Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the Attleboro retirement board shall pay to Anna Poncin, the widow of Lawrence Poncin who died on March 4, 1998 as the result of injuries sustained on March 4, 1998 while in the performance of his duties as a foreman with the city of Attleboro water department, an accidential death benefit from the date of his death under section 9 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, said accidental death benefit allowance subject to the provisions and limitations of said section 9 shall consist of a yearly amount of such allowance equal to the annual rate of regular compensation which would have been payable to said Lawrence Poncin had he continued in the service of the city of Attleboro at the grade held by him at the time of his death. The payments of such pension shall be diminished by the amounts payable to the dependents of such Lawrence Poncin under the provisions of section 31 of chapter 152 of the General Laws.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the Attleboro retirement board shall pay to Sharon Hewitt, the widow of Bernard Hewitt who died on March 4, 1998 as the result of injuries sustained on March 4, 1998 while in the performance of his duties as a laborer with the city of Attleboro public works department, an accidental death benefit from the date of his death under section 9 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, said accidental death benefit allowance subject to the provisions and limitations of said section 9 shall consist of a yearly amount of such allowance equal to the annual rate of regular compensation which would have been payable to said Bernard Hewitt had he continued in the service of the city of Attleboro at the grade held by him at the time of his death. The payments of such pension shall be diminished by the amounts payable to the dependents of such Bernard Hewitt under the provisions of section 31 of chapter 152 of the General Laws.

SECTION 3. Anna Poncin shall be eligible to receive the benefits of section 9D½ of chapter 32B of the General Laws.

SECTION 4. Sharon Hewitt shall be eligible to receive the benefits of section 9D½ of chapter 32B of the General Laws.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.