1. As soon as possible after July 1, 1990, the department of administrative services, in cooperation with the board of trustees of the public safety peace officers’ retirement system and the board of trustees for the statewide fire and police retirement system created in section 411.36, shall submit to the members of retirement systems under chapters 97A and 411 in a referendum the question of requiring federal social security coverage for all persons newly hired as peace officers, as defined in section 97A.1, police officers, and fire fighters. The referendum shall be conducted before January 1, 1991. The referendum procedures shall comply with the requirements of federal law and regulations. If there is a favorable vote of a majority of the persons eligible to vote in the referendum, subsection 2 applies.
 2. Upon a favorable vote in the referendum and notwithstanding sections 97A.3 and 411.3, all persons newly hired as peace officers, as defined in section 97A.1, police officers, and fire fighters after July 1, 1991, shall be members of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system under chapter 97B, rather than members of retirement systems under chapters 97A and 411. Such members shall have federal social security coverage in addition to coverage under the Iowa public employees’ retirement system and shall have the same benefits as county sheriffs and deputy sheriffs under section 97B.49C or 97B.49G, as applicable.