NY Gen Mun L § 215 (2021)
2021 New York Laws GMU - General Municipal Article 11-A - Service Award Programs 215 - Definitions.

§ 215. Definitions. As used in this article:1. "Active volunteer firefighter" means a person who has been approved   by the authorities in control of a duly organized volunteer fire company   or  volunteer fire department as an active volunteer firefighter of such   fire company or department and who is faithfully and actually performing   service in the protection of  life  and  property  from  fire  or  other   emergency, accident or calamity in connection with which the services of   such fire company or fire department are required.2.  "Defined  benefit  plan"  means  any  service  award  program that   provides  to  eligible  volunteer  firefighters,  a  benefit   that   is   definitely  determinable  under  the  program  without  reference to the   amount contributed to the program on the participant's behalf or to  any   income,  expenses,  gains or losses or forfeitures of other participants   under the program.3. "Defined contribution plan" means any service  award  program  that   provides  to  eligible volunteer firefighters a benefit as the result of   definite and determinable contributions under the program,  and  without   reference  to  any  income,  expense,  gains or losses or forfeitures of   other participants under the program.4. "Entitlement age" means the age designated by the sponsor at  which   a  program  participant  is  entitled  to  begin  receiving an unreduced   service award. In no event shall the entitlement age under a program  be   earlier  than  age  fifty-five  nor  later  than  the  age  at which the   participant can receive an unreduced  benefit  under  Title  II  of  the   Social  Security  Act (Public Law 74-271 U.S.C. 306 et seq.). No service   award program may provide for the payment of  benefits  (except  in  the   case of death or disability) before age fifty-five.5.  "Fiduciary" means any person who exercises discretionary authority   or control with respect to the administration  of  the  program  or  the   management  or  disposition  of program assets or who renders investment   advice for a fee to the program.5-a. "Fire service area" means a portion of a  village  that  receives   fire  protection  from  a special fire department pursuant to a contract   with the governing board of the village when the cost of the contract is   charged to such area of the village.6. "Nonforfeitable" means the unconditional  and  legally  enforceable   right to receive benefits attributable to service as an active volunteer   firefighter  under  the  program  that will begin at the entitlement age   specified in the program.7. "Participant" means an active volunteer firefighter who is eligible   for a benefit under a service award program.7-a. "Political subdivision" means  a  county,  city,  town,  town  on   behalf of a fire protection district, village, village on behalf of fire   service area or fire district.8.  "Service  award"  means  the benefit payable to a participant in a   service award program.9. "Service award program" or "program" means a defined  benefit  plan   or  defined  contribution  plan  established  or  maintained  under this   article to provide service awards  for  active  volunteer  firefighters,   pursuant   to   the   benefit   options   specified  by  the  sponsoring   organization.9-a. "Special fire company or department"  means  a  fire  company  or   department  for  which  a  service  award  program cannot be established   pursuant to subdivision one or two of section  two  hundred  sixteen  of   this  article  which  provides  fire  protection services to two or more   political  subdivisions  under  contracts  with  the  governing   boards   thereof. 10.   "Sponsor"   or   "sponsoring  organization"  means  a  political   subdivision which has established or jointly established a service award   program, a volunteer fire company or department,  or  any  other  entity   responsible for fire protection.11.  "Year of firefighting service" means a twelve month period during   which an active volunteer firefighter participates in the  fire  service   and  satisfies  the minimum requirements of participation established by   the sponsoring organization  maintaining  the  program  which  shall  be   applied  on  a  consistent  and  uniform  basis,  subject to the minimum   standards established by the sponsoring organization.12. "Elected or appointed position" means line officers, department or   company officers and president, vice president, treasurer and  secretary   of a fire company or department.13.   "Administrator"   or   "plan   administrator"  means  the  state   comptroller,  or  an  administrative   service   agency   or   financial   organization  selected  by  the  state  comptroller  to perform all or a   portion of the functions required to administer service award programs.14.  "Administrative  service  agency"  means  an  organization   duly   authorized  to  do  business  in  the  state  and  which is qualified to   administer and maintain records and accounts of  plans  which  meet  the   requirements  for  qualification  under  the  internal  revenue code and   governmental plans.15. "Financial organization" means an organization duly authorized  to   do  business  in  the state and which is (i) registered as an investment   adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,  as  such  provisions   may  be  amended  from  time  to time; (ii) licensed or chartered by the   state department of financial services; (iii) chartered by an agency  of   the  federal  government;  or  (iv)  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  and   regulation of the securities and  exchange  commission  of  the  federal   government.