(a)
The governing board of a school district may authorize a bank, savings and loan association, or credit union in which school district deferred compensation funds are invested pursuant to Section 53609 of the Government Code, to disburse benefits to eligible school district employees or retired employees, or their beneficiaries, provided the following conditions are met:
(1)
No payment shall be made to any person by the bank, savings and loan association, or credit union unless authorized in writing by the school district.
(2)
Written authorization from a school district to a bank, savings and loan association, or credit union to make a payment shall include the name of each person to receive payment and the amount each person is to receive.
(3)
The written authorization shall be signed by a majority of the members of the governing board of the district or by a person or persons authorized by the governing board to sign the authorization, so long as such person or persons is an officer or an employee of the district.
(b)
The bank, savings and loan association, or credit union authorized to disburse funds pursuant to this section shall be considered an agent of the school district for the purposes of this section.