(a) The Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas State Highway Employees' Retirement System shall operate the Arkansas State Highway Employees' Retirement System and interpret any provisions of this chapter consistent with the requirements under the Internal Revenue Code as it existed on January 1, 2007, and applicable United States Treasury regulations as they existed on January 1, 2007, to permit the system to be operated as a qualified trust under, 26 U.S.C. § 401(a), the Internal Revenue Code as it existed on January 1, 2007.
(b) Notwithstanding any language to the contrary under this chapter, the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas State Highway Employees' Retirement System may promulgate rules consistent with subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Any rule promulgated under this section that is found to be in conflict with an applicable provision of Arkansas law is void.