Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, §§ 22-202 through 22-204 of this subtitle apply only to: a regular employee whose compensation is provided by State appropriation or paid from State funds; an appointed or elected official of the State, including: a clerk of the circuit court; a register of wills; a State’s Attorney; and a sheriff; an employee or official of a participating governmental unit who is eligible to participate under Title 31, Subtitle 1 of this article; an employee of the Office of the Sheriff of Baltimore City; a permanent employee of the board of supervisors of elections of a county; an employee of the Maryland Environmental Service who is a member of the Employees’ Retirement System on June 30, 1993; an employee of Dorchester County who is not a member of the county’s general pension and retirement program and who is a member of the Employees’ Retirement System; a court reporter for the Circuit Court for Charles County who is a member of the Employees’ Retirement System on July 1, 1994; and a staff employee of the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, or St. Mary’s College who is a member of the Employees’ Retirement System as of January 1, 1998. Sections 22-202 through 22-204 of this subtitle do not apply to: an individual who is a member of any State system other than the Employees’ Retirement System; an individual who is entitled to be a member of any State system other than the Employees’ Retirement System or the Employees’ Pension System; a contractual, emergency, or temporary extra employee; an individual who is employed under a federal public service employment program; an assessor who is a member of a retirement or pension system operated by a political subdivision of the State; or an employee of a local board of elections who chooses to stay in a local merit system under § 2-207 of the Election Law Article.