(a) Any circuit judge who is an active and contributing member of the Judicial Retirement Fund of Alabama and has been such a member since February 1, 1977, and who has had full-time service as an administrative assistant and/or an executive assistant in the executive department of the state, or who had former service as a full-time assistant district attorney, a deputy district attorney or an assistant attorney general regardless of whether or not such time of service was continuous, may hereby claim and purchase credit in the judicial retirement fund for up to three years of such time of service.
(b) Any circuit judge eligible to claim and purchase credit for such service under subsection (a) shall be awarded such credit provided that such judge shall pay into the Judicial Retirement Fund of Alabama a sum of money which is equal to both the judge's and the state's annual contribution into the fund at the time of election to purchase aforesaid credit multiplied by each year or fraction thereof of such service credit claimed; provided further that such election and payment shall be made to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Employees' Retirement Systems of Alabama, administrator of the Judicial Retirement Fund, within one year from September 20, 1991, and prior to said judge's date of retirement.
(c) The provisions of this section to reopen the Judicial Retirement Fund for such service credit shall terminate one year from September 20, 1991, and no one shall be eligible to utilize any of the options granted herein if not fully exercised and paid prior to such date.