31552.5. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), employees and officers of the Kern County Hospital Authority, a public agency that is a local unit of government established pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 101852) of Part 4 of Division 101 of the Health and Safety Code, shall not automatically become members of the Kern County Employees’ Retirement Association, but shall have their eligibility for membership in the Kern County Employees’ Retirement Association be established pursuant to the provisions of that chapter.(b) An employee who is hired by the authority on or after the operative date of the act adding this subdivision shall be a member of the Kern County Employees’ Retirement Association as provided in subdivisions (g) and (h) of Section 101853.1 of the Health and Safety Code.(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 405, Sec. 6. (SB 846) Effective September 14, 2018.)