Equal sharing of normal costs between the state employer and public employees shall be the standard. It shall be the standard that employees pay at least 50 percent of normal costs and that employers not pay any of the required employee contribution. Equal sharing of normal costs is currently the standard for most state employees.
(a) Notwithstanding any other section of this code, or other provision of law in conflict with this section, except as provided in Section 7522.30, normal contribution rates for defined benefit plans for state employees of public employers as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (i) of Section 7522.04, excluding the California State University, which shall be subject to subdivision (b), shall be determined as follows:
(1) Normal cost contribution rates shall increase as follows:
(A) The contribution rate for State Peace Officer/Firefighter members in State Bargaining Unit 6 and for State Safety members in State Bargaining Units 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 20, and 21 will increase by 1.0 percentage point on July 1, 2013, and will increase by an additional 1.0 percentage point on July 1, 2014.
(B) The contribution rate for State Peace Officer/Firefighter members in State Bargaining Units 7 and 8 will increase by 1.5 percentage points on July 1, 2013, and will increase by an additional 1.5 percentage points on July 1, 2014.
(C) The contribution rate for state industrial members in State Bargaining Units 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, and 20 will increase by 1.0 percentage point on July 1, 2013.
(D) The contribution rate for state miscellaneous and industrial members that have elected the Second Tier benefit formula will increase by 1.5 percentage points annually starting July 1, 2013. The final annual increase in the contribution rate shall be adjusted as appropriate.
(E) The contribution rate for State Safety members in State Bargaining Unit 2 and state miscellaneous members in State Bargaining Unit 5 will increase by 1.0 percentage point on July 1, 2013.
(F) The contribution rate for Patrol members in State Bargaining Unit 5 will increase by 1.5 percentage points on July 1, 2013.
(2) Consistent with paragraph (1), the normal rate of contribution shall be adjusted accordingly for related state employees who are exempted from the definition of “state employee,” who are excluded from collective bargaining, or who are officers or employees of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government who are not members of the civil service.
(b) On and after January 1, 2019, the California State University may require that members pay at least 50 percent of the normal cost of benefits, provided that their contribution shall be no more than 8 percent of pay for miscellaneous members subject to Section 21354.1, no more than 11 percent of pay for safety members, and no more than 13 percent of pay for peace officer/firefighter members.
(A) Before implementing any change pursuant to this paragraph, for any represented employees, the employer shall complete the good faith bargaining process as required by Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1, including any impasse procedures requiring mediation and factfinding.
(B) Nothing in this section shall preclude employees of the California State University from agreeing to contribute more than the costs described in this subdivision for any benefit.
(C) The Legislature authorizes to the California State University to increase member contribution rates pursuant to this paragraph, while reserving the right to adjust contribution rates under Section 20689 of the Government Code.
(c) Calculation of employee contribution rate increases pursuant to this section shall be based upon compensation calculations established pursuant to Sections 20671 to 20694, inclusive.
(d) In addition to the actuarially required contribution, savings realized by the state employer, excluding savings realized by the California State University, as a result of the employee contribution rate increases required or authorized by this section shall be allocated to any unfunded liability, subject to appropriation in the annual Budget Act. It is the intent of the Legislature that any savings realized from a change in contribution rates at the California State University pursuant to this section be retained by the university.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 528, Sec. 15. (SB 13) Effective October 4, 2013.)