Local government retirement plans.

Existing law requires local legislative bodies, before authorizing changes in public retirement plan benefits or other postemployment benefits, to secure the services of an actuary to provide a statement of the actuarial impact of the changes. This bill would require, whenever a local ordinance or measure qualifies for the ballot that proposes to alter, replace, or eliminate the retirement benefit plan of employees of a local government entity, whether by initiative or legislative action, the governing body of the local government entity to secure the services of an independent actuary to provide a statement, or a summary of the statement, not to exceed 500 words in length, of the actuarial impact of the proposed measure upon future annual costs of the retirement benefit plan, and to have this statement printed in the voter information portion of the sample ballot. The bill would require a specified notice regarding obtaining a copy of the measure to be printed in the voter information portion of the sample ballot, if the text of the measure is not printed on the ballot, nor in the voter information portion of the sample ballot. The requirements of the bill would apply to a city, including a charter city; a county, including a charter county; a city and county, including a charter city and county; a community college district; or a special district. By imposing new requirements on local governments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.