{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/51.1-135.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/51.1-135.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/51.1-135.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/51.1-135.html"}],"law_id":62836,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62836,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-135","catch_line":"Compulsory membership","history":"1952, c. 157, \u00a7 51-111.33; 1960, c. 400; 1978, c. 841; 1987, c. 575; 1990, c. 832; 2012, cc. 701, 823.","full_text":"Membership in the retirement system shall be compulsory for all eligible employees who enter service after the effective date of coverage. For purposes of this section, &#8220;membership in the retirement system&#8221; includes an eligible employee&#8217;s participation in the hybrid retirement program pursuant to \u00a7 51.1-169.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":229060,"text":"Membership in the retirement system shall be compulsory for all eligible employees who enter service after the effective date of coverage. For purposes of this section, &#8220;membership in the retirement system&#8221; includes an eligible employee&#8217;s participation in the hybrid retirement program pursuant to \u00a7 51.1-169.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15102,"edition_id":1,"name":"Participation of Political Subdivisions in Retirement System","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13056,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:09","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:09","permalink":{"id":235243,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15102,"identifier":"5","token":"51.1\/1\/5","url":"\/51.1\/1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13056,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Retirement System","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12947,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","permalink":{"id":235031,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13056,"identifier":"1","token":"51.1\/1","url":"\/51.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12947,"edition_id":1,"name":"Pensions, Benefits, and Retirement","identifier":"51.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":235029,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12947,"identifier":"51.1","token":"51.1","url":"\/51.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":72480,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-130","catch_line":"Resolution of governing body; approval by Board","url":"\/51.1-130\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-130","metadata":false},{"id":73929,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-131","catch_line":"Local pension systems; transfer to retirement system","url":"\/51.1-131\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-131","metadata":false},{"id":81431,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-132","catch_line":"Eligible employees","url":"\/51.1-132\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-132","metadata":false},{"id":83773,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-133","catch_line":"Limitation on membership","url":"\/51.1-133\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-133","metadata":false},{"id":57542,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-134","catch_line":"Optional membership; creditable service","url":"\/51.1-134\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-134","metadata":false},{"id":62836,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-135","catch_line":"Compulsory membership","url":"\/51.1-135\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-135","metadata":false},{"id":85532,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-136","catch_line":"Submitting information and performing duties prescribed by Board","url":"\/51.1-136\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-136","metadata":false},{"id":78267,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-137","catch_line":"Computation of employer contribution rates; reimbursement by Commonwealth","url":"\/51.1-137\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-137","metadata":false},{"id":84786,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-137.1","catch_line":"Certain local data to be provided","url":"\/51.1-137.1\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-137.1","metadata":false},{"id":60634,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-138","catch_line":"Benefits","url":"\/51.1-138\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-138","metadata":false},{"id":76070,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-139","catch_line":"Procedure when employer in default","url":"\/51.1-139\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-139","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":57542,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-134","catch_line":"Optional membership; creditable service","url":"\/51.1-134\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-134","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":85532,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-136","catch_line":"Submitting information and performing duties prescribed by Board","url":"\/51.1-136\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-136","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/51.1-135\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1952. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 157 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1952 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 400; in 1978, chapter 841; in 1987, chapter 575; in 1990, chapter 832; in 2012, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?121+ful+CHAP0701\">701<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?121+ful+CHAP0823\">823<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":83100,"section_number":"51.1-169","catch_line":"Hybrid retirement program","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.1-169\/"}],"permalink":{"id":235265,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62836,"identifier":"51.1-135","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-135","url":"\/51.1-135\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/51.1-135\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-135","dublin_core":{"Title":"Compulsory membership","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 51.1-135","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Membership in the <span class=\"dictionary\">retirement system<\/span> shall be compulsory for all eligible <span class=\"dictionary\">employees<\/span> who enter <span class=\"dictionary\">service<\/span> after the effective date of coverage. For purposes of this section, &#8220;membership in the <span class=\"dictionary\">retirement system<\/span>&#8221; includes an eligible <span class=\"dictionary\">employee<\/span>&#8217;s participation in the hybrid retirement program pursuant to \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Hybrid retirement program\" href=\"\/51.1-169\/\">51.1-169<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOMPULSORY MEMBERSHIP (\u00a7 51.1-135)\n\nMembership in the retirement system shall be compulsory for all eligible\nemployees who enter service after the effective date of coverage. For purposes\nof this section, &#8220;membership in the retirement system&#8221; includes an\neligible employee&#8217;s participation in the hybrid retirement program\npursuant to \u00a7 51.1-169.\n\nHISTORY: 1952, c. 157, \u00a7 51-111.33; 1960, c. 400; 1978, c. 841; 1987, c. 575;\n1990, c. 832; 2012, cc. 701, 823.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}