CHAPTER 10. Beneficiary Designation [22960.80. - 22960.83.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 10.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 22960.80. Section 22960.80.

The participant may designate any person or persons as beneficiaries to receive any amount that may be payable upon the death of the participant pursuant to the provisions of Section 22960.88. The beneficiary or beneficiaries shall be designated on a form prescribed by the board, signed by the participant, and delivered to a plan representative prior to the participant’s death.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 22960.81. Section 22960.81.

Notwithstanding Section 22960.80, the participant’s beneficiary designation shall not be given effect and shall be overridden to the extent that such a designation would impair the rights of any surviving spouse under applicable federal or state law.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 22960.82. Section 22960.82.

Unless otherwise provided in the beneficiary designation form, each designated beneficiary shall be entitled to equal shares of the lump-sum distribution that may be payable from the participant’s account upon the death of the participant.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 22960.83. Section 22960.83.

In the event the participant dies without a valid beneficiary designation on file, or if no designated beneficiary survives the participant, any balance remaining in the participant’s account shall be payable to the participant’s survivors in the following order: (a) The participant’s spouse. (b) The participant’s natural or adopted children. (c) The participant’s parents. (d) The participant’s brothers and sisters. (e) The participant’s estate.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026