County employees' retirement: Orange County.

The County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (CERL) prescribes the membership composition requirements for boards of retirement in counties that are subject to certain provisions regarding safety members. CERL requires the retirement boards in these counties to be comprised of 9 members and one alternate member, as specified. CERL requires the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 9th members to be qualified electors of the county who are not connected with the county government, except that one may be a member of the county board of supervisors. The California Constitution prohibits modification of the composition of certain public retirement boards that include elected employee members without ratification by the electors of the jurisdiction in which the participants of the system are employed. This bill would permit the Board of Supervisors of Orange County, by resolution adopted by majority vote, to appoint an alternate member for the 4th, 5th, 6th, or 9th member of the board of retirement. The bill would require that the alternate member be a qualified elector of the county who is not connected with the county government in any capacity. The bill would require the alternate member to have the same term of office as the 9th member, would permit the alternate member to vote only if the 4th, 5th, 6th, or 9th member is absent from a board meeting, and would require the alternate member to fill a vacancy with respect to those members until a successor qualifies. The bill would entitle the alternate member to compensation equal to his or her counterparts for attendance without regard to whether he or she is a voting member and would generally provide the alternate member with the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as his or her counterparts. The bill would permit the alternate member to hold positions on committees and participate in deliberations independent of his or her counterparts. The bill would prohibit the alternate member from serving until service of this type is approved by a majority of the electors in the county.