The comptroller shall invest and keep invested all moneys belonging to any and all funds which the comptroller now is or hereafter shall be authorized to invest, in any of the following securities:
20. No-load money market mutual funds registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and operated in accordance with Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, provided that such funds are limited to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States of America or in obligations of agencies or instrumentalities of the United States of America where the payment of principal and interest are guaranteed by the United States of America (including contracts for the sale and repurchase of any such obligations), and are rated in the highest rating category by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization, provided, however, that no more than two hundred fifty million dollars may be invested in such funds.
The comptroller, whenever he deems it for the best interest of any of such funds, may dispose of any of the securities therein or investments therefor, in making other investments authorized by law, and he may exchange any such securities for those held in any other of such funds, and the comptroller may take such action as may be necessary to obtain the benefits of the insurance provided for in the national housing act, and may draw his warrant upon the treasurer for the amount required for such investments and exchanges.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general or special law, the comptroller shall not invest the moneys of any fund in any security or securities except as above described, provided, however, that: (a) the comptroller may, in order to maximize the rate of return on investments, invest the moneys belonging to the New York interest on lawyer account fund in notes, securities and deposits of banking institutions which accept IOLA accounts, and (b) the provisions of this section shall not limit the types of investments that may be made with moneys belonging to the volunteer ambulance service award fund established by section two hundred nineteen-h of the general municipal law.