Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 21571, 21572, 21573, and 21574, this article shall apply to a surviving spouse of a local member who has attained or attains the age of 60 years and, with respect to that surviving spouse, who was either continuously married to the member for at least one year prior to death, or who was married to the member prior to the occurrence of the injury or onset of the illness that resulted in death and has not remarried subsequent to the member’s death.

A contracting agency that is already subject to this article, on and after January 1, 1993, may elect to be subject to this section by amendment to its contract made in the manner prescribed for approval of contracts, except that an election among the employees shall not be required. In the case of contracts made on or after January 1, 1993, this section shall apply to members of a contracting agency that either expressly includes this section in its contract or subsequently elects to amend its contract to make this section applicable to local members employed by the agency.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 379, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1996.)