Article 11-AA of the General Municipal Law authorizes the establishment of defined contribution service award programs to provide municipally-funded, pension-like benefits for volunteer ambulance workers. Service award programs may be adopted by political subdivisions for the volunteer ambulance workers of ambulance companies which are either:

Adoption of a service award program requires the affirmative vote of at least 60 percent of the governing board of the political subdivision and the approval of a proposition at a referendum of the eligible voters of the political subdivision. Article 11-AA requires the service award programs to be centrally administered by the State Comptroller, or by an administrative service agency and/or one or more financial organizations selected by the comptroller. The comptroller is also required to promulgate rules and regulations for the programs. The rules and regulations must, at a minimum, include standards for the selection of financial organizations, the method and timing of contributions to the programs by local government sponsors, the reporting on individual participant accounts, matters relating to the preparation of a plan document and any other matter properly pertaining thereto.