California State-Run Retirement Program Signed Into Law

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Act, taking the next step in implementing one of the nation’s first state-sponsored, auto-enrolled retirement savings programs for the private sector.

The measure is anticipated to impact as many as 7 million private sector workers in California who did not previously have access to tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts in the workplace.

The California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program has received a lot of positive press for bringing much-needed attention to a difficult policy issue—but others warn the program could do more harm than good if not implemented and managed carefully. According to lawmakers who voted in support of the measure, Secure Choice is nothing more or less than “a completely voluntary workplace retirement savings plan that enables participation through automatic employee payroll contributions into a personal retirement account managed by the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Investment Board.”

Practically speaking, employees will be defaulted at 3% of salary into “a personal retirement plan, with the option to opt out or change contributions at any time.” There will be automatic escalation of contribution rates up to 8% of salary, with participant ability to stop or change the rate.

“For up to the first three years of the program, the state’s management board will establish managed accounts invested in U.S. Treasuries, or similarly low-risk investment, and develop investment options that address risk-sharing and smoothing of market losses and gains. Participant fees would be low,” lawmakers promise. In addition, the state board and its relevant contractors would have a fiduciary duty to the participants of the program.

The law applies to employers with five or more employees who do not offer an employer-sponsored retirement plan. These employers will be required to either establish their own in-house plan, or provide their employees with payroll deferral access to California’s Secure Choice Retirement Program. According to lawmakers, mandated employers themselves would be exempt from Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) liability.

NEXT: Context and analysis 

In anticipation of the law’s adoption, the Investment Company Institute (ICI) penned an open letter to Governor Brown, urging the legislature to “carefully examine the costs and risks of legislation to implement the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program.” ICI’s letter suggests in pretty stark terms that the absolute financial cost of the program as designed, for taxpayers and businesses in California, is essentially unknown and potentially subject to be much greater than anticipated.

“Though ICI supports efforts to improve retirement savings … the California Secure Choice Program depends on many factors, including the opt-out and contribution rates of enrolled workers; legal and compliance costs relating to various federal laws; administrative costs in setting up and maintaining the program; and potentially significant costs that may arise later if market returns generated by the program’s investments are insufficient to cover promised benefits to participating workers,” ICI warns. “California taxpayers or Secure Choice Program participants—or most likely both—will find themselves bearing unanticipated costs if the program advances.”

Others are clearly more optimistic. Back in August when the Department of Labor published its own final rulemaking about state-based IRA options, the Los Angeles Times editorial board argued that Secure Choice could be a “potential customer, not a would-be rival” for advisers and service providers. “Rather than managing retirement investments itself, the board will put that work out for bid by mutual fund companies and other investment firms that already have that expertise,” the paper argued.

For its part, the California Secure Choice management board lists an impressive group of supporters on its website: AARP; the Asian Business Association; the California Black Chamber of Commerce; the California Asset Building Coalition; California Association of Nonprofits; Church IMPACT; Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce; National Council of La Raza; SEIU California; Small Business Majority; and Young Invincibles.

“Seventy-three percent of survey respondents think offering such a program would give their business a competitive edge,” the management board concludes. “The state would have no liability for the program funding or performance. By enabling participants to save for retirement, they may be less reliant on taxpayer funded public services when they reach retirement age.”