(a)  Judges engaged after December 31, 1989, shall have deducted from total salary beginning December 31, 1989, and ending June 30, 2012, an amount equal to a rate percent of compensation as specified in § 36-10-1 relating to member contributions to the state retirement system. Effective July 1, 2012, all active judges, whether engaged before or after December 31, 1989, shall have deducted from compensation as defined in § 36-8-1(8) an amount equal to twelve percent (12%) of compensation. The receipts collected under this provision shall be deposited in a restricted revenue account entitled “Judicial retirement benefits” on the date contributions are withheld but no later than three (3) business days following the pay period ending in which contributions were withheld. Proceeds deposited in this account shall be held in trust for the purpose of paying retirement benefits to participating judges or their beneficiaries. The retirement board shall establish rules and regulations to govern the provisions of this section.

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(b)  The state is required to deduct and withhold member contributions and to transmit same to the retirement system and is hereby made liable for the contribution. In addition, any amount of employee contributions actually deducted and withheld shall be deemed to be a special fund in trust for the benefit of the member and shall be transmitted to the retirement system as set forth herein.

(c)  A member of the judiciary who withdraws from service or ceases to be a member for any reason other than retirement shall be paid on demand a refund consisting of the accumulated contributions standing to his or her credit in his or her individual account in the judicial retirement benefits account. Any member receiving a refund shall thereby forfeit and relinquish all accrued rights as a member of the system together with credits for total service previously granted to the member; provided, however, that if any member who has received a refund shall subsequently reenter the service and again become a member of the system, the member shall have the privilege of restoring all money previously received or disbursed to his or her credit as refund of contributions plus regular interest for the period from the date of refund to the date of restoration. Upon the repayment of the refund as herein provided, the member shall again receive credit for the amount of total service which he or she had previously forfeited by the acceptance of the refund.

(d)  Whenever any judge dies from any cause before retirement and has no surviving spouse, domestic partner, or minor child(ren), a payment shall be made of the accumulated contributions standing to his or her credit in his or her individual account in the judicial retirement benefits account. The payment of the accumulated contributions of the judge shall be made to such person as the judge shall have nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the retirement board, or if the judge has filed no nomination, or if the person so nominated has died, then to the estate of the deceased judge.