California Code, Government Code - GOV § 18992

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule, persons holding, for two or more consecutive years, nonelected exempt positions in the executive branch of government as defined in subdivisions (c), (e), (f), (g), (i), and (m) of Section 4 of Article VII of the Constitution and excluding those positions for which the salaries are set by statute, shall be given the opportunity, upon request, to obtain civil service appointment list eligibility by taking any promotional civil service examination or career executive assignment examination for which they meet the minimum qualifications of the class to which they seek appointment. Persons receiving passing scores shall gain list eligibility for appointment. In evaluating minimum qualifications, the person's experience in the exempt position shall be considered state civil service experience in a comparable class that has the same or substantially similar duties and responsibilities as the person's exempt position.

(b) Persons who meet the requirements of this section, but who resigned or were released from exempt employment of the executive branch of government, shall be eligible to take promotional civil service examinations and career executive assignment examinations in accordance with subdivision (a).