(a) Any provision of this chapter, to the contrary notwithstanding, active and contributing members of the Teachers' Retirement System may purchase service credit in the system not to exceed one year for any period of time while they were on maternity leave from service without pay. The Board of Control of the Teachers' Retirement System shall adopt rules and regulations for the administration of this section including verification of the service that the member desires to purchase credit for in the system. The member shall receive credit for the service when he or she remits to the system the contributions required by subsection (b). Notwithstanding the foregoing language, no member of the Teachers' Retirement System shall be eligible to receive credit for any period of time that the member is already credited with in the system or in any other retirement plan, with the exception of the federal Social Security program.

(b) Any member who is eligible to purchase service credit in the Teachers' Retirement System under subsection (a) shall pay to the Secretary-Treasurer of the system, prior to October 1, 2001, for the claimed service, a sum equal to the full actuarially determined cost for each year of service credit purchased as determined by the system's actuary.

(c) Subsequent to October 1, 2001, any member claiming service credit under the provisions of this section shall claim and purchase the service credit no later than June 30 of the year immediately following the expiration of the maternity leave.