Section 26000.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the State Teachers' Retirement System Cash Balance Plan was created and established on July 1, 1996, to provide a retirement plan for persons employed to perform creditable service for less than 50 percent of the full-time equivalent for the position. The persons eligible for the Cash Balance Plan were excluded from mandatory membership in the State Teachers' Retirement System Defined Benefit Plan. Both plans are administered by the Teachers' Retirement Board. Because both plans were intended to provide for the retirement of teachers and other persons employed in connection with the public schools of this state and schools supported by this state, a merger of these two plans is now hereby made for the purpose of establishing a single retirement plan that shall be known and may be cited as the State Teachers' Retirement Plan consisting of the different benefit programs set forth in this part and Part 13 (commencing with Section 22000). The plan shall be administered by the Teachers' Retirement Board as set forth in this part and Part 13 (commencing with Section 22000). As a result of this merger, a Cash Balance Benefit Program will be provided under the State Teachers' Retirement Plan and that program is set forth in this part.

The governing board of a school district, community college district, or county office of education may, by formal action, elect to provide the benefits of the Cash Balance Benefit Program under this part for their employees.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 1048, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 1999.)