(a) As used in this Code section, "retired prosecuting attorney" means a retired district attorney, assistant district attorney, solicitor-general, assistant solicitor-general, or retired attorney from the staff of the Department of Law or the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia who is receiving benefits under Title 47 or is retired in good standing and receiving benefits from a county or municipal retirement system and who has a minimum of ten years of service in any combination of such offices.

(b) In addition to any other provision of law, if a district attorney determines that the business of the court requires the temporary assistance of any retired prosecuting attorney, that district attorney may make a request for assistance to the chairperson of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia under such guidelines as the council may adopt. Subject to funds being available for such purpose and in accordance with such guidelines as the council may prescribe, the chairperson may approve the temporary assistance requested.

(c) If a district attorney is disqualified pursuant to Code Section 15-18-5, the Attorney General may appoint a retired district attorney as district attorney pro tempore subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of this Code section. The order appointing the district attorney pro tempore shall identify the court in need of assistance, the county where located, the time period covered, the specific case or cases for which assistance is sought, if applicable, and the reason that assistance is needed. A copy of the order shall be submitted to the chairperson of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia.

(d) A retired prosecuting attorney who provides temporary assistance under this Code section or who is appointed as district attorney pro tempore pursuant to Code Section 15-18-5 may receive compensation from state funds for each day of service in an amount to be fixed by the council and not to exceed the annual state salary for the position from which such person retired, divided by 235. In addition to such compensation, such retired district attorney shall be reimbursed for actual expenses as provided by Code Section 15-18-12. Such compensation and expenses shall be paid by the council from state funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the office of district attorney, upon a certificate by the district attorney, or in the case of a district attorney pro tempore by the Attorney General, as to the number of days served or the expenses incurred. No person subject to the provisions of this Code section shall serve for more than 1,040 hours in any calendar year, and no such person shall be eligible for employee health benefits other than those available to him or her as a part of his or her retirement benefits or for any annual leave, any sick leave, or any other employee benefits available to a state employee except those which are available to him or her as a retired employee. In the event of any conflict, the provisions of Title 47 shall prevail over any provision of this Code section.