1. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Board of Trustees of the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System of New Jersey shall not hold in abeyance the retirement or death benefits to which a member of the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System is entitled on the basis of any ongoing civil litigation to which the member is a party, except that the board may hold in abeyance such benefits on the basis of civil litigation in which the member is challenging a final determination of the board to deny or adjust the member’s benefits.
b. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the board’s authority to hold in abeyance the retirement or death benefits to which the member is entitled when a member is subject to criminal charges or dismissed from public employment due to administrative charges.
c. The board shall have the authority to adjust the member’s retirement or death benefits based upon the disposition of any legal proceeding to which the member was a party.