(a) Currently, the municipal judges and court clerks in Arkansas are covered under numerous and separate retirement plans run independently by each municipal government. Under Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, all municipal courts in existence shall be known as district courts and all judges of those courts shall become district judges effective January 1, 2005.
(b) The Municipal Court Retirement Transition Group shall be established to review the transition of municipal courts to district courts and to study the impact this transition will have on those retirement benefit plans.
(c) The group shall consist of:
(1) Three (3) members of the Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs as appointed by the co-chairs of Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs;
(2) The Executive Director of the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System;
(3) A representative from the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System appointed by the board;
(4) The President of the Arkansas Municipal League or a designee;
(5) The President of the Association of Arkansas Counties or a designee;
(6) The Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts or a designee; and
(7) The Director of the Department of Finance and Administration or a designee.
(d) The group shall determine if any legislation is necessary and shall bring it before the Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs at the Eighty-fourth General Assembly.