(a) A member may purchase permissive service credit for one (1) or more consecutive or nonconsecutive gap periods if the member:

1. (1) Has five (5) years of actual service in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System;
2. (2) Has left his or her position as a classroom teacher immediately before each nonconsecutive gap period or the initial gap period of consecutive gap periods;
3. (3) Returns to his or her position as a classroom teacher after one (1) or more gap periods;
4. (4) Accrues at least one-half (1/2) year of service credit after returning to his or her position as a classroom teacher;
5. (5) Was inactive during the gap period or gap periods; and
6. (6) Is ineligible to receive free service credit for each gap period under another provision of the law applicable to the system.

(b)

1. (1) A member shall not:

   1. (A) Purchase more than five (5) years of permissive service credit; or
   2. (B) Purchase one (1) or more gap periods after the member retires from the system.
2. (2) A member’s purchased permissive service credit shall be credited in accordance with Arkansas Code § 24-7-601.

(c)

1. (1) A member shall purchase permissive service credit for one (1) or more gap periods at the actuarial cost.

2. (2) At the member’s request, a member’s payment for permissive service credit shall be refunded by the system if the:

   1. (A) Member ceased to be an active member before the permissive service is established as credited service in the system; or
   2. (B) Permissive service credit is not otherwise used to establish the member’s eligibility for retirement under the system.