SACRAMENTO, CA –The Governor signed Assembly Bill (AB) 329 today, authored by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento), authorizing the implementation of a labor agreement, which among other provisions, includes establishing a new lower retirement tier for new county law enforcement employees of 3 percent at age 55, with a three-year highest compensation average, and a retiree Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) not to exceed 2 percent annually. The new tier increases the age for retirement from 50 to 55, thus achieving long-term savings for Sacramento County and for the Sacramento County Sheriffs' Department.
"Without this bill, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors cannot implement this important agreement, which helps keep deputy sheriffs on our streets during tough budget times," said Dickinson.
AB 329 is an urgency bill needed to ratify this agreement. Under existing statute, the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937, all public safety members in all bargaining units must receive the same retirement benefits. Any exception to this requirement must be authorized in statute. Statutory clarification is needed because the agreement applies to five out of six bargaining units with safety employees.
"This agreement will not only help maintain public safety jobs and services in our communities, but it will also result in significant and ongoing savings for the county in future years," added Dickinson.
On August 2010, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved this labor agreement with the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs' Association (SCDSA) and the Sacramento County Law Enforcement Management Association (LEMA). The Sacramento County Alliance of Law Enforcement (SCALE), the Sacramento County Air Rescue Firefighters, and the Sacramento County Management Association (SCMA) have recently negotiated similar agreements with the county.
AB 329 is sponsored by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. It passed the Assembly 73-0 and the Senate 38-0. Further information about AB 329 is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.
This is the first Dickinson bill sent to the Governor and the first one signed this year.
Contact: Celia Mata (916) 319-2009
