5396

COUNTY LOCAL LAWS

be no crediting of service for any period under a
qualified retirement system for which the member is
receiving retirement pay or has vested rights.

(s) Limitation on credited service.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, any
credited service earned, granted or purchased may not be
used for qualifying for normal retirement before reaching
age forty—six with at least twenty years of actual County
service or for qualifying for vesting or retirement
before completion of at least five years of membership,
except members enrolled prior to January 22, 1974 may
qualify for vesting after completion of three years of
membership.

(w) Purchase of prior State and County service
credits. Prior service credits for any period of
temporary or regular State of Maryland or County service
after March 1, 1948 may not be credited without the
payment of the amount of contributions that would have
been deducted from the member's pay during this period
plus interest at the rate of four and one—half percent
per annum to June 30, 1970, and six and one—half percent
per annum thereafter to date of full payment. Service
credits for the period before March 1, 1948 will be
credited without contribution by the member if service
credits for the period after March 1, 1948 are purchased.
On or after June 1, 1974, any member exercising this
option must pay, in a lump sum or on an extended payment
basis, the full cost for prior service credits which
shall be determined on an actuarial basis.

SECTION VIII. Sections 42(a), title "Average final
earnings", 42(b), title "Amount of pension at normal
retirement or administrative retirement on or after
elective early retirement date", 42(d), title,
"Adjustment for pension payments previously paid", and
42(e), title, "Early retirement on full benefits", are
hereby amended to read as follows:

(a) Average Final Earnings. "Average final
earnings" are the regular earnings of a full—time or
part—time career member for the twelve month period
immediately preceding retirement, or any consecutive
twelve month membership period, whichever is greater.
Whenever a member is in leave without pay status during
part of the final twelve month period of membership,
average final earnings will be the last twelve months
during which the member was in full pay status.

"Average final earnings" for a member who has
full—time service credits and is a part—time career