A.  Each judge and court officer described in La. Rev. Stat. 11:553 who is in office on August 2, 1976, is hereby granted the option to become a member of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System for a period of one hundred twenty days from said date by electing to avail himself within said time of all the benefits, emoluments, and conditions of said system as presently provided by La. Rev. Stat. 11:131 through 174 and La. Rev. Stat. 11:401 through 504, and of all benefits, emoluments, and conditions otherwise applicable to said system by the statutory laws of Louisiana, including the provisions of this Subpart.  

B.  For a period of one hundred twenty days after taking the oath of office, each of the judges and court officers who assume such offices after August 2, 1976, but prior to July 1, 1983, shall have the same option as herein provided for those in office on said date.  Credit for service rendered prior to the exercise of said option shall be governed by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 11:563(A).  

C.  The option granted herein shall be exercised by addressing a letter to the board of trustees of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System advising said board that the judge or court officer exercising the option accepts membership in the system in accordance with the provisions of this Subpart.  

D.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any judge of any parish court whose salary or compensation is not paid, in whole or in part, with state funds shall not be required to become or remain a member of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System, if that person is eligible to become a member of any other funded retirement plan for parish court judges.  Should a judge of a parish court as described in this Subsection decline to become a member of or withdraw from the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System, that judge may subsequently be allowed to become a member of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System plan for judges only upon application and payment to the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System of an amount equal to the actuarial cost to the system as determined by the board of trustees of any additional benefits payable as a result of any purchase or repurchase of service as a parish court judge as described in this Subsection.  

Added by Acts 1976, No. 518, §1.  Amended by Acts 1977, No. 630, §1.  Acts 1983, No. 674, §1; Acts 1985, No. 840, §2; Redesignated from La. Rev. Stat. 13:14 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991.