AB 1844 — Judges' Retirement System II: beneficiaries.

Summary

Existing law establishes the Judges' Retirement System II, which is administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System, and provides pension and other benefits to judges who are members. Existing law authorizes a judge to elect one of 4 optional retirement payment plans, with variations, in lieu of receiving the maximum retirement allowance for their life alone. The optional plans provide for a reduced allowance payable to the judge for life and a payment or allowance payable to their surviving spouse, as specified. Under existing law, the 100 Percent Beneficiary Option 2 with Benefit Allowance Increase consists of the right to have a retirement allowance paid to the judge until the judge's death and thereafter to have the same monthly allowance paid to the judge's surviving spouse for life, as provided, and the 50 Percent Beneficiary Option 3 with Benefit Allowance Increase consists of the right to have a retirement allowance paid to the judge until the judge's death and thereafter to have12 of the monthly allowance paid to the judge's surviving spouse for life, as provided. This bill would authorize a judge who retires on or after January 1, 2027, to elect to be subject to alternative provisions governing those 4 optional retirement payment plans described above, which would allow a judge to designate a beneficiary, which may or may not include their spouse, to receive the payment or allowance after the judge's death. A designation of a beneficiary under these alternative provisions would be subject to the community property rights of the judge's spouse. The bill would provide that under these alternative provisions, for the 100 Percent Beneficiary Option 2 with Benefit Allowance Increase and the 50 Percent Beneficiary Option 3 with Benefit Allowance Increase, if a nonspouse beneficiary waives entitlement to the allowance, the judge's allowance shall be adjusted effective the first day of the month following the receipt of the waiver to reflect the benefit that would have been paid had the judge not selected an optional settlement. The bill would provide that these two optional retirement payment plans shall not result in additional cost to the employer. Existing law authorizes the surviving spouse of a judge who died in office, had attained the minimum age for service retirement, with a minimum of 20 years of service, and met other requirements to receive an allowance that is equal to the amount that the judge would have received if the judge had been retired from service on the date of death, as specified. This bill would remove the requirement that the judge have had a minimum of 20 years of service in order to receive this surviving spouse allowance. Existing law authorizes the surviving spouse of a retired judge who was receiving a retirement allowance pursuant to specified provisions to receive a monthly allowance equal to 50% of the deceased judge's unmodified monthly retirement allowance, as provided. Under this bill, the surviving spouse of a retired judge who elected to be subject to the alternative provisions described above governing the 4 optional retirement payment plans would receive this surviving spouse allowance only if the spouse was married to the judge continuously from the date of the judge's retirement until the date of the judge's death. This bill would make other related and technical changes.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 09/27/26 - Chaptered html September 27, 2026
• Enrolled 09/02/26 - Enrolled html September 02, 2026
• Amended 08/13/26 - Amended Senate html August 13, 2026
• Amended 06/11/26 - Amended Senate Current pdf June 11, 2026
• Amended 03/19/26 - Amended Assembly pdf March 19, 2026
• Introduced 02/11/26 - Introduced pdf February 11, 2026
• AB1844 View text html

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 4 section(s) of the California codes: Section 75522 of the Government Code; Section 75570 of the Government Code; Section 75571.5 of the Government Code; Section 75590 of the Government Code.

• Section 75522 of the Government Code

  five → 5

  amended

• Section 75570 of the Government Code

  Section 2017, Section Section 2027. → (1) one of the following sections, as applicable: (A) Section 2017. (B) Section if the judge retires on or after January 1, 2027, and elects to be subject to Section 75571.5. (C) Section 2027, and elects to be subject to Section 75571.7. (2) An election to be subject to Section 75571.5 or 75571.7 shall be irrevocable.

  amended

• Section 75571.5 of the Government Code

  shall apply 2026. → applies 2026, and to any judge who retires on or after January 1, 2027, who elects under subdivision (a) of Section 75570 to be subject to this section.

  amended

• Section 75590 of the Government Code

  75573, or the optional settlement specified in subdivision (c) of Section 75571.5. → 75573. (g) On and after January 1, 2027, the surviving spouse of a retired judge who elected under subdivision (a) of Section 75570 to be subject to Section 75571.7 may receive benefits payable to a surviving spouse under this section only if the spouse was married to the judge continuously for the period beginning from the date of the judge’s retirement until the date of the judge’s death.

  amended

Action History

1. September 08, 2026

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.

2. August 28, 2026

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.).

3. August 27, 2026

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

4. August 27, 2026

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).

5. August 25, 2026

   Ordered to special consent calendar.

6. August 17, 2026

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

7. August 13, 2026

   Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

8. August 13, 2026

   From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).

9. August 03, 2026

   In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

10. June 22, 2026

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

11. June 11, 2026

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

12. June 10, 2026

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 10).

13. May 06, 2026

    Referred to Coms. on L., P.E. & R. and APPR.

14. March 26, 2026

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

15. March 26, 2026

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 4441.)

16. March 23, 2026

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

17. March 19, 2026

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

18. March 18, 2026

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 18).

19. February 23, 2026

    Referred to Com. on P. E. & R.

20. February 12, 2026

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.

21. February 11, 2026

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Blanca Pacheco · Primary

Votes

Subjects