Section 36-27-55.7 Purchase of Credit for Prior Service with U. S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

(a) Any active and contributing member of the Teachers’ Retirement System or the Employees’ Retirement System who has 10 years or more of credible service in either system may claim and purchase service credit in the system for up to 10 years of prior service for employment as an employee with the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency if the member complies with the conditions prescribed in subsection (b). No member shall receive credit for any service that the member is already credited with in the system or any other public retirement plan, with the exception of the federal Social Security program. (b) Any member who is eligible to purchase service credit pursuant to subsection (a) shall pay to the Secretary-Treasurer of the system, by May 23, 2013, the full actuarially determined cost for each year of claimed service as determined by the system’s actuary. (c) Any year of service purchased under the provisions of this section shall not be considered in determining the out-of-pocket premium amount charged to retirees under the provisions of Section 16-25A-8.1 or Section 36-29-19.7. Also, any service purchased under this section shall not entitle a member to be eligible for benefits under either the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan or the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan any earlier than the member could have reached eligibility under the plan without the service purchased under the provisions of this section.