Applications for disability retirement benefits filed pursuant to sections 507-a and 605 shall be determined by a committee of three individuals, which shall consist of a Retirement System Bureau Director, who shall serve as chairperson at committee meetings, and two other committee members, who shall be appointed by the Deputy Comptroller for the Division of Retirements from a pool consisting of individuals in Retirement Program Administrator titles who are experienced in processing disability retirement applications. In the event of the unavailability of one or more of the three members of such committee to attend a scheduled meeting, the Deputy Comptroller for the Division of Retirements shall appoint the necessary number of substitute committee members from such pool. Such committee is referred to herein as the “determining authority.” With respect to applications for accidental disability benefits filed under Retirement and Social Security Law section 507, such determining authority shall also determine the issue of causal relationship between alleged accidents and the disability which was the basis of the approval of the member's application for primary social security disability benefits.