Effective July 1, 2002, any self-sustaining board, commission or agency created by the supreme court of Tennessee shall be deemed a state agency and all employees of such boards, commissions or agencies shall be deemed state employees and shall be entitled to the same rights and benefits enjoyed by other state employees. Except as otherwise provided in this title, any payments or benefit accruals that would have been payable to or accrued by such employees had they been deemed state employees prior to July 1, 2002, shall not apply retroactively but shall apply for periods commencing after June 30, 2002.
T.C.A. § 8-23-207