Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission in conjunction with the State Retirement Board, the State Teachers Retirement Board, and representatives of two retirement boards designated by the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems shall develop guidelines authorizing retirement boards to utilize electronic forms and electronic signatures for benefit requests, and all related transactions under Chapter 32 of the General Laws, including but not limited to applications for all types of retirement allowances and pensions, survivor benefits, the return of member's accumulated total deductions, changes of beneficiaries, authorization for direct deposit, group classification requests, changes of address and changes of federal tax withholding amounts.  The State Retirement Board and the State Teachers Retirement Board may implement the use of electronic signatures as contemplated by this act.