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(a) Pursuant to Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 28, the Supreme Court is charged with the authority and responsibility to regulate the practice of law. As of July 1, 2013, those persons who are employed by the Supreme Court to carry out these responsibilities and who are paid from the Bar of Arkansas account shall be considered employees of the State of Arkansas administered by the Supreme Court.
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(b) For all purposes involving annual leave, sick leave, and career service recognition as a state employee, years of service as an employee of the Supreme Court — Bar of Arkansas shall be recognized as eligible service as a state employee.
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(c) Notwithstanding § 19-4-801 or any other law to the contrary, employees shall be paid from cash funds of the Supreme Court derived solely from revenues received from attorney license fees and any other fees, fines, interest income, or other revenues derived from the regulation of the practice of law that may be deposited into the Bar of Arkansas account as determined by the Supreme Court.
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(d)
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(1)
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(A) On July 1, 2013, the Bar of Arkansas Employees Pension Plan shall be abolished, and its power, duties, plan liabilities and assets shall be transferred to and assumed by the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System, together with all accrued service credit due its members.
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(B) All current members and beneficiaries of the Bar of Arkansas Employees Pension Plan shall be members of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System and covered by that system’s eligibility, retirement and beneficiary provisions, except that those employees who were members of the Bar of Arkansas Employees Pension Plan and who were eligible for the lump-sum distribution provisions of that plan as referenced in Section 9.2(h) of the official plan document shall retain those rights as provided by the Bar of Arkansas Employees Pension Plan.
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(2) Employees of the Supreme Court — Bar of Arkansas who are hired after July 1, 2013, shall be enrolled in the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System as a condition of employment as provided for in § 24-4-301.
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