Postretirement health benefits: contributions: County of Madera.

Existing law, the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA) , which is administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System, authorizes the board to contract for health benefit plans for employees and annuitants, as defined, which may include employees and annuitants of contracting agencies. PEMHCA prescribes requirements for the contributions of contracting agencies and their employees and annuitants for these benefits and creates alternative funding formulations for specified counties and districts. This bill would create an alternative funding formulation for employer contributions for postretirement health care benefits for specified employees of the County of Madera. The bill would apply its provisions to unrepresented and extra help employees, appointed department heads, and represented employees, as specified, provided that these employees are otherwise eligible. The bill would require the employees to have a specified minimum amount of service credit, including at least 5 years of service with the county. If the employees are represented, the bill would require a mutually agreed-upon memorandum of understanding regarding contributions for postretirement health benefits consistent with the bill's provisions to be in place. With regard to unrepresented and extra help employees and appointed department heads, the bill would require a specified resolution to have been adopted by a majority of the county board of supervisors that provides for contributions for postretirement health benefits. Upon satisfaction of these conditions, the bill would prescribe a schedule pursuant to which the county would pay employer contributions for postretirement health care benefits for the employees based on specified percentages associated with the employee's credited years of service, that would reach 100% when the employee attains 20 years of service. The bill would apply these provisions to employees of the County of Madera first hired and appointed on and after the date the bill becomes effective. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Madera.