(a) Notwithstanding Sections 22953, 22957, and 22958, the following employees shall not receive any portion of the employer contribution payable for annuitants unless the person is credited with 15 or more years of state service, as defined by this section, at the time of retirement:

1. (1) A state employee, as defined by subdivision (c) of Section 3513, who is first employed by the state and becomes a state member of the system on or after April 1, 2017, and is represented by State Bargaining Unit 16.
2. (2) A state employee related to State Bargaining Unit 16 who is excepted from the definition of “state employee” in subdivision (c) of Section 3513 and is first employed by the state and becomes a state member of the system on or after April 1, 2017.

(b) The percentage of the employer contribution payable for postretirement dental care benefits for an employee subject to this section shall be based on the funding provision of the plan and the completed years of credited state service at retirement as shown in the following table:

(d) This section does not apply to:

1. (1) Former state employees previously employed prior to April 1, 2017, who return to state employment on or after April 1, 2017.
2. (2) State employees hired prior to April 1, 2017, who become subject to representation by State Bargaining Unit 16 on or after April 1, 2017.
3. (3) State employees on an approved leave of absence employed before January 1, 2017, who return to active employment on or after April 1, 2017.
4. (4) State employees hired after April 1, 2017, who are first represented by a state bargaining unit other than Bargaining Unit 16, who later become represented by State Bargaining Unit 16.