(1) Any state employee who is a member of the State Employees Retirement System of the State of Nebraska and whose status is changed by the Legislature to that of an employee of a behavioral health region or an employee of a community mental health center shall, upon application to the Public Employees Retirement Board, obtain full and immediate vesting in any prior service retirement benefits and any future service retirement benefits which have accrued to the date of transfer. Such employee may not withdraw the amount in his employee account prior to his retirement and still receive such vested benefits.

(2) Any employee shall be eligible for immediate participation in the retirement program available to the employee in the political subdivision of the State of Nebraska to which such employee is transferred with no minimum period of service required, if the minimum age requirement and length of service, with either the State of Nebraska or the political subdivision, total the requirements of the retirement system to which the employee is transferred.