§ 219-t. Contributions and benefits. 1. The sponsor of a supplemental award program shall contribute to the program a fixed amount of money, as determined by the sponsor, on behalf of each participant who is credited with a decade of service. The minimum contribution shall be twenty-five dollars per decade of service. The maximum contribution shall be one hundred dollars per decade of service.
2. The maximum number of years for which a participant may receive a contribution shall be determined by the sponsor, but in no event may a participant receive a contribution of more than fifty years.
3. Supplemental awards shall be paid in the form of a lump sum. The program may limit the forms of payment or impose conditions concerning the availability of a form of payment.
4. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a participant shall be entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental award only when the participant has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award established pursuant to article eleven-A, eleven-AA or eleven-AAA of this chapter and has reached entitlement age. A participant who served as a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker in the timeframe specified by the program sponsor shall be entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental award only when the participant has reached entitlement age.
5. In the event that a participant becomes totally and permanently disabled, as certified by the workers' compensation board or other competent authority approved by the administrator, and the disability prevents the participant from pursuing his or her normal occupation, the participant shall be entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental award, regardless of whether the participant has reached entitlement age or has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award.
6. A supplemental award shall be paid only after an application is made to the program administrator and the administrator approves the application.
7. No supplemental award may be assigned or alienated except to provide for the legally obligated support of minor children or spouse.
8. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, no member of the governing board of a political subdivision of the state is prohibited by virtue of being a member of a volunteer fire or ambulance company or department from voting upon a resolution authorizing a referendum on the establishment of a service award program if more than forty percent of the governing board would otherwise be prohibited from voting upon such resolution. Any member of such governing board voting upon such a resolution who serves as a member of a volunteer fire or ambulance company or department shall publicly disclose in writing to the governing board such status. Such written disclosure shall be part of and set forth in the official record of the proceedings of such governing board.
