(a) Any person who has been regularly appointed to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles or a former member of said board, or Director of Physical Fitness Department shall be deemed to be an "employee" of the State of Alabama, as defined in Section 36-27-1. From the date he assumes his duties, any such person shall be deemed to be a "member" of the state Employees' Retirement System, as defined in Section 36-27-4; provided, that the required contributions are made to the system.

(b) Any person serving as of November 21, 1975, shall be entitled to receive credit toward his retirement allowance for any service previously rendered as a member of the Board of Pardons and Paroles or former member or Director of Physical Fitness Department, and any person serving in such positions thereafter shall become a member of the Employees' Retirement System as a condition of employment. If he elects to do so, he may notify the Board of Control of the Employees' Retirement System of his intention to claim such credit within six months from November 21, 1975, and shall make any and all contributions, plus eight percent interest, compounded annually, required by the regulations of the board within six months after such notification is made. From the time he so elects, regular deductions shall be made from the salary of each member in the manner prescribed by law.

(c) There is hereby appropriated annually, from the funds from which salaries are paid, the amounts sufficient to carry out provisions of this section. In the case of those departments supported wholly by transfers from other state funds, there is hereby appropriated from the supportive funds such additional amounts as may be necessary to pay the employer contribution of each department so supported, in the same proportion as the other state funds contribute to the support and maintenance of such department.