(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) "Department" means the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(2) "Probation and intake employees" means any probation officer specified in Code Section 15-11-24.1 and any personnel of a juvenile court to whom are delegated the duties of an intake officer under this article, other than a juvenile court judge, associate juvenile court judge, or court service worker.

(3) "Probation and intake services" means those services provided by probation and intake employees for the juvenile court of a county.

(b) After June 30, 1992, the intake and probation services of the juvenile court of each county may be transferred to and become a part of the state-wide juvenile and intake services and fully funded through the department. The intake and probation employees of juvenile courts of those counties whose intake and probation services are transferred pursuant to this Code section shall become employees of the department on the date of such transfer and on and after that date such employees shall be subject to the salary schedules and other personnel policies of the department, except that the salaries of such employees shall not be reduced as a result of becoming employees of the department.

(c) The intake and probation services of the juvenile court of a county may be transferred to the department pursuant to this Code section by local Act of the General Assembly which approves such transfer and becomes effective after June 30, 1992.

(d) Persons who were probation and intake employees of the juvenile court of a county on June 30, 1996, but who were transferred as probation and intake employees to and became a part of the state-wide juvenile and intake services system fully funded through the department before January 1, 1999, shall be covered employees in the classified service of the state merit system.