The State agency, with the approval of the Governor, is hereby authorized and directed to enter on behalf of the State into an agreement with the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for the purposes of extending the provisions of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance system to services performed by employees in positions formerly covered by the provisions of chapters 14 and 15 of Title 43 of the Revised Statutes, hereinafter referred to as the State Employees’ Retirement System, provided, however:

a. That such employees are members of a coverage group as defined in section 218(b)(5) of the Social Security Act;

b. The agreement shall not be made applicable to services in such positions so long as said positions are barred from coverage by the provisions of the Social Security Act.

The agreement made under this section shall be consistent with the terms and provisions of this act. It shall cover all employment for each employer in the State participating in the State Employees’ Retirement System on the date of this enactment and each such employer shall be deemed to have submitted a plan in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of chapter 253, laws of 1951, as amended, except that:

(1) Where the employer has covered the services of at least 1 employee in any elective office or position under the provisions of the State Employees’ Retirement System, all employees in such elective positions shall be included in the Social Security Coverage Group.

(2) Where the employer has covered none of the services of employees in any elective office or position under the provisions of the State Employees’ Retirement System, such employers shall have the option of either including or excluding the services of all such employees from Social Security coverage. The employer shall notify the State agency of his decision within 10 days after the date of this enactment. If no notice has been received by the State agency within the specified time, the employer shall be deemed to have decided to exclude the services of employees in elective offices and positions.

(3) Each employer in the State subject to the provisions of this section shall furnish the State agency the title of the official responsible for the local administration of the Social Security Program for the coverage group within 10 days after the date of this enactment. If the employer fails to furnish this information within the specified time, the State agency shall deem that such employer has designated its chief fiscal officer to be the responsible official.

L.1954, c. 84, p. 470, s. 2.