Section 47-3-82. Reestablishment of creditable service by persons who have withdrawn their contributions

   (a) Subject to the additional requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section, a member who has withdrawn accumulated contributions from the retirement system pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 47-3-128 may reestablish the creditable service represented by the withdrawn contributions by paying to the board of trustees a sum equal to the amount of accumulated contributions which were withdrawn plus applicable accrued regular interest for each year or portion thereof which elapsed from the time of such withdrawal of contributions to the date of such payment.

(b) A member must complete a minimum number of years of service as a contributing member of the retirement system before becoming eligible to reestablish creditable service under subsection (a) of this Code section as follows:

   (1) When accumulated contributions have been withdrawn not more than three times, the minimum shall be three years;

   (2) When accumulated contributions have been withdrawn not more than four times, the minimum shall be five years; and

   (3) When accumulated contributions have been withdrawn five or more times, the minimum shall be ten years.

(c) The regular interest rate provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be increased 2 percent for each withdrawal of accumulated contributions exceeding three such withdrawals.

(d) A member may establish a portion of the creditable service represented by all of the member's withdrawn contributions by paying to the board of trustees a pro rata amount based upon the total accumulated contributions withdrawn plus interest in accordance with rules adopted by the board of trustees and subject to the provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this Code section.

Ga. L. 1980, p. 828, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 346, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 529, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1347, § 1.