BILL NUMBER: SB 1752	CHAPTERED  07/05/02

	CHAPTER  116
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JULY 5, 2002
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  JULY 3, 2002
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JUNE 20, 2002
	PASSED THE SENATE  APRIL 11, 2002

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Soto

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2002

   An act to amend Section 31529.9 of the Government Code, relating
to county employees' retirement, and declaring the urgency thereof,
to take effect immediately.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1752, Soto.  County employees' retirement boards.
   The County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 authorizes the boards
of retirement and investment in Kern County, Orange County, San
Joaquin County, and Santa Barbara County to contract with the county
counsel or with attorneys in private practice, or employ staff
attorneys, for legal services.
   This bill would authorize the boards of retirement and investment
in San Bernardino County to also contract for these legal services,
as specified.
   This bill would also declare that it is to take effect immediately
as an urgency statute.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 31529.9 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   31529.9.  (a) In addition to the powers granted by Sections 31529,
31529.5, 31614, and 31732, the board of retirement and the board of
investment may contract with the county counsel or with attorneys in
private practice or employ staff attorneys for legal services.
   (b) Notwithstanding Sections 31529.5 and 31580, the board shall
pay, from system assets, reasonable compensation for the legal
services.
   (c) This section shall be applicable to any county of the 2nd
class, 7th class, 14th class, 15th class, or the 16th class as
described by Sections 28020, 28023, 28028, 28035, 28036, and 28037.

  SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   The San Bernardino County Board of Retirement needs to contract
with private firms or employ staff attorneys to serve as general
counsel to the agency when it determines that the county counsel
cannot provide the board of retirement with legal services due to a
conflict of interest.