Opinion No. (2002)

BILL LOCKYER Attorney General ANTHONY S. DA VIGO Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE JACKIE SPEIER, MEMBER OF THE STATE SENATE, has requested an opinion on the following question: May the city council of a general law city that provides medical benefits to its members while in office, and which has never continued such benefits to its members after leaving office, now provide for the continuation of such benefits for currently serving members after they leave office? CONCLUSION The city council of a general law city that provides medical benefits to its members while in office, and which has never continued such benefits to its members after leaving office, may now provide for the continuation of such benefits for its currently serving members after they leave office only if the recipients participate on a self-pay basis. ANALYSIS The Legislature has enacted a comprehensive statutory scheme (Gov. Code, §§ 53200 — 53210 ) 1 authorizing the legislative bodies of local agencies, including cities, to provide health and welfare benefits to their officers and employees. (See 83 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 14 (2000); 81 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 218 (1998).) The question presented for…