(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, a person who, on or after January 1, 2000, becomes a state miscellaneous or state industrial member of the system because the person (1) is first employed by the state, (2) returns to employment with the state from a break in service of more than 90 days, or (3) returns to employment with the state after ceasing to be a member pursuant to Section 20340 or 21075, shall be subject to the benefits provided by Section 21354.1, unless the person elects within 180 days of membership as a state miscellaneous or state industrial member to be subject to the Second Tier benefits provided for in Section 21076 or 21076.5, as applicable. This section shall only apply to state miscellaneous and state industrial members who are (1) excluded from the definition of state employee in subdivision (c) of Section 3513, (2) employed by the executive branch of government and are not members of the civil service, or (3) included in the definition of state employee in subdivision (c) of Section 3513.

(b) The effective date of the election shall be the first day of the month following the date the election is received by the system and shall be applicable to state service rendered on and after that date. Any election filed with the board pursuant to this section shall also be signed by the spouse of the member.

(c) A member who makes an election authorized by this section shall not be precluded from making a subsequent election pursuant to Section 21073.7 to be subject to the benefits provided by Section 21354.1.

(d) Operation and application of this section are subject to the limitations set forth in Section 21251.13.

(e) For a member subject to Section 20281.5, the 180-day election period shall not commence until the first day of the first pay period commencing 24 months after becoming a member of the system.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 526, Sec. 19. (SB 220) Effective January 1, 2014. Pursuant to subd. (d), section is conditionally operative as prescribed in Section 21251.13.)