Except as otherwise provided in this part, all employees of the Territory or any county on July 1, 1945, shall be members of the system on that date, and all persons who thereafter enter or reenter the service of the State or any county shall become members at the time of their entry or reentry.

Per diem workers shall become eligible for membership on January 1, 1952, and all persons who are employed as per diem workers after December 31, 1951, shall become members of the system. Any person who was a per diem worker before January 1, 1952, so long as the person is employed as a per diem worker, shall not be required to become a member or to remain a member if the person has elected before October 2, 1953, to withdraw as a member.

Members of the legislature shall become eligible for membership on July 1, 1951. Any member of the legislature in service on July 1, 1951, or thereafter entering the legislature, shall become a member or elect to be excluded from membership in the system as provided in section 88-42.6.