Bill > SB443

This bill amends the California Government Code to provide specific retirement benefit provisions for the Cities of La Verne and Covina when they potentially form a joint powers authority (JPA) on or after January 1, 2026. Under the existing Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), new public employees are subject to standardized, less generous retirement benefits. However, this bill would allow La Verne and Covina to offer employees the same defined benefit plan or formula they received from their original employers, but only for employees who are not considered "new members" under PEPRA. The bill expands existing law by allowing these cities to provide their traditional retirement benefits to employees who join the new joint powers authority within 180 days of the authority's formation. Additionally, the bill authorizes joint powers authorities to offer these pre-2013 benefit plans to non-founding member agencies for employees who are not new members and are employed by the authority within 180 days of the agency becoming a member. The Legislature explicitly states that this is a special statute necessary to ensure continuous benefits for employees during the formation of a joint powers authority between La Verne and Covina.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB443