Section 36-27-55.6 Participation of Directors and Employees of Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Notwithstanding any provision of Section 41-9-43, or any other provisions of law to the contrary, the director and the employees of the Alabama State Council on the Arts shall begin participating as members of the Employees’ Retirement System on October 1, 2002, under the same rules and regulations in effect at the time for state employees participating as active members of the system. No later than September 30, 2002, all funds in any private retirement plan or program which is in effect for the director and employees of the council shall be transferred to the Employees’ Retirement System and the council shall cease participating in the private retirement plan or program on the date of the transfer. Upon commencing participation as a state agency in the Employees’ Retirement System, the director and the employees of the council shall receive credit in the Employees’ Retirement System for all prior service rendered to the council before October 1, 2002, provided the prior service credit is not being used for participation in any other public retirement system or plan other than the federal Social Security program. The Board of Control of the Employees’ Retirement System may promulgate and implement any administrative rules necessary to implement this section.