ACCCA MDC Meeting Notes

The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr. Governor, State of California State Capitol, First Floor Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: AB 963 (Bonilla) Position: REQUEST FOR SIGNATURE

Dear Governor Brown:

I am writing to offer my strong support for Assembly Bill (AB) 963 and request your signature on the bill. AB 963 would resolve the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) membership issue affecting the eligibility of hundreds of members in the CalSTRS system—individuals like myself.

Since its inclusion in law, community college districts have interpreted the Education Code to the best of their ability to determine which of their employees are eligible for CalSTRS. Through several recent audits performed by CalSTRS, it has become apparent that the interpretation of who should—and should not—participate in CalSTRS has become muddied. As a result of these audits, hundreds of California Community College administrators—like me—suddenly found themselves in limbo because their position was no longer considered CalSTRS eligible.

(Sentence or two about the districts you were employed with and the positions you held.) Throughout my career, I have believed myself to be a bona fide CalSTRS member and have been paying into the system for my retirement, the only one I will have since CalSTRS members are not eligible for Social Security benefits.

AB 963 would hold individuals like me harmless to a difference of interpretations of the Education Code when I became employed and allows me to remain in the retirement system that I—and my employer—have contributed to for years.

Without this legislation, hundreds of community college administrators like myself would find themselves technically ineligible to remain in CalSTRS and my retirement would be at risk. This would be destructive to all parties—individuals, colleges, and CalSTRS—as hundreds of employees fight to stay in the retirement system they believe is their own.

For these reasons, I strongly support AB 963 and respectfully request your signature on the measure.

Sincerely,

(Name of Signatory) cc: The Honorable Susan Bonilla Michael Martinez, Governor’s Office Susan Bray, Executive Director, Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) Michelle McKay Underwood, Legislative Advocate, ACCCA