§ (24). Pensions.

(a) In general.

To establish and maintain a general system of pensions and retirement benefits for the officers and employees of the City, the Police Department of Baltimore City, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Walters Art Gallery, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Municipal Museum of Baltimore City, and the officers and employees, by whatever authority appointed, whose compensation is paid by the City; to fix the terms of and restrictions on admission to such system and the classifications therein; to provide for the separate maintenance, or inclusion in such general pension system, of any existing pension system (with the consent of a majority of its participants) for officers and employees, by whatever authority appointed, whose compensation is paid by the City; to provide that persons eligible for admission in such general pension system shall not be eligible, except as hereinafter provided, for admission to any other pension system, the revenues of which are derived wholly or in part from appropriations made by the City, from license fees or from fines and forfeitures imposed under laws or ordinances in force in Baltimore City; to provide, in connection with such general pension system, a system of benefits payable to the beneficiaries and dependents of any participant in such general pension system after the death of such participant (whether accidental or otherwise and/or whether occurring in the actual performance of duty or otherwise), subject to such exceptions, conditions, restrictions and classifications as may be provided by ordinance; provided, however,

(1) that upon the adoption of an ordinance providing for their participation in the general pension system, officers and employees of said Police Department who do not elect to participate in such general pension system shall be entitled to pensions, benefits or allowances for themselves, their widows or dependents, under laws or ordinances in force immediately prior to the adoption of such ordinance; and

(2) that nothing in this subsection shall operate or be construed to diminish in any way the rights of any members of the Fire Department who are not participants in the presently existing general pension system of the City, their widows or dependents, to pensions, benefits or allowances provided for by laws or ordinances in force as of January 1, 1926.

(a-l) Elected officials.

To establish and maintain a separate system of pension and retirement benefits for elected officials of Baltimore City; to fix the terms of and restrictions on admission to that system and the classifications therein; to provide that persons eligible for admission in that pension system shall not be eligible to receive credit for the same years of service for which they received credit in any other pension system supported wholly or in part by the City of Baltimore or State of Maryland; to provide for the optional transfer to that pension system of any elected official who is eligible to join it, from any other system of pensions and retirement benefits operated and maintained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore; to provide in connection with that pension system, benefits payable to the beneficiaries and dependents of any participant in that pension system after the death of that participant (whether accidental or otherwise and whether occurring in the actual performance of duty or otherwise), subject to any exceptions, restrictions aud classifications that may be provided by ordinance; provided, however, that upon the adoption of an ordinance providing for their participation in that pension system, eligible elected officials who do not elect to participate in that pension system, shall be entitled to the pensions, retirement benefits and other benefits or allowances, for themselves, their widows and dependents, under the laws or ordinances in force immediately prior to the adoption of that ordinance.

(b) New system.

To establish and maintain a new system of pensions and retirement benefits applicable to all future entrants into the service of the City of Baltimore, whose entrance therein occurs after the establishment of such new system; to provide the conditions under which employees in service at the time of the establishment of such new system who desire to be covered by the provisions of the Federal Social Security Act and who are not specifically excluded therefrom may elect to enter such new system, such conditions to include appropriate limitations on the period during which members of the existing system may transfer to such new system; to provide for the transfer to such new system of the reserves held in the existing system on account of members who so transfer; provided, however, that the benefits of any member of the existing system shall not be changed by reason of his coverage under Social Security without his consent; and provided further that except as this paragraph specifically provides otherwise, and except where inconsistent herewith, the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (24) concerning the existing system shall apply to such new system.

Until amended by ordinance, the presently existing pension systems of the City shall remain in force.