(a) Any clerk or register of the circuit court shall be subject to the terms of this division unless he or she notifies the Administrative Director of Courts in writing to the contrary 30 days subsequent to October 1, 1995. This notification may be made notwithstanding any prior election to not participate and is made available only to those circuit clerks or registers who hold office on or before October 1, 1976.

(b) Upon the receipt of an election to participate in the supernumerary system provided in this division by a circuit clerk or register who was previously a member of the Employees' Retirement System, and who held office on or before October 1, 1976, the Administrative Director of Courts shall immediately notify the Secretary-Treasurer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama of the election. Upon receiving the notice, the retirement systems shall transfer on or before the September 30 after the election all of the employee contributions plus any other amounts, including, but not limited to, any interest on the account which he or she would be entitled to receive upon withdrawal from the retirement system, to the Clerks' and Registers' Supernumerary Fund provided for in Section 12-17-143, so that the employee may begin participating in the fund on the ensuing first of October.

(c) Upon transfer of the funds, any clerk or register electing to participate in the supernumerary system shall receive credit in the fund for all prior service for which he or she had been given credit under the Employees' Retirement System, and shall thereafter make contributions to the supernumerary fund as provided in Section 12-17-143.