(a) As used in this Code section, the term "district attorney investigator" means a district attorney investigator who is compensated from state funds pursuant to Code Section 15-18-14.1.

(b) Effective on July 1, 1988, or on first becoming a district attorney investigator at any time after that date, each district attorney investigator shall become a member of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia as a condition of employment, unless such investigator was, immediately prior to appointment as a district attorney investigator, a member of another publicly supported retirement or pension system or fund which provides retirement benefits based wholly or partially on compensation paid from state funds. A district attorney investigator who was employed as an investigator in a district attorney's office prior to appointment as a district attorney investigator and who was a member of any such other publicly supported retirement or pension system or fund immediately prior to such appointment may elect to become a member of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia in lieu of membership in such other publicly supported retirement or pension system or fund by notifying the board of trustees of such election within 90 days after becoming employed pursuant to Code Section 15-18-14.1. Any such district attorney investigator who fails to notify the board of trustees within such time shall not at any time thereafter become eligible for membership in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia during such service as a district attorney investigator.

(c) Any person who becomes a member of the retirement system pursuant to the provisions of this Code section shall be subject to the provisions of Code Section 47-2-334, except that any member of the retirement system who, without any break in service, is appointed as a district attorney investigator shall continue in the same membership status without any interruption in membership service and without the loss of any creditable service.

(d) The state salaries paid to district attorney investigators who become members of the retirement system pursuant to this Code section shall be the basis for employee and employer contributions to the retirement system for such members. All employer contributions, including employee contributions made by the employer on behalf of members, which are required by this chapter for such members shall be paid from funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the operation of the superior courts. The Department of Administrative Services shall deduct from the state salaries payable to such members the additional employee contributions required by this chapter.

(e) Any member who became a member by operation of this Code section shall be eligible to obtain creditable service for all prior service as such district attorney investigator prior to becoming a member of this retirement system. To obtain such creditable service, the member must apply to the board of trustees not later than December 31, 2000, or within six months after becoming a member, whichever date is later, and must provide such evidence of such prior service as the board deems necessary. The employee shall pay to the board of trustees of this retirement system any employee and employer contributions which would have been paid to this retirement system had such employee been a member of this retirement system at the time such service was rendered plus interest thereon at the rate of 5 percent per annum.