirement benefit.
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
(a)A public retirement system shall not allow the purchase of nonqualified service credit, as defined by Section 415(n)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Sec. 415(n)(3)(C)).
(b)Subdivision (a) shall not apply to an official application to purchase nonqualified service credit that is received by the public retirement system prior to January 1, 2013, that is subsequently approved by the system.
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
(a)Final compensation of a member for the purpose of determining any pension or benefit resulting from service as an elective or appointed officer on a city council or a county board of supervisors accrued while in membership of a public retirement system shall be based on the highest average annual pensionable compensation earned by the member during the period of service in each elective or appointed office. Where that elective or appointed service is a consideration in the computation of any pension or benefit, the member may have more than one final compensation.
(b)Any final compensation calculation shall otherwise be
subject to this article except that if any individual period of elective service is less than 36 months or three years, then the entire period of that individual’s elected service shall be used to determine the final compensation for that period of service.
(c)This section shall apply to a member first elected or appointed to a city council or a county board of supervisors on or after January 1, 2013.
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 296, Sec. 15. (AB 340) Effective January 1, 2013.
(a)In any fiscal year, a public employer’s contribution to a defined benefit plan, in combination with employee contributions to that defined benefit plan, shall not be less than the normal cost rate, as defined in Section 7522.30, for that defined benefit plan for that fiscal year.
(b)The board of a public retirement system may suspend contributions when all of the following apply:
(1)The plan is funded by more than 120 percent, based on a computation by the retirement system actuary in accordance with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements that is included in the annual valuation.
(2)The retirement system actuary, based on the annual valuation, determines that continuing to accrue excess earnings could result in disqualification of the plan’s tax-exempt status under the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
(3)The board determines that the receipt of any additional contributions required under this section would conflict with its fiduciary responsibility set forth in Section 17 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.
Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 33, Sec. 4. (SB 843) Effective June 27, 2016.
(a)This section shall apply to any retired person who is receiving a pension benefit from a public retirement system and is first appointed on or after January 1, 2013, to a salaried position on a state board or commission. This section shall supersede any other provision in conflict with this section.
(b)A person who is retired from a public retirement system may serve without reinstatement from retirement or loss or interruption of benefits provided that appointment is to a part-time state board or commission. A retired person whose employment without reinstatement is authorized by this subdivision shall acquire no benefits, service credit, or retirement rights with respect to the employment. Unless otherwise defined
in statute, for the purpose of this section, a part-time appointment shall mean an appointment with a salary of no more than $60,000 annually, which shall be increased in any fiscal year in which a general salary increase is provided for state employees. The amount of the increase provided by this section shall be comparable to, but shall not exceed, the percentage of the general salary increases provided for state employees during that fiscal year.
(c)A person who is retired from the Public Employees’ Retirement System shall not serve on a full-time basis on a state board or commission without reinstatement unless that person serves as a nonsalaried member of the board or commission and receives only per diem authorized to all members of the board or commission. A person who serves as a nonsalaried member of a board or commission shall not earn any service credit or benefits in the Public Employees’ Retirement System or make contributions
with respect to the service performed.
(d)A person retired from a public retirement system other than the Public Employees’ Retirement System who is appointed on a full-time basis to a state board or commission shall choose one of the following options:
(1)The person may serve as a nonsalaried member of the board or commission and continue to receive his or her retirement allowance, in addition to any per diem authorized to all members of the board or commission. The person shall not earn service credit or benefits in the Public Employees’ Retirement System and shall not make contributions with respect to the service performed.
(2)(A) The person may suspend his or her retirement allowance or allowances and instate as a new member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System for the service
performed on the board or commission. The pensionable compensation earned pursuant to this paragraph shall not be eligible for reciprocity with any other retirement system or plan.
(B)Upon retiring for service after serving on the board or commission, the appointee shall be entitled to reinstatement of any suspended benefits, including employer provided retiree health benefits, that he or she was entitled to at the time of being appointed to the board or commission.
(e)Notwithstanding subdivisions (c) and (d), a person who retires from a public employer may serve without reinstatement from retirement or loss or interruption of benefits provided by the retirement system upon appointment to a full-time state board pursuant to Section 5075 of the Penal Code or Section 1718 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 238, Sec. 2. (AB 2476) Effective January 1, 2015.
(a)This section shall apply to any elected public officer who takes public office, or is reelected to public office, on or after January 1, 2006.
(b)If an elected public officer is convicted during or after holding office of any felony involving accepting or giving, or offering to give, any bribe, the embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of those crimes arising directly out of his or her official duties as an elected public officer, he or she shall forfeit all rights and benefits under, and membership in, any public retirement system in which he or she is a member, effective on the date of final conviction.
(c)(1) The elected public officer described in subdivision (b) shall forfeit only that portion of his or her rights and benefits that accrued on or after January 1, 2006, on account of his or her service in the elected public office held when the felony occurred.
(2)Paragraph (1) shall apply to the extent permissible by law.
(d)Any contributions made by the elected public officer described in subdivision (b) to the public retirement system that arose directly from or accrued solely as a result of his or her forfeited service as an elected public officer shall be returned, without interest, to the public officer.
(e)The public agency that employs an elected public officer
described in subdivision (b) shall notify the public retirement system in which the officer is a member of the officer’s conviction.
(f)An elected public officer shall not forfeit his or her rights and benefits pursuant to subdivision (b) if the governing body of the elected public officer’s employer, including, but not limited to, the governing body of a city, county, or city and county, authorizes the public officer to receive those rights and benefits.
(g)For purposes of this section, “public officer” means an officer of the state, or an officer of a county, city, city and county, district, or authority, or any department, division, bureau, board, commission, agency, or instrumentality of any of these entities.
(h)This section applies to any person appointed to service for the period of an elected public
officer’s unexpired term of office.
(i)On and after January 1, 2013, this section shall not apply in any instance in which Section 7522.72 or 7522.74 applies.
Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 238, Sec. 3. (AB 2476) Effective January 1, 2015.
(a)This section shall apply to a public employee first employed by a public employer or first elected or appointed to an office before January 1, 2013, and, on and after that date, Section 7522.70 shall not apply.
(b)(1) If a public employee is convicted by a state or federal trial court of any felony under state or federal law for conduct arising out of or in the performance of his or her official duties, in pursuit of the office or appointment, or in connection with obtaining salary, disability retirement, service retirement, or other benefits, he or she shall forfeit all accrued rights and benefits in any public retirement system in which he or she is a member to the
extent provided in subdivision (c) and shall not accrue further
benefits in that public retirement system, effective on the date of the conviction.
(2)If a public employee who has contact with children as part of his or her official duties is convicted of a felony that was committed within the scope of his or her official duties against or involving a child who he or she has contact with as part of his or her official duties, he or she shall forfeit all accrued rights and benefits in any public retirement system in which he or she is a member to the extent provided in subdivision (c) and shall not accrue further benefits in that public retirement system, effective on the date of the conviction.
(c)(1) A member shall forfeit all the rights and benefits earned or accrued from the earliest date of the
commission of any felony described in subdivision (b) to the forfeiture date, inclusive. The rights and benefits shall remain forfeited notwithstanding any reduction in sentence or expungement of the conviction following the date of the member’s conviction. Rights and benefits attributable to service performed prior to the date of the first commission of the felony for which the member was convicted shall not be forfeited as a result of this section.
(2)Paragraph (1) shall apply to the extent permissible by law.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, “forfeiture date” means the date of the conviction.
(d)(1) Any contributions to the public retirement system made by the public employee described in subdivision (b) on or after the earliest date of the commission of any felony described in subdivision (b) shall be returned, without interest, to the public employee upon the occurrence of a distribution event unless otherwise ordered by a court or determined by the pension administrator.
(2)Any funds returned to the public employee pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be disbursed by electronic funds transfer to an account of the public employee, in a manner conforming with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, and the public retirement system shall
notify the court and the district attorney at least three business days before that disbursement of funds.
(3)For the purposes of this subdivision, a “distribution event” means any of the following:
(A)Separation from employment.
(B)Death of the member.
(C)Retirement of the member.
(e)(1) Upon conviction, a public employee as described in subdivision (b) and the prosecuting agency shall notify the public employer who employed the public employee at the time of the commission of the felony within 60 days of the felony conviction of all of the following information:
(A) The date of conviction.
(B) The date of the first known commission of the felony.
(2)The operation of this section is not dependent upon the performance of the notification obligations specified in this subdivision.
(f)The public employer that employs or employed a public employee described in subdivision (b) and that public employee shall each notify the public retirement system in which the public employee is a member of that public employee’s conviction within 90 days of the conviction. The operation of this section is not dependent upon the performance of the notification obligations specified in this subdivision.
(g)A public retirement system may assess a public employer a reasonable amount to reimburse the cost of audit, adjustment, or correction, if it determines that the public employer failed to comply with this section.
(h)If a public employee’s conviction is reversed and that decision is final, the employee shall be entitled to do either of the following:
(1)Recover the forfeited rights and benefits as adjusted for the contributions received pursuant to subdivision (d).
(2)Redeposit those contributions and interest that would have accrued during the forfeiture period, as determined by the system actuary, and then recover the full amount of the forfeited
rights and benefits.
(i)The forfeiture of rights and benefits provided in this section, with respect to judges, are in addition to and supplement the forfeitures and other requirements provided in Section 75033.2, 75062, 75526, or 75563. If there is a conflict between this section and Section 75033.2, 75062, 75526, or 75563, the provisions that result in the greatest forfeiture or provide the most stringent procedural requirements to the claim of a judge shall apply.
(j)A public employee first employed by a public employer or first elected or appointed to an office on or after January 1, 2013, shall be subject to Section 7522.74.
Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 238, Sec. 4. (AB 2476) Effective January 1, 2015.
(a)This section shall apply to a public employee first employed by a public employer or first elected or appointed to an office on or after January 1, 2013, and on and after that date, Section 7522.70 shall not apply.
(b)(1) If a public employee is convicted by a state or federal trial court of any felony under state or federal law for conduct arising out of or in the performance of his or her official duties, in pursuit of the office or appointment, or in connection with obtaining salary, disability retirement, service retirement, or other benefits, he or she shall forfeit all accrued rights and benefits in any public retirement system in which he or she is a
member to the extent provided in subdivision (c) and shall not accrue further
benefits in that public retirement system, effective on the date of the conviction.
(2)If a public employee who has contact with children as part of his or her official duties is convicted of a felony that was committed within the scope of his or her official duties against or involving a child who he or she has contact with as part of his or her official duties, he or she shall forfeit all accrued rights and benefits in any public retirement system in which he or she is a member to the extent provided in subdivision (c) and shall not accrue further benefits in that public retirement system, effective on the date of the conviction.
(c)(1) A member shall forfeit all the rights and benefits earned or accrued from the earliest date of the
commission of any felony described in subdivision (b) to the forfeiture date, inclusive. The rights and benefits shall remain forfeited notwithstanding any reduction in sentence or expungement of the conviction following the date of the member’s conviction. Rights and benefits attributable to service performed prior to the date of the first commission of the felony for which the member was convicted shall not be forfeited as a result of this section.
(2)Paragraph (1) shall apply to the extent permissible by law.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, “forfeiture date” means the date of the conviction.
(d)(1) Any contributions to the public retirement system made by the public employee described in subdivision (b) on or after the earliest date of the commission of any felony described in subdivision (b) shall be returned, without interest, to the public employee upon the occurrence of a distribution event unless otherwise ordered by a court or determined by the pension administrator.
(2)Any funds returned to the public employee pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be disbursed by electronic funds transfer to an account of the public employee, in a manner conforming with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, and the public retirement system shall
notify the court and the district attorney at least three business days before that disbursement of funds.
(3)For the purposes of this subdivision, a “distribution event” means any of the following:
(A)Separation from employment.
(B)Death of the member.
(C)Retirement of the member.
(e)(1) Upon conviction, a public employee as described in subdivision (b) and the prosecuting agency shall notify the public employer who employed the public employee at the time of the commission of the felony within 60 days of the felony conviction of all of the following information:
(A) The date of conviction.
(B) The date of the first known commission of the felony.
(2)The operation of this section is not dependent upon the performance of the notification obligations specified in this subdivision.
(f)The public employer that employs or employed a public employee described in subdivision (b) and that public employee shall each notify the public retirement system in which the public employee is a member of that public employee’s conviction within 90 days of the conviction. The operation of this section is not dependent upon the performance of the notification obligations specified in this subdivision.
(g)A public retirement system may assess a public employer a reasonable amount to reimburse the cost of audit, adjustment, or correction, if it determines that the public employer failed to comply with this section.
(h)If a public employee’s conviction is reversed and that decision is final, the employee shall be entitled to do either of the following:
(1)Recover the forfeited rights and benefits as adjusted for the contributions received pursuant to subdivision (d).
(2)Redeposit those contributions and interest that would have accrued during the forfeiture period, as determined by the system actuary, and then recover the full amount of the forfeited rights and
benefits.
(i)The forfeiture of rights and benefits provided in this section, with respect to judges, are in addition to and supplement the forfeitures and other requirements provided in Section 75033.2, 75062, 75526, or 75563. If there is a conflict between this section and Section 75033.2, 75062, 75526, or 75563, the provisions that result in the greatest forfeiture or provide the most stringent procedural requirements to the claim of a judge shall apply.
(j)A public employee first employed by a public employer or first elected or appointed to an office before January 1, 2013, shall be subject to Section 7522.72.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 388, Sec. 1. (AB 1067) Effective January 1, 2026.
(a)If a public employee, as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 7522.04, retires while under investigation by a public employer for misconduct arising out of or in the performance of the public employee’s official duties, in pursuit of the office or appointment, or in connection with obtaining salary, disability retirement, service retirement, or other benefits, the public employer shall continue the investigation even after the employee retires if the public employer’s investigation indicates that the public employee may have committed a crime.
(b)If the public employer’s investigation indicates that a public employee may have committed a crime, the public employer
shall refer the matter to the appropriate law enforcement agency and the public employer may then close the investigation. If the public employee is convicted of a felony for any conduct described in subdivision (a), the public employee shall forfeit all accrued rights and benefits in any public retirement system in which the employee is a member in accordance with Section 7522.70, 7522.72, or 7522.74, as applicable, effective on the date of the conviction.