Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this subtitle applies only to: correctional officers serving in any of the first six job classifications; security attendants at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center; a detention center officer employed by a participating governmental unit that on or after July 1, 2006, has elected to participate in the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System; an individual serving as a correctional dietary, maintenance, laundry, or supply officer; an individual serving as a Maryland Correctional Enterprises officer, officer trainee, plant supervisor, plant manager, or regional manager; a correctional officer serving as a security chief, a facility administrator, an assistant warden, or a warden who: begins employment in that position on or after July 1, 2014; or is serving in that position on June 30, 2014, and elects to transfer to the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System from: the Employees’ Pension System on or before December 31, 2014; or the Employees’ Retirement System on or before December 31, 2015; an individual serving as a correctional case management specialist, supervisor, or manager on or after July 1, 2016; an individual serving as a parole and probation agent, supervisor, or regional administrator on or after July 1, 2017; an individual serving as a Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services employee in one of the following positions on or after July 1, 2017: an alcohol and drug: associate counselor, counselor lead, counselor provisional, or counselor supervisor; professional counselor, counselor provisional, or counselor supervisor; or supervised counselor or counselor provisional; a mental health professional counselor, graduate professional counselor, professional counselor advanced, or professional supervisor; a psychologist, psychology associate, or psychology associate doctorate; a social worker, social worker advanced, social worker supervisor, or social work regional supervisor; or a recreation officer or supervisor; an individual serving as a Department of Juvenile Services employee in one of the following positions on or after July 1, 2018: a community detention officer or community detention supervisor; a youth transportation officer, youth transportation officer lead, youth transportation officer supervisor, or youth transportation officer trainee; a resident advisor, resident advisor lead, resident advisor supervisor, or resident advisor trainee; or a youth recreation specialist; an individual serving as a Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services employee in one of the following positions on or after July 1, 2018: a parole and probation assistant regional administrator; a psychology services chief; a correctional maintenance officer supervisor; a correctional maintenance officer manager; a correctional maintenance services officer; a correctional maintenance services supervisor; a correctional maintenance services manager; or a correctional maintenance regional manager; an individual serving as a Department of Juvenile Services employee in one of the following positions on or after July 1, 2022: a case management specialist I, II, or III; a case management specialist supervisor; a case management specialist program supervisor; or a group life manager I or II; an individual serving as a Maryland Department of Health employee on or after July 1, 2024: at one of the following facilities: Eastern Shore Hospital Center; Thomas B. Finan Center; Potomac Center/Secure Evaluation and Therapeutic Treatment Program; Spring Grove Hospital Center; Springfield Hospital Center; Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents – Baltimore; or John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents; and in one of the following positions: a CAMH associate I, II, or lead – CI; a developmental disability associate – CI; a direct care assistant I or II – CI; a direct care trainee – CI; a licensed practical nurse I, II, III advance, or III lead – CI; a resident associate SETT – CI; a security attendant I, II, or III; a security attendant manager I or II; or a security attendant supervisor; an individual serving as a Maryland Department of Health employee on or after July 1, 2025: at a facility described in item (13)(i) of this subsection; and in one of the following positions: a CAMH associate supervisor – CI; a developmental disability associate assistant manager – CI; a developmental disability associate manager – CI; and a developmental disability associate supervisor – CI; and an individual serving as a Maryland Department of Health employee on or after July 1, 2026: at a facility described in item (13)(i) of this subsection; and in one of the following positions: a CAMH specialist I – CI; or a CAMH specialist II – CI. This subtitle does not apply to: an employee of the Baltimore City Jail as of June 30, 1991, who: became an employee of the Baltimore City Detention Center on July 1, 1991; and did not elect to become a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System on that date; a detention center officer employed by a participating governmental unit as a local detention center officer on the effective date of participation on or after July 1, 2006, who did not elect to become a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System within 6 months of the effective date of participation; or a correctional officer serving as a security chief, a facility administrator, an assistant warden, or a warden who is in that position on June 30, 2014, and does not elect to transfer membership to the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System from: the Employees’ Pension System on or before December 31, 2014; or the Employees’ Retirement System on or before December 31, 2015.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an individual described in § 25–201(a) of this subtitle is a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System as a condition of employment. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, membership in the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System is optional for an individual described in § 25–201 of this subtitle who was employed by a participating governmental unit as a local detention center officer on the effective date of participation on or after July 1, 2006, but before July 1, 2017, for that participating governmental unit and who elects membership within 6 months of the effective date of participation. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, membership in the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System is optional for an individual: described in § 25–201 of this subtitle who was employed by a participating governmental unit as a local detention center officer on the effective date of participation on or after July 1, 2017, for that participating governmental unit; and who elects membership before the effective date of participation. To elect to be a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System, an individual shall file a written application with the State Retirement Agency on a form that the State Retirement Agency provides. An election to join the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System under this subsection is a one–time, irrevocable election. If an individual does not elect membership during the applicable period specified under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection, the individual may not subsequently become a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System.

A member’s contribution rate is 5% of the member’s earnable compensation.

For members who transfer from the Employees’ Pension System or the Employees’ Retirement System, the Board of Trustees shall transfer to the accumulation fund of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System the employer contributions that were made to the Employees’ Pension System or the Employees’ Retirement System on behalf of those members who transferred, plus the interest earned on those contributions through the date of transfer.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, regular interest is payable on member contributions at the rate of 4% a year, compounded annually, until retirement or withdrawal of the accumulated contributions. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, no further interest shall be paid on member contributions after membership ends if the former member is not eligible to receive a vested allowance under Title 29, Subtitle 3 of this article. In this subsection, “active member” means a member who is not separated from employment with the State or a participating employer of one of the several systems. This subsection applies only to an individual who: is a former member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System; is not eligible to receive a vested allowance from the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System under Title 29, Subtitle 3 of this article; has not withdrawn the individual’s member contributions from the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System; and is an active member of one of the several systems. An individual described in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall receive regular interest at the rate described under subsection (a) of this section on the individual’s member contributions in a nonvested account in the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System while the individual is an active member of one of the several systems.

Membership ends if the member: is separated from employment for more than 4 years; withdraws the member’s accumulated contributions; becomes a retiree; or dies.

This section applies to an individual who: on or before June 30, 2011, was a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System; is separated from employment for 4 years or less; is separated from employment for military service that meets the requirements of the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; and resumes employment within 1 year of leaving military service in a position that is included in the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System; or is separated from employment with the minimum eligibility service needed to be eligible for a vested allowance under Title 29, Subtitle 3 of this article; does not withdraw the member’s accumulated contributions; and does not become a retiree. An individual described in subsection (a) of this section who resumes employment in a position that is included in the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System is subject to the same requirements to which an individual who was a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System on June 30, 2011, and remains a member on July 1, 2011, is subject.

For members who transfer from a local pension system, the local pension system shall transfer to the Board of Trustees the employer contributions that were made to the local pension system on behalf of those members who transferred, plus the interest earned on those contributions through the date of transfer. The Board of Trustees shall deposit any funds transferred under subsection (a) of this section in the accumulation fund of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System.

If an individual was a member of any one of the several systems on June 30, 2011, and without incurring a break in employment of more than 30 days, becomes a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System on or after July 1, 2011, the individual: shall be considered to be a new member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System as of the date the individual joins the system; and is subject to the same requirements to which an individual who was a member of the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System on June 30, 2011, and remains a member on July 1, 2011, is subject.