California Code, Government Code - GOV § 31899

(a) The purpose of this chapter is to ensure the federal tax- exempt status of the county employees' retirement systems, to preserve the deferred treatment of federal income tax on public employer contributions to public employee pensions, and to ensure that members are provided with retirement and other related benefits that are commensurate, to the extent deemed reasonable, with the services rendered without violating the intent and purposes of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code.  1

(b) To achieve this purpose, this chapter incorporates certain pension payment limitations and elects the “grandfather” option in Section 415(b)(10) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Also, this chapter provides for certain replacement benefits.

(c) On or after January 1, 2013, the application of this chapter is limited as specified in Section 7522.43.