§ 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.