Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, any county bridge commission created under the article to which this act is a supplement and owning or controlling any bridge or bridges extending within the limits of another state may enter into contracts of insurance with carriers licensed to operate in this State providing hospital, surgical, obstetrical, medical and major medical expense benefits covering employees of the commission and their dependents, including retired employees of the commission and their dependents.
Payments heretofore made by such a county bridge commission under contracts providing any of the benefits in this act authorized are validated and confirmed.