(a) Any person serving as an official court reporter on August 13, 1987, shall have one year from such date to elect to be covered by the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama in lieu of eligibility to become a supernumerary court reporter. All elections under this provision shall be in writing and filed with the Administrative Office of Courts and with the Board of Control of the state Employees' Retirement System within the election period heretofore set forth. Provided, however, that the failure of any person to elect coverage under the Employees' Retirement System shall not affect their eligibility to qualify for supernumerary status and any official circuit court reporter who was employed on August 13, 1987, and did not elect to be covered by the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama may, upon reemployment as an official court reporter after a lapse in service, continue to accumulate creditable service towards eligibility for supernumerary status. Any official court reporter employed prior to August 13, 1987, and who subsequently earned creditable years of service in the Employees' Retirement System while serving as an official court reporter may have those creditable years of service transferred to the court reporters' supernumerary program. Any official court reporter employed or appointed on or after August 13, 1987, shall automatically be covered under the Employees' Retirement System.

(b) Official court reporters electing to be covered under the Employees' Retirement System may elect no later than September 30, 2000, to purchase creditable service in the Employees' Retirement System of up to five years for prior service as an official court reporter; provided that any court reporter so electing shall pay to the state Employees' Retirement System a sum equal to the full actuarially determined cost for each year of service credit purchased as determined by the system's actuary.