(1) Vacancy savings may not be imposed on authorized positions in the Montana highway patrol.
(2) For purposes of this section:
(a) "authorized positions" means those positions included in the list of current authorized positions that the Montana highway patrol is required to maintain under 2-18-206; and
(b) "vacancy savings" means the difference between the cost of fully funding authorized positions for an entire fiscal year and the actual cost of those authorized positions during that period.