1248                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 382

ment allowance is supported wholly or in part by the State of Mary-
land, anything to the contrary notwithstanding, except benefits from
Social Security]. During any period a person is receiving compensa-
tion as either an employee or an elected or appointed official; whether
or not he is a member of the Retirement System, he is not entitled
to receive any pension or retirement allowance supported wholly or

in part by the State of Maryland, except benefits from Social Secu-

rity; but this sentence does not affect or change the provisions of

Section 11(14) of this Article, NOR DOES IT APPLY TO ANY-

ONE EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OR HOLDING ELECTED
OR APPOINTED OFFICE IN THE STATE AS OF JULY 1,
1972 AND RECEIVING A STATE PENSION OR RETIRE-
MENT ALLOWANCE. The rate of contribution of the employee
shall be determined by his age at the time he actually joins
the system, and will not be reduced for reason of service prior to
joining, provided, however, that any employee may purchase credit
for service before joining by paying the contributions due plus inter-
est. Such purchase may be made at any time prior to retirement.

(5) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article,
membership in the retirement system shall be optional with any
class of officials elected or appointed; or with any employees of the
Governor's office, or with any desk officer or employee of either
house of the General Assembly who receives an annual salary as his
compensation for such employment, who shall be deemed to be an
appointed official within the application of this subsection. All
officials elected or appointed on or after July 1, 1957, may become
members of the system upon making application therefor at any time
after their elections or appointment and before the expiration of
their respective terms. All such officials shall be entitled to credit
for previous service rendered by them to the State, or a participating
municipal corporation, including service rendered prior to the estab-
lishment of the Employees' Retirement System. [If any such official
is entitled to a pension or retirement allowance under the provisions
of any other law, and such pension or retirement allowance is sup-
ported wholly or in part by the State of Maryland, except benefits
from social security, such official shall be deemed to have waived the
benefits thereof by accepting the payment of benefits under this
article.] Upon receiving a claim for such service credit from the
official, the board of trustees of the retirement system shall verify
the fact of such previous employment and the creditable service to
which the member is entitled, compute the amount due from such
political subdivision for which credit is claimed, and submit a state-
ment to the participating municipal corporation for such amount,
such computation to be based upon the compensation actually re-
ceived by the official from the municipal corporation during the
period for which service is to be credited. The participating munici-
pal corporation is authorized and directed forthwith to pay the
said amount to the retirement system or to place it in the next
ensuing budget for prompt payment when that budget becomes effec-
tive. The board of trustees is authorized and directed to include
any amount due from the State in the appropriation allowed by the
next ensuing State budget.

Any such official who receives membership service credit for
service rendered to the State or to a participating municipal corpora-
tion under the provisions of this subsection shall pay to the retire-