Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any employee who voluntarily resigns from state service during the period January 1, 1980, through June 30, 1980, shall be credited at retirement with additional service credit pursuant to Section 20963 for sick leave accumulated while employed by the state and assumed and maintained by the county pursuant to the agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and certified as unused to the board by the county. County employees having accumulated sick leave credits for both state and county service shall be deemed to draw from county earned sick leave balances existing at the time sick leave is taken prior to the drawing from state earned balances.
This section applies only to probationary and permanent employees of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection assigned to the Orange Ranger Unit who, before the June 30, 1980, cancellation of the local government fire protection contract between the department and the County of Orange, voluntarily resign from state service and accept similar employment by Orange County in a fire protection organization.