A.(1) The funds appropriated and dedicated as herein provided shall be disbursed upon warrants approved and certified by the mayors, chiefs of police, or marshals of the respective municipalities coming under the provisions of this Part, which warrants shall have attached to them a detailed list of the names of the individuals for whose benefit any particular warrant is drawn and such other information as the Department of Public Safety and Corrections may require.

            (2) If a person who is required to sign a warrant fails to sign it, the person shall forward by certified mail to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections a letter which includes a justification for the failure to sign the warrant and supporting documentation. The board of review may approve a warrant that does not include all required signatures.

            B. The mayors, chiefs of police, or marshals of the respective municipalities shall forward the approved and certified warrants to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and, on the basis of such warrants, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall issue payments in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

            C. The mayor and chief of police or other municipal officer of the municipalities employing the individuals entitled to additional compensation from the state under the provisions of this Part, who is charged with the responsibility of preparing the payrolls for such individuals, shall include the additional compensation paid by the state to such individuals in the calculation and deduction from the pay of such individuals the sums required by state or federal law to be withheld by an employer, such as federal income tax and social security tax or contributions to state or local retirement systems. Any officials so charged with withholding sums from the pay of the individuals shall be further charged with the responsibility of transmitting the sums so withheld in accordance with the law or laws requiring the withholding.

            D. The additional compensation paid by the state to individuals as herein provided shall be included in the calculation and computation of the total wages paid to the individual in the determination of employer contributions to any retirement system or pension fund of which the individual may be a member as well as in the determination of retirement eligibility and benefits which may accrue to the individual under any retirement system or pension fund, as well as in the determination of any other employee benefits, sick leave, or disability pay to which the individual might be entitled with the exception of workers’ compensation benefits pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. 23:1021 et seq.

            E.(1) As used in this Section, references to “municipality” and “municipal” shall include political subdivisions whose employees are peace officer standards and training (POST) certified and who are entitled to extra compensation from the state.

            (2) As used in this Section, reference to “mayor” includes his designee and also includes the executive director of a political subdivision whose employees are peace officer standards and training (POST) certified and who are entitled to extra compensation from the state.

            Acts 1956, No. 323, §4. Amended by Acts 1959, No. 49, §1; Acts 1975, No. 792, §1; Acts 1997, No. 536, §2; Acts 2003, No. 775, §1. Redesignated from La. Rev. Stat. 33:2218.4. See Acts 2014, No. 158, §§3 and 7; Acts 2022, No. 637, §1.