Section 18992.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule, persons holding, for two or more consecutive years, nonelected exempt positions in the executive branch of government as defined in subdivisions (c), (e), (f), (g), (i), and (m) of Section 4 of Article VII of the Constitution and excluding those positions for which the salaries are set by statute, shall be eligible to apply for promotional civil service examinations, including, but not limited to, examinations for career executive assignments for which they meet the minimum qualifications as prescribed by the class specification. Persons receiving passing scores shall have their names placed on promotional lists resulting from these examinations or otherwise gain eligibility for appointment. In evaluating minimum qualifications, related exempt experience shall be considered state civil service experience in a comparable class.

(b) In cases where promotional examinations are given by more than one appointing authority for the same classification, the employee shall select one appointing authority in which to compete. Once this selection is made, it cannot be changed for the duration of the promotional list established from the examination in which the employee participated. Employees may transfer list eligibility between appointing authorities in the same manner as provided for civil service employees.

(c) Employees who meet the requirements of this section and who resign or are released from exempt employment of the executive branch of government shall be eligible to take promotional civil service examinations, including examinations for career executive assignments, for one year following their resignation or release in accordance with subdivisions (a) and (b).

(d) An employee who establishes eligibility on a promotional civil service list, either pursuant to subdivision (c) or prior to having resigned or having been released in a manner to which subdivision (c) would apply, shall maintain that eligibility for the duration of that particular list.

(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2013.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 353, Sec. 6) by Stats. 2012, Ch. 360, Sec. 36. Effective January 1, 2013. Section operative January 1, 2013, by its own provisions.)