(a) Any active and contributing member of the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama, who prior to July 31, 1995, was a regular employee of Walker College, may claim and purchase prior service credit, not to exceed five years, for that prior service. Contributing members have one year from July 31, 1995, to make a lump sum payment in order to gain credit for up to five years of eligible service at Walker College.

(b) Any person eligible under subsection (a) to claim and purchase credit for prior service shall be awarded credit for the service under the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama if he or she complies with each of the following requirements:

(1) The person provides certification to the Teachers' Retirement System no later than 60 days before the date of his or her retirement, as to the time of service and salary for each period of claimed service. The certification shall be made by the employing institution from official employment records.

(2) The person, prior to the date of his or her retirement and within the one year limit, pays to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama for each year of prior service credit claimed, a percentage of his or her current annual earnable compensation or final average salary, whichever is greater, for each year of service credit purchased; the applicable percentage of the compensation or salary shall be the sum of the prevailing rates of employer and member contributions, as required by the most recent actuarial valuation.