(1) Judges appointed after July 1, 1997, are members of and are eligible for service credit in this system.
(2)
(a) Any judge appointed prior to July 1, 1997, may either become a member of the Judges' Noncontributory Retirement System or remain a member of the Judges' Contributory Retirement System established under Chapter 17, Judges' Contributory Retirement Act, by following the procedures established by the board pursuant to this chapter.
(b) Judges may only elect to participate in this system under Subsection (2) prior to January 1, 1998.