(a) If a member not previously within the field of membership as a safety member is brought within such field of safety membership by amendment to this chapter, he or she may receive credit as a safety member for all or any part of the time during which his or her duties would have made him or her eligible to become a safety member if the amendment had then been in effect by filing with the board at the time he or she elects to become a safety member his or her election to pay into the retirement fund an amount equal to the difference between the contributions actually made during the time for which he or she claims credit and the contributions he or she would have made during that time, including all additional contributions, if any, required by Article 7.5 of this chapter, had he or she been a safety member, together with regular interest on the amount required to be deposited.

(b) If a member not previously within the field of membership as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff is brought into that field of membership by a consolidation of the Los Angeles County Office of Public Safety with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, that member may receive additional credit as a safety member for all or any part of the time that member served as an officer with the Los Angeles County Office of Public Safety if that member makes an election to fund an amount equal to the difference between the member and employer contributions actually made as a general member and the member and employer contributions made for the time in which he or she claims credit, together with regular interest on the amount required to be deposited. The member may elect to fund the contributions by either a lump sum payment or by installment payments. No other restrictions shall be placed on a member’s election to receive additional credit as authorized by this subdivision.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 118, Sec. 1. (AB 1658) Effective January 1, 2011.)