(a) Any full-time county officer enumerated in § 8-24-102 who is designated as a “certified public administrator” pursuant to § 5-1-308 shall receive an annual educational incentive payment from the state treasurer in the amount of three hundred seventy-five dollars ($375), which amount shall be increased by a like amount each year until the official receiving such designation or continuing such designation shall receive an annual incentive amount of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).

(b) By no later than August 31 of each year, the University of Tennessee institute for public service's center for government training shall provide the state treasurer with a list of all county officers described in subsection (a) who have successfully completed all levels of the county officials certificate training program (COCTP) for that year. The list shall include the respective address of each such county officer and other information that the state treasurer may deem necessary.

(c) The incentive provided for in subsection (a) shall continue to be paid each year to any such county officer; provided, that the officer is included in the list submitted under subsection (b) as having successfully completed the continuing education requirements of the program and all other requirements necessary to maintain the officer's designation as a certified public administrator.

(d) The incentive provided for by this section shall be paid by the state treasurer from funds appropriated for that purpose. The incentive shall be paid no later than October 31 of each year.

(e) The state treasurer shall offset the amount of any incentive payable to a county officer under this section against any other incentive or payment for professional training or development payable by the state to the officer so that the total amount paid to the officer by the state does not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500). The offset provided in this subsection (e) shall not be applicable to incentive compensation payable to assessors of property pursuant to § 67-1-508, and certified public administrator incentives payable to assessors shall be determined without regard to incentives payable under § 67-1-508.

(f) Notwithstanding this section or any other law to the contrary, the availability or the amount of the incentive authorized by this section shall be subject to the appropriation of funds in each year's general appropriations act for the purposes set forth in this section. If, in any given year, the amount appropriated in that year's general appropriations act is not sufficient to pay each eligible county officer in full, then the amount available shall be prorated by the state treasurer among such officers. Any unpaid portion shall not be carried forward to subsequent years.

(g) Any payment made pursuant to this section shall be considered as an incentive for the successful completion of educational training and shall not be considered in determining the county officer's average final compensation for retirement purposes pursuant to title 8, chapters 34-37. Further, the incentive payment shall not be used for the purpose of computing the salary or compensation of any other public official other than the officer receiving the incentive.

(h) The incentive provided for by this section shall not be paid retroactively, but shall become effective for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998.

(i) Each county is encouraged and authorized to provide in its annual budget for payment of an annual educational incentive to employees as defined in § 29-20-102 who attain the designation of a “certified public administrator” pursuant to § 5-1-308 in an amount not to exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000) less any payment received from the state as provided in subsection (a). The incentive provided by this section shall be paid from funds appropriated for such purpose and shall be paid in one (1) payment, no later than October 31. In any county providing such an incentive, the county mayor shall provide to the state treasurer the amount of any educational incentive paid in the county and the number of persons receiving such incentive, which the state treasurer shall compile in an annual report.