A. Effective July 1, 1998, former employees of a city-county health department who become employees of the State Department of Agriculture or the Department of Environmental Quality who elect to participate in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System shall make one of the following elections on or before January 1, 1999:

1. Elect to continue the current benefits plan provided by the applicable city-county health department and not to become a member of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System;

2. Elect to cease accruing benefits under the current benefits plan provided by the applicable city-county health department and to purchase service credit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System in an amount equal to the time employed with the applicable city-county health department prior to the time of election and at an actuarial rate pursuant to Section 913.5 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

3. Elect to cease accruing benefits under the current benefits plan provided by the applicable city-county health department and to purchase a prorated amount of service credit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System based on the amount received from the current benefits plan and pursuant to Section 913.5 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

4. Elect to cease accruing benefits under the current benefits plan provided by the applicable city-county health department, not purchase any service credit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, and to start a new retirement under the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

B. Such employees who elect to participate in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System shall commence accruing benefits in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System after the date of election and as established by the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees. The employees electing to purchase service credit authorized by this section shall have all such service credit canceled which is not utilized in purchasing credit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System. The purchase of service credit as provided in this section shall only be available upon the election of the employee. The election shall be made in writing, filed with the applicable city-county health department and the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System prior to receiving the credit purchased, and shall be irrevocable. The applicable city-county health department shall transfer the amounts from its benefits plan to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System for those employees who elect to purchase service credit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

Added by Laws 1998, c. 361, § 2, eff. July 1, 1998.