Baltimore County                             2611

the retirement system as a condition of employment; provided, such
person shall pass a physical examination satisfactory to the board of
trustees. Any person who shall become an employee after June SO,
1971 may become a member of the retirement system at any time
within the first two years of his employment, but if he has not pre-
viously joined must become a member at the end of that period as. a
condition of employment; provided, such person shall pass a physical
examination satisfactory to the board of trustees. The rate of contri-
bution of the employee shall be determined by his age at the time he
actually joins the system, and will not be reduced by reason of serv-
ice prior to joining, provided, however, that any employee may pur-
chase credit for service before joining by paying the contributions
due plus interest. Such purchase may be made at any time prior to re-
tirement.

(d) Membership in the retirement system shall be open to per-
manent employees of the regular fire and police departments of the
county beginning October 1, 1959, and any such employee becoming
a member shall be considered an employee within the meaning of this
article. Any person who becomes an employee of such fire or police
departments on or after [such date] July 1, 1971 [shall] may be-
come a member of the retirement system at any time within the first
two years of his employment, but if he has not previously joined
must become a member at the end of that period as a condition of em-
ployment; provided, such person shall pass a physical examination
satisfactory to the board; and such employee shall not be entitled to
coverage under the existing provisions for pensions for firemen, police-
men and their widows under Article III of this title, nor required to
contribute thereunder. Any person who is an employee of either of
such departments on September 30, 1959, may, within a period of six
months thereafter, elect to become a member of the retirement sys-
tem; provided, he shall file with the board of trustees on a form pre-
scribed by the board a notice of his election to be included in the mem-
bership and a duly executed waiver of all present and prospective bene-
fits which would otherwise inure to him on account of his coverage
under the existing provisions for pensions for firemen, policemen and
their widows under Article III of this title. No fireman or policeman
becoming a member of this system shall receive credit for service
rendered prior to October 1, 1959; except, that any fireman or police-
man in service on September 30,1959, becoming a member within six
months thereafter, shall receive prior service credit for all service
rendered prior to January 1, 1945, and may elect to pay to the system
by a single payment or by an increased rate of contribution, as may
be approved by the board of trustees, the contributions with interest
which he would have paid had he been a member between January 1,
1945, and the date of enrollment in the retirement system as member-
ship service, less such amounts that have been paid during such period
into the retirement systems from which he is being transferred. Any
such member not electing to pay for such membership service shall
receive credit as prior service for fifty per cent of such service.

(f) Any person who enters the regular part-time employment of
the employer after July 1, 1965 and prior to July 1, 1971 and who shall