The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)
The Volunteer Firefighters Length of Service Award System is not a retirement system but an incentive program for volunteer firefighters.
(b)
The purpose of the award system can be achieved more efficiently and at a lower cost than the current program by transferring the award system and responsibility for administering that system from the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System to the board of the California State Fire Employees Welfare Benefit Corporation.
(c)
On and after the date of the transfer or termination of the award system, the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System shall have no responsibility to administer the award system and shall take no action related to past, present, or future obligations of administering the system. On and after the date of the transfer or termination of the award system, the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System shall have no liability related to the administration of the award system.
(d)
Because trust fund moneys in the award system are to be used for the exclusive benefit of the participants in the award system, the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System shall not pay or transfer any trust fund moneys related to any claims, demands, actions, damages, judgments, costs, charges, and expenses, including, but not limited to, court costs and attorney’s fees, regarding claims arising out of or incurred as a result of the transfer of the award system. However, nothing in this chapter shall prevent the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System from charging and receiving administrative fees in connection with transferring the administration of the award system from the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System to the board of the California State Fire Employees Welfare Benefit Corporation.
(e)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the board of the California State Fire Employees Welfare Benefit Corporation work cooperatively with each other to transfer the administration of the award system and establish systems and accounts necessary to transfer participant information, assets, and liabilities regarding the award system.
(f)
The purpose of this chapter is to provide cities, counties, cities and counties, or districts, that have fire departments with volunteer firefighting members, the opportunity to offer these members an award for life as an incentive. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of existing state law and the charters, ordinances, and rules of local public agencies that establish and regulate the activities of these fire departments. This chapter is intended, instead, to strengthen these departments through the creation of an incentive for the volunteer to respond to emergency calls and attend official department training drills and meetings. It is the further intention of this chapter to provide a means for local communities to bestow fitting reward and recognition for long and faithful volunteer service.