The State Peace Officers’ and Firefighters’ Defined Contribution Plan shall supplement the benefits provided under Part 3 (commencing with Section 20000).

If any provision of this part or application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this part that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this part are severable.

“Account” means the account maintained with respect to the participant which reflects that aggregate value of the following amounts credited to the participant:

“Beneficiary” means any person or persons designated by the participant pursuant to this part, or otherwise entitled by statute, to receive distributions from the participant’s account upon the death of the participant.

“Board” means the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

“Compensation” means the total amount paid to an employee for a plan year as required to be reported on the employee’s Internal Revenue Service form W-2 for income tax withholding purposes. This amount shall include employee contributions picked up by the employer under Section 414(h)(2) of Title 26 of the United States Code; and any amounts deducted by the employer from the participant’s salary, including deductions for tax-deferred retirement plans or insurance programs; deductions for participation in an eligible deferred compensation plan within the meaning of Section 457 of Title 26 of the United States Code; and deductions for participation in a plan that meets the requirements of Section 125 or 401(k) of Title 26 of the United States Code.

“Disability” means a disability as determined by the board pursuant to Section 21156.

“Eligible employee” means any person employed by the state, whose compensation is paid out of funds directly controlled by the state, and who is subject to coverage by the plan pursuant to the provisions of Section 22960.

“Employee contribution” means the amount withheld from the participant’s compensation by the employer as a contribution to the participant’s account in the plan.

“Employee contribution rate” means the percentage of the participant’s compensation to be withheld by the employer as an employee contribution to the plan.

“Employer” means the State of California.

“Employer contribution” means the amount contributed by the employer to the participant’s account in the plan.

“Employer contribution rate” means the percentage of the participant’s compensation to be contributed by the employer to the participant’s account in the plan.

“Fund” means the State Peace Officers’ and Firefighters’ defined Contribution Plan Fund.

“Net earnings” means the income earned, or losses incurred, on the State Peace Officers’ and Firefighters’ Defined Contribution Plan Fund, less the costs of administering the plan.

“Normal retirement age” means the age at which the participant is eligible for a retirement benefit without special qualifications and is the age of 50 years under this plan.

“Participant” means an employee who is subject to coverage by the plan, and who has contributions credited under the plan.

“Plan” means the State Peace Officers’ and Firefighters’ Defined Contribution Plan.

“Plan year” means the 12-month period commencing on any January 1 and ending on the following December 31.

“Retirement” means termination of all employment for the employer and completion of all conditions precedent to receiving a distribution for retirement.

“Spouse” means the person married to the participant on the date the participant files a beneficiary designation, or an application for a distribution from the plan, or on the date of the participant’s death.

“State peace officers and firefighters” means those persons included in the definition of “state peace officer/firefighter member” pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 20390) of Chapter 4 of Part 3.

“System” means the Public Employees’ Retirement System.

“Termination” means termination of employment by reason of separation from all service for the employer.

“Valuation date” means the date as of which the assets of the fund are valued.