BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1658
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 5, 2010

            ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL  
                                      SECURITY
                               Alberto Torrico, Chair
                     AB 1658 (Lieu) - As Amended:  March 1, 2010
           
          SUBJECT  :   County employees' retirement: service credit: safety  
          members.

          SUMMARY  :   Allows certain members of the Los Angeles County  
          Employees' Retirement Association (LACERA) moving into safety  
          membership due to a specified consolidation, to convert prior  
          general member service to safety member service if the member  
          elects to pay the cost for the conversion, as specified.   
          Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Allows former employees of the Los Angeles County Office of  
            Public Safety who, as a result of the consolidation of that  
            office with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,  
            become safety members of LACERA, to elect to receive service  
            credit as a safety member for all or part of the time the  
            member served as a officer with the Office of Public Safety.

          2)Requires a member electing to convert the service to pay the  
            difference between the member and employer contributions paid  
            as a general member and the member and employer contributions  
            that would have been paid as a safety member plus regular  
            interest.

          3)Allows payment for the conversion to be made either in a lump  
            sum or by installment payments.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :   In 2009, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors  
          voted to consolidate the County's Office of Public Service into  
          the Sheriff's Department.  As employees of the Office of Public  
          Safety (which was responsible for law enforcement services for  
          county parks and buildings), these employees were general  
          members of LACERA.  Those who are accepted into the Sheriff's  
          Department as Deputy Sheriffs as a result of the consolidation  
          will become safety members of LACERA for all future service.

          According to supporters, "AB 1658 would allow the 'new' deputies  








                                                                  AB 1658
                                                                  Page  2

          to receive service credit as a safety member for duties  
          performed as a peace officer in the Office of Public Safety  
          prior to the merger."

          According to the author, "These law enforcement officers put  
          their lives on the line everyday.  They do this to keep our  
          communities and neighborhoods safe from crime.  AB 1658 provides  
          a way for these officers, at their own cost, to have their  
          retirement benefits reflect the risk and duties they daily  
          perform."






           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officer Association  
          (Co-Sponsor)
          Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (Co-Sponsor)
          Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (Co-Sponsor)

           Opposition 
           
          None on file
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Karon Green / P.E., R. & S.S. / (916)  
          319-3957