ARTICLE 11. LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS ENTERING MILITARY SERVICE.

§6-11-1. Persons entitled to leave.

Any person holding any office or position of public trust, responsibility or service, elective or appointive, in the government of this state or in any county, municipality or any other unit or combined unit of government therein, who may enter the military, naval, marine corps or coast guard service of the United States of America, may obtain a leave of absence from such office or position and, upon the completion of and discharge from any of such armed services, shall have the right to reassume for the unexpired or remaining term thereof, the office or position held by such person at the time of entering any of such armed services. The officer, court, tribunal, board or person having the power to make an original appointment to such office or position, or to make an appointment to fill a vacancy therein, shall, upon request, grant such leave of absence. The reassumption of any office or position as herein provided shall be without any prejudice whatsoever to the status, merit rating or standing of the holder thereof by reason of his absence therefrom while in the aforesaid armed services of the United States.

§6-11-2. Period of replacement appointment.

Whenever the holder of any such public office or position enters any of the services mentioned in section one hereof and another is named to perform the duties of said person's office or position, such other person shall not be named for a period longer than the period served by the holder of such office in the aforesaid armed services of the United States. The holder of any executive office other than Governor mentioned in section 1 of article VII of the Constitution of this state shall have the right to name the person who shall perform the duties of his office, and the person so named by such executive officer shall take over and perform all the duties of the office and may exercise all the power and authority of such executive office, in any manner pertaining thereto, and shall receive the salary of such executive officer. Such person shall be known as an "acting" officer.

§6-11-3. Article not to affect terms or authorize compensation to persons not performing duties.

This article shall not be construed:

(a) As any attempt to enlarge or to extend the length of term of any such public office or position or to create a definite term where no definite term with respect to such office or position has heretofore existed.

(b) As providing that the salary or wages payable to any person holding any such public office or position and performing the duties thereof shall be paid to such person when not performing said duties because of such services in the Armed Forces of the United States.

§6-11-4. Provisions of article retroactive.

The provisions of this article shall be retroactive as to all such persons who have entered the armed services of the United States since July one, 1940.