It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter 253 of the 1997 Public Laws entitled "An Act Relating to Participation by Employees of the Department of Public Works of the Town of Barrington who are Members of United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO-CLC, Local 14845, Bargaining Unit in the Municipal Employees' Retirement System" is hereby amended to read as follows:

The Town of Barrington shall be allowed to accept Plan C of Section of 45-21-52(a)(3) for all employees of the Town of Barrington who either, pursuant to contract negotiations, bargain for Plan C, or who are nonunion employees who are provided with Plan C and who shall all collectively be referred to as the "Municipal-COLA Group" and shall be separate from all other employees of the Town, union or nonunion, who are in the same pension group but not subject to Plan C benefits. Upon acceptance, benefits shall be available to all such employees who retire on or after January 1, 2001.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.