(a) Any amount that would otherwise be used to permanently increase compensation pursuant to Section 19827, effective on July 1, 2009, and on July 1, 2010, shall instead be used to permanently prefund postemployment health care benefits for patrol members. The amount used to prefund benefits relative to any increases under the survey methodology effective July 1, 2010, shall not exceed 2 percent. The state shall take credit for these prefunding contributions in the survey methodology established in Section 19827 in the same manner as it would for an increase to the base salary for patrol members.

(b) Patrol members shall contribute an additional 0.5 percent of base pay toward prefunding retiree health benefit obligations effective on the first day of the pay period following the effective date of the act adding this section and the ratification of the addendum by the members of State Bargaining Unit 5. This contribution shall not reduce the base salary of patrol members under the survey methodology established by Section 19827.

(c) Effective July 1, 2012, the state shall contribute toward prefunding retiree health benefits, on a prospective basis, an amount at least equal to the combined contribution rate established pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b). These contributions may be used in the survey methodology established by Section 19827 if mutually agreed in a memorandum of understanding.

(d) Contributions paid pursuant to this section shall be used exclusively for the cost of providing postemployment health care to eligible enrolled patrol member annuitants and their eligible enrolled dependents, beneficiaries, and survivors.

(e) Contributions paid pursuant to this section shall not be refundable under any circumstances to a patrol member or his or her beneficiary or survivor.

(f) Any amount used to prefund postemployment health care for patrol members pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be included in any calculation for benefits using final compensation.

(g) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if those provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

(h) For purposes of this section, “patrol member” has the same meaning as in Section 20390. This section shall not apply to an employee of a county.

(i) The Director of Human Resources may exercise his or her discretion to apply the provisions of this section to patrol members who are excepted from the definition of “state employee” in subdivision (c) of Section 3513, and an officer or employee of the executive branch of state government who is not a member of the civil service.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 156. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.)