(a) Sections 61 and 361 of the Retirement and Social Security Law provide that accidental death benefits shall, in certain specified situations, be payable to the dependent father or dependent mother of a deceased beneficiary.

(b) Similarly, sections 509 and 607 of the Retirement and Social Security Law provide that accidental death benefits shall be payable to an eligible beneficiary. The definition of eligible beneficiary for the purposes of sections 509 and 607 are provided, respectively, in sections 501 and 601 of the Retirement and Social Security Law. Sections 501 and 601 provide that the eligible beneficiary shall, in certain specified instances, be the dependent parents of the deceased member, and that the Comptroller shall promulgate regulations to define the statutory term dependent parent.

(c) This Part is promulgated to define the meaning of the terms dependent parent, dependent father and dependent mother for the purposes of sections 61, 361, 501 and 601 of the Retirement and Social Security Law.