(a) Any person who takes office as a magistrate on July 1, 1983, and who was certified under the former Justice Courts Training Council shall satisfactorily complete 40 hours of training prior to December 31, 1984, in order to become certified under this article.

(b) Any person who becomes a magistrate between July 1, 1983, and June 30, 1998, shall satisfactorily complete 40 hours of training in the performance of his or her duties and shall attend the first scheduled training session held after the date of his or her election or appointment in order to become certified under this article. In order to become certified under this article, any person who becomes a magistrate on or after July 1, 1998, shall satisfactorily complete 80 hours of training specified by the council concerning the performance of his or her duties during the first two years after becoming a magistrate.

(b.1) Any person who becomes a magistrate on or after July 1, 1998, shall complete during the initial year of service as a magistrate a program of orientation activities established by the council and conducted under the guidance and supervision of an experienced adviser or mentor magistrate or judge.

(c) In order to maintain the status of a certified magistrate judge, each person certified as such shall complete 20 hours of additional training per annum during each calendar year after the year of his or her initial certification in which he or she serves as a magistrate judge.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, any magistrate who is also an active member of the State Bar of Georgia shall be certified as a certified magistrate by the council without being required to complete any training otherwise required by subsection (b) of this Code section but shall be required to complete the mentor program of subsection (b.1) of this Code section and the annual training required by subsection (c) of this Code section.