Section 20901.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this part, if the Governor, by executive order, determines that because of an impending curtailment of, or change in the manner of, performing service, the best interests of the state would be served by encouraging the retirement of state employees, and that sufficient economies could be realized to offset any cost to state agencies resulting from this section, an additional two years of service shall be credited to state members, other than school members, if the following conditions exist:

(1) The member meets the service requirements of Section 21060 or 21074 and retires during a period not to exceed 120 days or less than 60 days commencing no sooner than the date of issuance of the Governor's executive order which shall specify the period. For purposes of this paragraph, the service requirements of Sections 21060 and 21074 shall not include service as a National Guard member or service purchased pursuant to Section 21029.5.

(2) The appointing power, as defined in Section 18524, or the Regents of the University of California or the Trustees of the California State University, transmits to the retirement fund an amount determined by the board that is equal to the actuarial equivalent of the difference between the allowance the member receives after the receipt of service credit under this section and the amount the member would have received without that service credit. The transfer to the retirement fund shall be made in a manner and time period acceptable to the employer and the board.

(3) The appointing power or the regents or the trustees determines that it is electing to exercise the provisions of this section, pursuant to the Governor's order, and certifies to the Department of Finance and to the Legislative Analyst's Office, as to the specific economies that will be realized were the additional service credit towards retirement granted.

(b) As used in this section, "member" means a state employee who is employed in a job classification, department, or other organizational unit designated by the appointing power, as defined in Section 18524, the Regents of the University of California, or the Trustees of the California State University.

(c) The amount of service credit shall be two years regardless of credited service, but shall not exceed the number of years intervening between the date of the member's retirement and the date the member would be required to be retired because of age. The appointing power or the regents or the trustees shall make the payment with respect to all eligible employees who retired pursuant to this section.

(d) Any member who qualifies under this section, upon subsequent reentry to this system shall forfeit the service credit acquired under this section.

(e) This section shall not apply to any member otherwise eligible if the member receives any unemployment insurance payments arising out of employment with an employer subject to this part during a period extending one year beyond the date of issuance of the executive order or if the member is not eligible to retire without the additional credit available under this section.

(f) (1) The benefit provided by this section shall not be applicable to the employees of any appointing power or the regents or the trustees until the Director of Finance approves the transmittal of funds by that appointing power or the regents or the trustees to the retirement fund pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(2) The Director of Finance shall approve the transmittal of funds by the appointing power or the regents or the trustees not sooner than 30 days after notification in writing of the necessity therefor to the chairperson of the committee in each house that considers appropriations and the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, or not sooner than such lesser time as the chairperson of the committee, or his or her designee, may in each instance determine. If there is any written communication between the Director of Finance and the Legislative Analyst, a copy thereof shall be immediately transmitted to the chairperson of each appropriate policy committee.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 355, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2008.)