Gov. Code, § 21623.5

(a) In lieu of benefits provided by Sections 21620 and 21622 upon the death of any local member, after retirement and while receiving a retirement allowance from this system, there shall be paid to the beneficiary whom he or she shall nominate by written designation duly executed and filed with the board, the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000), three thousand dollars ($3,000), four thousand dollars ($4,000), or five thousand dollars ($5,000), whichever amount is designated by the employer in its contract, to be provided from contributions by the employer.

(b) For the purposes of this section, all contributions, liabilities, actuarial interest rates, and other valuation factors shall be determined on the basis of actuarial assumptions and methods that, in the aggregate, are reasonable and that, in combination, offer the actuary’s best estimate of anticipated experience under the system.

(c) The additional employer contributions required under this section shall be computed as a level percentage of member compensation.

(d) This section shall not apply to a contracting agency unless and until the agency elects to be subject to this section by amendment to its contract made in the manner prescribed for approval of contracts, except an election among the employees is not required or in the case of contracts made on or after January 1, 1999, except by express provision in the contract making the contracting agency subject to this section.