ARTICLE 3. Membership [9355. - 9355.8.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 3.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355. Section 9355.

Any Member of the Senate or Assembly may file with the board at any time during incumbency in that office, a written election to become a member of this system. Upon the filing of the election he or she becomes a member of this system on the first day of the month following the filing of the election.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.1. Section 9355.1.

A person ceases to be a member of this system: (a) Upon retirement pursuant to this chapter. (b) Upon death. (c) Except as provided in Section 9355.2 or while absent on military service, on the 31st day after he or she ceases to be a legislator. (d) Upon resignation from membership in this system.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.2. Section 9355.2.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the service of a member is discontinued by any means other than death or retirement pursuant to this chapter, he or she shall have the right to elect not later than 90 days after the date upon which notice of that right is mailed by this system by registered mail to the member’s latest address on file in the office of this system, and without right of revocation, whether to allow his or her accumulated contributions to remain in the fund. Failure to make that election shall be deemed an irrevocable election to resign from this system and withdraw his or her accumulated contributions. A member whose membership continues under this section is subject to the same age requirements as apply to other members for retirement, and upon qualification for retirement by age, he or she shall, upon his or her application therefor to the board, be retired, and receive a retirement allowance based upon the service with which he or she is credited, in the same manner as other members of this system.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.3. Section 9355.3.

Any member may resign from this system at any time prior to retirement, by written resignation filed with the Board of Administration.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.4. Section 9355.4.

(a) Every elective officer of the state whose office is provided for by the California Constitution, except judges, may become a member of this system. Except for judges, every elective officer in office at the time this section becomes effective may, within 90 days after the effective date, file with the board a written election to become a member of this system. Except for judges, every elective officer elected after the effective date of this section may file an election within 90 days after the commencement of the first term of office for which he or she is elected. Upon the filing of the election he or she becomes a member of this system on the first day of the month following the filing of the election. (b) This section shall not apply to any person who first becomes an elective officer of the state on or after January 1, 2013.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.5. Section 9355.5.

Membership in this system is exclusive of membership in any other retirement system for state officers and employees. Upon becoming a member of this system, a member ceases to be a member of any other retirement system for state officers and employees of which he or she has been a member. The member is entitled to credit for service rendered prior to membership in this system pursuant to Section 9356.1, but is not entitled to that credit and credit for the same service in any other system.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.6. Section 9355.6.

A member is absent on military service while serving with the armed forces of the United States, either during a war as defined in Section 18 of the Military and Veterans Code, or in any other national emergency or in time of peace if he is drafted for such service by the United States Government, and for six months thereafter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.7. Section 9355.7.

Any member who, while serving a term of office as a Member of the Senate or Assembly, is elected or appointed to another public office and resigns his or her office as Member of the Senate or Assembly shall be credited with a period of service equal to the remainder of his or her term as Member of the Senate or Assembly if he or she makes contributions therefor to the Legislators’ Retirement Fund. Those contributions shall be in an amount equal to that which he or she would have made if he or she had served as a Member of the Senate or Assembly during the remainder of his or her term and had received the salary that he or she was receiving on the effective date of such resignation.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.8. Section 9355.8.

For purposes of Section 9355.7, “public office” includes, but is not limited to, positions within the federal government that require appointment by the President of the United States or his or her delegate or a member of the President’s Cabinet or his or her delegate, if the person so appointed is thereafter again elected as a Member of the Senate or Assembly. This section shall have retroactive application, as well as prospective application, but this section shall not deprive a member of credit for any service credited to him or her on the effective date of this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.16. Section 9355.16.

Any member of this system who is charged, by indictment, with the commission of any felony involving the accepting or giving, or offering to accept or give, any bribe, the embezzlement of public money, extortion, theft of public funds, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of these crimes, arising directly out of his or her official duties, and who is a fugitive from justice, shall be suspended from membership in this system while the charge is pending and until final disposition of the charge. At any time during the period of suspension of membership, the person so suspended shall be entitled to withdraw his or her accumulated contributions from the system, and any withdrawal shall constitute an election to terminate membership in the system. This section applies only to persons who are charged with the commission after the effective date of this section of a felony described in this section by an indictment filed after the effective date of this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.41. Section 9355.41.

(a) The Insurance Commissioner may become a member of this system as provided in this section. An Insurance Commissioner who is elected after January 1, 1994, may file an election within 90 days after the commencement of the term of office for which he or she is elected. Upon the filing of the election he or she becomes a member of this system on the first day of the month following the filing of the election. (b) This section shall not apply to an Insurance Commissioner who is first elected on or after January 1, 2013.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 9355.45. Section 9355.45.

(a) Every legislative statutory officer may become a member of this system. Every such officer in office at the time this section becomes effective may, within 90 days after the effective date, file with the board a written election to become a member of this system. Every such officer, elected after the effective date of this section, may file an election within 90 days after the commencement of the first term of office for which he or she is elected after attaining status as a legislative statutory officer. Upon the filing of the election he or she becomes a member of this system on the first day of the month following the filing of the election. (b) This section shall not apply to any person who first becomes a legislative statutory officer on or after January 1, 2013.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026