Section 71626.5.

(a) As of the implementation date of this chapter:

(1) If a trial court employee receives county retiree group insurance benefits pursuant to Section 71626 and that county funds retiree group insurance benefits from excess funds in the county's retirement system, or prefunds retiree group insurance benefits, the county or county retirement board shall administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees who retire from the county retirement system. However, the county and the trial court may agree to an alternative arrangement to administer retiree group insurance benefits.

(2) In all other counties in which the trial court exercises its authority to provide retiree group insurance benefits to its employees, (A) if the trial court administers retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees separately from the county, the trial court shall continue to administer these benefits as provided under existing personnel policies, procedures, plans, or a trial court employee memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) if the county administers retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees, the county may continue to administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 71626 or the trial court may administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees pursuant to the following transition process:

(i) While an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect or for a transition period of up to 24 months, whichever is longer, the county shall administer retiree group insurance benefits for represented trial court employees who retire during that period, as provided in the applicable memorandum of understanding or agreement, unless the county is notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (iv) that the trial court no longer needs the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agree that the county will no longer administer specified benefits.

(ii) For a transition period of up to 24 months after the implementation date of this chapter, the county shall administer retiree group insurance benefits for unrepresented trial court employees who retire during that period, unless notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (iv) that the trial court no longer needs the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agree that the county will no longer administer specified benefits. During the 24-month transition period, if the county decides to change how it administers unrepresented trial court employees' retiree group insurance benefits, the county shall provide the trial court with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice, before any change in the administration of the benefits is implemented so the trial court can decide whether to accept the county's change or consider alternatives and arrange to administer or provide benefits on its own.

(iii) If, during the 24-month transition period, the trial court decides to offer particular retiree group insurance benefits different from what the county is administering, the trial court shall be responsible for administering those particular retiree group insurance benefits.

(iv) If the trial court intends to give notice to the county that it no longer needs the county to administer specified retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees, the trial court shall provide the county with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice.

(b) A county's agreement to administer retiree group insurance benefits shall not be construed to create a meet and confer obligation between the county and any recognized employee organization.

(c) Nothing in this section precludes a trial court from offering a different retiree group insurance benefits plan for trial court employees that is separate from the county retiree group insurance benefits plans, subject to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement for represented employees, or the terms of trial court policies, procedures, or plans, for unrepresented employees.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 270, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2002.)