69.28 Eligibility. 

    Every firefighter shall apply for membership in the relief 
 association in the city in which employed within the time and in 
 the manner hereinafter set forth.  Any such firefighter shall, 
 not later than 90 days from the time the firefighter is 
 regularly entered on the payrolls of the fire department, make 
 written application for membership in the relief association on 
 forms supplied by the association, accompanied by one or more 
 physician's certificates required by the bylaws of the 
 association.  After the application has been filed the board of 
 examiners of the association shall make a thorough investigation 
 thereof and file its report with the secretary of the 
 association.  The application must be acted upon by the 
 association within six months from the date applicant was 
 entered on the payroll of the fire department.  No firefighter, 
 who is more than 35 years of age when the firefighter's 
 application is filed, can become a member of the relief 
 association, except that such age limitation of 35 years shall 
 not apply on application for reinstatement in the association. 

    Any member of the fire department in any city of the first 
 class on January 1, 1941, may be eligible to membership in a 
 firefighter's relief association.  Such member shall make 
 application within 90 days from and after April 21, 1953.  The 
 application must be acted upon by the association within six 
 months thereafter. 

    Upon the acceptance of the application, the membership of 
 the applicant shall become effective as of the date of entrance 
 on the payroll of the department, provided the applicant shall 
 make up all dues which would have been paid had the applicant 
 been a member of the firefighter's relief association from the 
 date of entrance upon the payroll of the department.  All 
 payments, benefits, and privileges to which these firefighters 
 are entitled as members of that fund shall be governed by 
 sections 69.25 and 69.61. 

    HIST: (3750-4) 1933 c 177 s 4; 1937 c 155 s 1; 1941 c 258 s 1; 
 1953 c 570 s 1; 1977 c 429 s 63; 1986 c 444