(a)
The combined current and prior service pensions for state peace officer/firefighter members subject to this section with respect to state peace officer/firefighter service and the combined current and prior service pensions for local safety members with respect to local safety service rendered to a contracting agency that is subject to this section is a pension derived from the contributions of the employer sufficient when added to the service retirement annuity that is derived from the accumulated normal contributions of the state peace officer/firefighter or local safety member at the date of his or her retirement to equal the fraction of one-fiftieth of his or her final compensation set forth opposite his or her age at retirement taken to the preceding completed quarter year, in the following table, multiplied by the
number of years of state peace officer/firefighter service or local safety service subject to this section with which he or she is credited at retirement:
Age at
Retirement
Fraction
50
1.0000
5014
1.0125
5012
1.0250
5034
1.0375
51
1.0500
5114
1.0625
5112
1.0750
5134
1.0875
52
1.1000
5214
1.1125
5212
1.1250
5234
1.1375
53
1.1500
5314
1.1625
5312
1.1750
5334
1.1875
54
1.2000
5414
1.2125
5412
1.2250
5434
1.2375
55 and over
1.2500
(b)
(1)In no event shall the current service pension and the combined current and prior service pensions under this section for all service to all employers exceed an amount that, when added to the service retirement annuity related to that service, equals 75 percent of final compensation.
(2)
For state members, with respect to service for all state employers under this section, the benefit shall not exceed:
(A)
Eighty percent of final compensation for state members who retire on or after January 1, 1995.
(B)
Eighty-five percent of final compensation for state peace officer/firefighter members in State Bargaining Units 6 and 8 who retire on or after January 1, 1999, and prior to January 1, 2000.
(C)
Ninety percent of final compensation for state peace officer/firefighter members who retire on or after January 1, 2000.
(3)
For local safety members who retire on or after January 1, 2000, the benefit shall not exceed 85 percent of final compensation. If the pension relates to service to more than one employer, or this section and Section 21369, and would otherwise exceed that maximum, the pension payable with respect to each section or employer shall be reduced in the same proportion as the allowance bears to the total allowance computed as though there were no limit, so that the total of the pensions shall equal the maximum. Where a state or local member retiring on or after January 1, 1995, has service under this section with both state and local agency employers, the higher maximum shall apply and the additional benefit, if any, shall be funded by increasing the member’s
pension payable with respect to the employer for whom the member performed the service subject to the higher maximum.
(c)
The Legislature reserves, with respect to any member subject to this section, the right to provide for the adjustment of industrial disability retirement allowances because of earnings of a retired person and modification of the conditions and qualifications required for retirement for disability as it may find appropriate because of the earlier age of service retirement made possible by the benefits under this section.
(d)
This section may be applied to related supervisory classes or confidential positions for the respective bargaining units specified in this section.
(e)
(1)This section shall be operative with respect to state peace officer/firefighter members in
Corrections Bargaining Unit No. 6, Protective Services and Public Safety Bargaining Unit No. 7, or Firefighters Bargaining Unit No. 8, in accordance with a memorandum of understanding reached between the state and the exclusive bargaining agent in the respective unit pursuant to Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 3512) of Division 4 of Title 1.
(2)
This section also shall be operative with respect to the state peace officer/firefighter members employed by a California State University police department who are in Public Safety Unit No. 8 in accordance with a memorandum of understanding reached between the Trustees of the California State University and the recognized employee organization pursuant to Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1.
(3)
This section shall also be operative with respect to a “state peace officer/firefighter member” defined in
subdivision (a) of Section 20396 if authorized by, and in accordance with, a memorandum of understanding reached between the Trustees of the California State University and the recognized employee organization pursuant to Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1.
(4)
Nothing in this section or in any other provision of law affected by Chapter 1320 of the Statutes of 1984 or Chapter 234 of the Statutes of 1986 shall be construed as authorizing any future negotiation with respect to whether or not any bargaining unit specified in this section whose memorandum of understanding was previously approved by the Legislature pursuant to law and this section, shall continue to remain within the state peace officer/firefighter membership category.
(5)
The operative date of this section with respect to members in each of the bargaining units specified in this section
shall be as provided for in the memorandum of understanding.
(6)
With the exception of state peace officer/firefighter members for service rendered for the California State University or the legislative or judicial branch of government, this section shall apply to state peace officer/firefighter members who are not employed by the state on or after January 1, 2000.
(f)
This section shall be known as, and may be cited as, the State Peace Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement Act.
(g)
The Legislature reserves the right to subsequently modify or amend this part in order to completely effectuate the intent and purposes of this section and the right to not provide any new comparable advantages if disadvantages to employees result from any modification or amendment.
(h)
This section shall not apply to a contracting agency nor its employees until, first, it is agreed to in a written memorandum of understanding entered into by an employer and representatives of employees and, second, the contracting agency elects to be subject to it by amendment to its contract made in the manner prescribed for approval of contracts or in the case of a new contract, by express provision of the contract. The operative date of this section with respect to a local safety member shall be the effective date of the amendment to his or her employer’s contract electing to be subject to this section. However, this section shall not apply to any local safety member in the employ of an employer not subject to this section on January 1, 2000.
(i)
Notwithstanding Section 3517.8 or any provision of an expired memorandum of understanding, this section shall apply to a state peace officer/firefighter member who is employed by
the state for the first time and becomes a state peace officer/firefighter member of the system on or after January 15, 2011, and is represented by State Bargaining Unit 6 or 7. With respect to related state peace officer/firefighter members in managerial, supervisory, or confidential positions and officers or employees of the executive branch of state government who are not members of the civil service, the Director of Human Resources may exercise his or her discretion whether to approve their status in writing to the board.
(j)
(1)This section shall also apply to a state peace officer/firefighter member who is employed by the California State University or judicial branch of government or the Legislature for the first time and becomes a state peace officer/firefighter member on or after January 15, 2011.
(2)
If this subdivision is in conflict with a
memorandum of understanding that is current and in effect on January 15, 2011, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling while it remains in effect. Upon expiration of the memorandum of understanding that is in effect and current on January 15, 2011, this section shall be controlling and may not be superseded by a subsequent memorandum of understanding.
(k)
Subdivisions (i) and (j) do not apply to:
(1)
Former state, legislative, judicial branch, or California State University employees employed before January 15, 2011, who return to state or university employment on or after January 15, 2011, and who were not previously subject to this section.
(2)
State employees hired prior to January 15, 2011, who were subject to Section 20281.5 during the first 24 months of state employment and who were not previously
subject to this section.
(3)
State employees hired prior to January 15, 2011, who become subject to representation by State Bargaining Unit 6 or 7 on or after January 15, 2011, and who were not previously subject to this section.
(4)
State, legislative, judicial branch, or California State University employees on an approved leave of absence before January 15, 2011, who return to active employment on or after January 15, 2011, and who were not previously subject to this section.