(a) During their employment by the Department of Correction, all employees of the state penitentiary on March 1, 1968, shall be eligible for benefits under and shall participate in the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System.
(b) All employees of the department employed after March 1, 1968, shall be included in the membership of the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System and shall participate in the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System in accordance with the laws governing the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System.
(c) It is the intent of this section to:
(1) Allow those employees of the state penitentiary who participated before in the Arkansas State Penitentiary Employees' Retirement System to participate in and receive benefits from the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System; and
(2) Provide that all other employees of the department shall participate in and receive the benefits of the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System in the manner provided by law.