(a) Any active and contributing member of the Teachers' Retirement System may claim and purchase service credit in the system not to exceed two years for prior service as a full-time employee of the Southeastern Educational Laboratory Program for the period of time between September 1, 1967, and March 31, 1969. The certification of prior service claimed under this section shall conform to applicable administrative rules and procedures of the Teachers' Retirement System. Members shall receive credit for the prior service when they remit to the system the contributions required by 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, within one year from October 1, 2002, for the claimed service, the full actuarially determined cost for each year of claimed service as determined by the system's actuary.