35-9-617. Volunteer firefighter, EMT and search and rescue pension account; merger with other pension accounts; membership.

(a) The volunteer firefighter, EMT and search and rescue pension account is created. All awards, benefits and pensions established under this article shall be paid from the account.

(b) The account established under subsection (a) of this section shall be controlled by the board and administered by the director of the Wyoming retirement system. All expenses of administration shall be paid from the account. Disbursements from the account shall be made only upon warrants drawn by the state auditor upon certification by authorized system employees.

(c) The account shall be comprised of all funds and liabilities of the volunteer firemen's pension account created pursuant to W.S. 35-9-602, the volunteer emergency medical technician pension account created pursuant to W.S. 35-29-102, funds directed into the account as provided by W.S. 26-4-102(b), 35-9-619(a), 35-9-621(e) and 35-9-628 and all other funds as directed by this article and the legislature for the benefit of the account, or the volunteer firemen's pension account or volunteer emergency medical technician pension account, respectively.

(d) All members and retirees of the volunteer emergency medical technician pension account created pursuant to W.S. 35-29-101 through 35-29-112, including those members who are no longer participating or contributing members of the volunteer emergency medical technician pension account, but who have not withdrawn their funds as provided by W.S. 35-29-106(f) on or before June 30, 2015, shall become members or retirees of the pension account created pursuant to this section.

(e) All members and retirees of the volunteer firemen's pension account created pursuant to W.S. 35-9-601 through 35-9-615, including those contributing members who are no longer active but who have not withdrawn their funds as provided by W.S. 35-9-608(f) on or before June 30, 2015, shall become members or retirees of the pension account created pursuant to this section.

(f) The director of the retirement system shall determine by rule and regulation a benefit level for all members joining the pension account under subsections (d) and (e) of this section equal to or greater than the benefits the member would have received under the volunteer firemen's or volunteer emergency medical technician pension accounts, respectively.