Except as otherwise provided in this article, no retired judge or justice of any court of this state shall hereafter be designated or act as official referee under the provisions of this article and the right heretofore existing of judges and justices to act as official referee pursuant to appointment or without appointment, except as otherwise provided in this article, is hereby abolished. The term of office of each official referee qualifying, pursuant to the provisions of this article, after the date when this act becomes effective shall, notwithstanding any other provision in this article, expire automatically on the thirty-first day of December in the year in which he will have attained the age of seventy-six years.
N.Y. Jud. Law § 125