(a) The department of human resources and the Tennessee wildlife resources agency shall develop a salary administration plan for the agency's officers, biologists, and other positions unique to the agency. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, upon approval of the commissioners of finance and administration and human resources and the director of the Tennessee wildlife resources agency, such salary administration plan shall be implemented during the 1996-1997 fiscal year. Implementation of salary increases pursuant to such salary administration plan shall be suspended for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004, and beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010. In the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2004, and July 1, 2010, and in subsequent fiscal years, salary increases pursuant to the salary administration plan shall not include time of service between July 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004, nor between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010.
(b) The salary increase provided by this section and suspended by subsection (a) for the period July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004, shall be reinstated effective July 1, 2017. For purposes of determining the appropriate salary classification pursuant to this section, credible service for the time period of July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004, shall be included.