Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, where a deputy sheriff would have been entitled to a service retirement benefit at the time of his or her death and where his or her death occurs on or after the effective date of this section, the beneficiary or beneficiaries may elect to receive, in a lump sum, an amount payable which shall be equal to the pension reserve that would have been established had the member retired on the date of his or her death, or the value of the death benefit and the reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay, if any, whichever is greater.
N.Y. Retire. and Soc. Sec. Law § 508-B