(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to the provisions of subdivision (i), any employee of a department, board, or commission under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, who is designated as a peace officer described in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, may transfer from his or her current position to another department, board, or commission under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(b) Any peace officer who desires to transfer to another department, board, or commission pursuant to subdivision (a), and who is prohibited from carrying a firearm pursuant to state or federal law shall not transfer to a department, board, or commission that requires the use of a firearm.

(c) Any peace officer who desires to transfer to another department, board, or commission pursuant to subdivision (a) to a position requiring the ability to carry a firearm, as determined by the department, board, or commission, and who has not completed the required training pursuant to Section 832 of the Penal Code, shall successfully complete the required training before appointment to his or her new peace officer position.

(d) (1) Any peace officer who desires to transfer shall not be required to undergo a psychological screening pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 1031 of this code or subdivision (a) of Section 13601 of the Penal Code, unless the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his or her designee, makes a determination that a peace officer is required to undergo all or a portion of a psychological screening as described in subdivision (f) of Section 1031 of this code or subdivision (a) of Section 13601 of the Penal Code.

(2) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall promulgate emergency regulations in order to implement paragraph (1). Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 11346.1, no showing of an emergency shall be necessary in order to adopt, amend, or repeal the emergency regulations required by this paragraph.

(e) Any peace officer who has successfully completed a course of training pursuant to Section 13602 of the Penal Code and who transfers to another department, board, or commission pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to complete a new course of training pursuant to Section 13602 of the Penal Code. However, each department, board, or commission may prescribe additional training to be provided to an employee who transfers pursuant to subdivision (a) and shall provide that training within the first six months of appointment to his or her new peace officer position.

(f) Any peace officer who desires to transfer to another department, board, or commission pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to undergo a new background investigation pursuant to Section 1029.1.

(g) Nothing in this section shall affect an employee’s seniority calculation as provided for under current law or any memorandum of understanding between the state and any applicable bargaining unit agreement in effect upon the effective date of this section.

(h) The provisions of the Unit 6 Memorandum of Understanding, which expires July 2, 2006, as modified by the ratified addendum dated June 30, 2004, relating to the release of copies of video recorded incidents, shall be subject to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1).

(i) This section shall become operative only when the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation certifies in writing that it is necessary to prevent or minimize employment actions, including, but not limited to, layoffs, demotions, reductions in time base, or involuntary transfers of employees. In addition, the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall have the sole authority to designate any or all departments, boards, or commissions eligible to have its peace officer employees transfer pursuant to subdivision (a) and any or all departments, boards, or commissions that shall accept peace officer employees under this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 88, Sec. 44. (AB 176) Effective January 1, 2010. Section conditionally operative as provided in subd. (i).)