California · Education Code

EDC §26140: (a) “Spouse” means the person married to the participant on the date the participant files a beneficiary designation, or an application for a benefit, or on the date of the participant’s death.

Read the full statutory text
(a) “Spouse” means the person married to the participant on the date the participant files a beneficiary designation, or an application for a benefit, or on the date of the participant’s death. (b) Except as excluded in Sections 26004 and 27406, a person who is the registered domestic partner of the participant, as established pursuant to Section 297 or 299.2 of the Family Code, on the date the participant files a beneficiary designation or an application for a benefit, or on the date of the participant’s death, shall be treated in the same manner as a spouse.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.