BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND RETIREMENT
Dr. Richard Pan, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 663 Hearing Date: 6/08/15
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|Author: |Irwin |
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|Version: |2/24/15 As introduced |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |No |
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|Consultant:|Glenn Miles |
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Subject: County retirement boards: alternate members
SOURCE: Ventura County Board of Supervisors
ASSEMBLY VOTES:
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|Assembly Floor: |78 - 0 |
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|Assembly Public Employees, |7 - 0 |
|Retirement/Soc Sec Committee: | |
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DIGEST: This bill authorizes the Ventura County Board of
Supervisors to appoint an alternate member to the county board
of retirement who would be permitted to vote only when specified
retirement board members are absent.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Establishes the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937 ('37
Act), which provides for retirement systems for county and
district employees in those counties adopting its provisions.
Currently 20 counties operate retirement systems under the '37
Act.
AB 663 (Irwin) Page 2 of ?
2)Sets forth the composition of the nine-member board of
retirement with one alternate member for any '37 Act county
retirement system as follows:
a) The county treasurer;
b) Two general (non-safety) members elected by the general
members of the system (2nd and 3rd members);
c) Four members who are qualified electors (i.e.,
individuals who are registered to vote in the applicable
county) not in any way connected with county government,
except one may be a county supervisor, and who are
appointed by the board of supervisors (4th, 5th, 6th, and
9th members);
d) One safety member elected by the safety members of the
system (7th member);
e) One retired member elected by the retired members of the
system (8th member), and;
f) One alternate member (the alternate 7th member) chosen
from the system's safety members, as specified, to
represent the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, or 8th members if one of those
members is absent.
3)Permits the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, by resolution
adopted by majority vote, to appoint one alternate member for
the 4th, 5th, 6th, or 9th retirement board member. However,
if the regular retirement board member appointed by the
supervisors is one of the supervisors then the alternate for
that member may not serve as an alternate for that supervisor
member unless service by an alternate member for an appointed
supervisor member is approved by the majority of the electors
in the county.
This bill:
1)Permits the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, by resolution
adopted by majority vote, to appoint one alternate member for
the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 9th retirement board member.
2)Specifies that the term of office for the alternate member
will run concurrently with the term of office of the 9th
AB 663 (Irwin) Page 3 of ?
member.
3)Provides that the alternate board member can only vote when
the 4th, 5th, 6th, or 9th members is absent from meetings of
the county retirement board.
4)Specifies that if there is a vacancy with respect to the 4th,
5th, 6th, or 9th member, the alternate member will fill the
vacancy until a successor is appointed.
5)Requires that the alternate member have the same compensation
for attending a meeting whether or not the 4th, 5th, 6th, or
9th member attends the meeting.
Background
Existing law governing '37 Act retirement systems authorizes an
alternative retirement board member (the alternative 7th member)
to serve in lieu of absent retirement board members who are
elected from the system's membership groups (2nd, 3rd, 7th, and
8th member).
Except for Contra Costa County, there is no authorization for a
similar alternative retirement board member to serve in lieu of
retirement board members appointed by the county board of
supervisors (4th, 5th, 6th, or 9th member).
Thus, when a board of supervisor appointed 4th, 5th, 6th, or 9th
member must be absent from a retirement board meeting, important
actions that can have significant impact on county finances are
delayed or continued until future meetings or proceed without
the full representation of the board of supervisors appointed
members.
Prior/Related Legislation
AB 719 (Canciamilla, Chapter 64, Statutes of 2005) authorized
the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, by resolution
adopted by majority vote, to appoint an alternate member for the
fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth members.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: No Local: No
AB 663 (Irwin) Page 4 of ?
SUPPORT:
Ventura County Board of Supervisors (source)
OPPOSITION:
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the sponsor, "the ability to
provide an alternate when needed will enable the Retirement
Board to take actions in a timely manner and with the proper
balance of representation."