§ 219-T — Contributions and benefits

§ 219-t. Contributions and benefits. 1. The sponsor of a supplemental\naward program shall contribute to the program a fixed amount of money,\nas determined by the sponsor, on behalf of each participant who is\ncredited with a decade of service. The minimum contribution shall be\ntwenty-five dollars per decade of service. The maximum contribution\nshall be one hundred dollars per decade of service.\n 2. The maximum number of years for which a participant may receive a\ncontribution shall be determined by the sponsor, but in no event may a\nparticipant receive a contribution of more than fifty years.\n 3. Supplemental awards shall be paid in the form of a lump sum. The\nprogram may limit the forms of payment or impose conditions concerning\nthe availability of a form of payment.\n 4. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a participant shall\nbe entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental award only when the\nparticipant has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award\nestablished pursuant to article eleven-A, eleven-AA or eleven-AAA of\nthis chapter and has reached entitlement age. A participant who served\nas a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker in the timeframe\nspecified by the program sponsor shall be entitled to apply for and\nreceive a supplemental award only when the participant has reached\nentitlement age.\n 5. In the event that a participant becomes totally and permanently\ndisabled, as certified by the workers' compensation board or other\ncompetent authority approved by the administrator, and the disability\nprevents the participant from pursuing his or her normal occupation, the\nparticipant shall be entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental\naward, regardless of whether the participant has reached entitlement age\nor has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award.\n 6. A supplemental award shall be paid only after an application is\nmade to the program administrator and the administrator approves the\napplication.\n 7. No supplemental award may be assigned or alienated except to\nprovide for the legally obligated support of minor children or spouse.\n 8. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, no member of the\ngoverning board of a political subdivision of the state is prohibited by\nvirtue of being a member of a volunteer fire or ambulance company or\ndepartment from voting upon a resolution authorizing a referendum on the\nestablishment of a service award program if more than forty percent of\nthe governing board would otherwise be prohibited from voting upon such\nresolution. Any member of such governing board voting upon such a\nresolution who serves as a member of a volunteer fire or ambulance\ncompany or department shall publicly disclose in writing to the\ngoverning board such status. Such written disclosure shall be part of\nand set forth in the official record of the proceedings of such\ngoverning board.\n