(a) “State safety member” also includes state prosecutors and state public defenders.

(b) For purposes of this part, “state prosecutor” means a state officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria:

(1) He or she is employed by the Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General.

(2) His or her job classification is Chief Assistant Attorney General, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, or any other similar classification or title.

(3) His or her effective date of retirement is on or after the date the state employer and the bargaining unit elect to be subject to this section as provided in subdivision (f).

(c) For purposes of this part, “state public defender” means a state officer or employee who meets all of the following criteria.

(1) He or she is employed by the Office of the State Public Defender.

(2) His or her job classification is State Public Defender, Senior Deputy State Public Defender, Supervising Deputy State Public Defender, Deputy State Public Defender, or any other similar classification or title.

(3) His or her effective date of retirement is on or after the date the state employer and the bargaining unit elect to be subject to this section as provided in subdivision (f).

(d) Past state miscellaneous service performed by a state prosecutor or state public defender who becomes a state safety member pursuant to this section shall be converted to state safety service if the past service was rendered in a position that has subsequently been reclassified as a state safety position pursuant to this section. Any unfunded liability resulting from this section shall be paid by the employer.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, state prosecutors and state public defenders shall be subject to the benefit formula contained in Section 21369.1, or any other benefit formula applicable to state safety members that does not provide benefits greater than those benefits provided under Section 21363.1.

(f) This section does not apply to any officers or employees described in subdivision (b) or (c) who are members of State Bargaining Unit 2 unless and until the state employer and the bargaining unit elect to be subject to this section by amendment to or by express provision in a memorandum of understanding entered into between the parties.

(g) This section does not apply to any officer or employee described in subdivision (b) or (c) who dies prior to the date the state employer and the bargaining unit elect to be subject to this section as provided in subdivision (f).

(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1152, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.)