[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6124463,"mediaKeyId","2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc","parentId",2682743,"title","Panel approves bill letting retiring firefighters remain on city health plans until Medicare-eligible","audioSeconds",377,"startMs",1294480,"endMs",1671885,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc&start=1294&end=1671","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc/thumbnail_1294480.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6124463/Arkansas/Panel-approves-bill-letting-retiring-firefighters-remain-on-city-health-plans-until-Medicare-eligible","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124463-167c958da4d72fe1a67c796fce24daa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213739&Signature=Q21Lpo3m~f~m1gt0oJ8SM0VvSqkbu4nF7xa0Ye-7~WEYU2mfNYIf6tTyrCHheWjuKwKv4ft4QmJo6q2hYmrEXuRFgRYrr32qKGpGMImu461mjsG4DXjP2JAnFZOT8KxjjREkNMOb0czGziuTuZTBVwMzfjrdragGHK1OhIwanxgZ1edUfjOOVuE~gyQLrDYXcGC81N3pdS0aJOrC61LvsLm3z8W0DKfdxUAoq2~b88NU2vOSExk5Q43BK-IHptQe1jfruHHNX5MI6D95jLNm9Fr080e5lxtag99UUSoMAwOUpG~LC3JyKxfz6NcQQjC~xoy871oEfczNRLwwcsrMEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas Legislature","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Cameron Cooper presented House Bill 13 13 to the joint committee, saying the bill ensures retired firefighters who are not yet eligible for Medicare may remain on the city health insurance plan from which they retired.

\"This ensures that a firefighter who retires but is not yet of the age to qualify for Medicare can stay on the health insurance plan of the city they retired from,\" Representative Cameron Cooper said. The bill amends Act 535 of Feb. 2023 to add firefighters to the consistency changes made in that act.

Cooper told the committee the city would determine the premium the retiree must pay; he said it is commonly assumed cities will require retirees to pay the full monthly premium, but the statute leaves that calculation to each city. Committee actuary Jody Carrero said the fiscal impact is \"immeasurably small,\" explaining that retirees cost more than active employees but that any rate effect on group plans would be minimal and difficult to measure.

Committee members asked whether the cost would be borne by the city and raised questions about the dollar magnitude of any impact. Cooper said the Municipal League supports the bill and that most cities already offer this option; the bill would ensure consistency across the state.

No public testimony was recorded for or against the bill. Representative Andrews moved for passage and Senator Boyd seconded; the committee approved HB 13 13 by voice vote and the transcript contains no roll-call tally.

The bill passed the committee and will continue through the legislative process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Retirement - Social Security - Joint Mar 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","HB 1313 allows firefighters who retire before becoming Medicare-eligible to stay on the city health insurance plan they retired from; cities set the retiree premium amounts and the Municipal League supports the measure.","taxTitle","PUBLIC RETIREMENT & SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS-JOINT, Joint, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas","taxId",26342,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6124467,"Committee clarifies retiree eligibility for State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program",602,677430,1279855,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc&start=677&end=1279","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc/thumbnail_677430.jpg","/articles/6124467/Arkansas/Committee-clarifies-retiree-eligibility-for-State-and-Public-School-Life-and-Health-Insurance-Program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124467-b5f9b291508f37f540d5a1a89d2035d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213739&Signature=crUTiIyTWaQrdOaFVK~I87I2jXgzmcAP~oEwOY66YAJYHqvsPyff3hapryMR~lM~oTYjQcMl7baPha52oMFhRrTn4E2G0npSaO8RTrCX2GIMZJSB-Om3cPWIWPgGIhZd~ubyL0meu2iSJdJQId59qTxBckahF~GTfolCVayxTVpvOEqLPz5rUvT1Emuwm9NsVjtIN4l9W1SBtrnul~PO7B77nbLPUQQ5Jls4hx~WF28GN8i7MqtW9-Hln8FuEQ0Zz0gMgN5OdLUTh7YIKnsLSLEd0ZI~7hNC0iGHxU8Qdv2D16Zh4FYNnR06wnAd5XlOJlT9hsliA3PM6mUQ-oUpwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grant Wallace, director of the Employee Benefits Division, told the committee House Bill 1327 would change the program name to the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program and clarify statutory eligibility rules for retirees.

\"There are 2 main requirements and this bill is trying to clarify and put in statute specific requirements so there are no questions on who qualifies and how you get to participate in this program. Number 1, you must be vested in 1 of the retirement systems. Number 2, you must have been in the program for at least 5 years before retiring. There's 1 exception to that. I'm a perfect example, for legislators,\" Grant Wallace said.

Wallace explained the one exception: employees who were employed prior to February (year not specified in the transcript) need only one day of participation to become eligible for retiree coverage. He also said the bill confirms members cannot participate if federal law creates a conflict and clarifies that failure to timely respond to enrollment notices does not constitute grounds for reconsideration.

Committee members asked about spouse coverage, COBRA gaps and whether the retiree or the city typically bears premium costs. Wallace said the retiree plan options include a group Medicare Advantage plan and a traditional supplemental plan; the Medicare Advantage plan generally offers a lower premium. He and committee actuary testimony indicated no fiscal impact to the state retirement systems and minimal to no fiscal impact to the insurance program.

Representative Warren closed and moved to pass HB 1327; the motion received a second and the committee approved the bill by voice vote. No roll-call tally appears in the committee transcript.

The bill passed with the committee's approval and will proceed in the legislative process.","HB 1327 renames and clarifies eligibility rules for the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program: participants must be vested in a retirement system and generally have five years of participation before retiring, with a one-day exception for employees employed before February; the bill passed the committee.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6124472,"Committee approves bill to extend line-of-duty death benefits to occupational-cancer fatalities back to 2019",236,382110,618960,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc&start=382&end=618","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc/thumbnail_382110.jpg","/articles/6124472/Arkansas/Committee-approves-bill-to-extend-line-of-duty-death-benefits-to-occupational-cancer-fatalities-back-to-2019","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124472-daeeb148eb0440a013d1ed05c4fa80e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213739&Signature=SOD40ygKZlYguIfSr9KAG0UUbePLSBdzAJL4kumIhtyMdEYlRVlzXcGuxxS3LGFULKwl2~EuCrHPl7udgD-TyF53g8zegCyGADQvSGQhz-jjdUm6c15TmZOoAwPUBHe1H0nfT1jSkYHxP1au0Nor-lwtpvvro6W6ujLtrUsdMYtJ~CJlvYr~F8l0trQ7oDN-XksD~55esIkIw6s1zpW6DveecMimwwBOorrcWTv1I69ZKdgHmGQJmESPU5sbg6l3ToxoSTRT8ENzQA1zlCauUMascA3MzJyvxN4GRTV8QJBBewbgGdpAqqHO0eS4ecwK9yZEMvr5bj5QVRAYsSKU0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Clowney told the joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs committee HB 1322 closes a gap between a 2019 change that classified certain occupational cancers as a line-of-duty disability and the state's death-benefit framework.

\"Back in 02/2019, we as a legislature prudently, made occupational cancer, so certain cancers that firefighters get, as a result of fighting fires. We made those, we made all of the changes in Arkansas law for those to be covered as a line of duty disability. We just neglected to cover, line of duty death benefits that result from those same cancers. So potentially, survivors and beneficiaries are missing out on a line of duty death, benefits. This cleans that up so that there's a framework to allow them to get it,\" Representative Clowney said.

Clowney and committee staff explained the bill aligns death benefits with the code language adopted in February 2019; an actuary attached to the bill identified a single case since that date that would qualify. Committee members asked whether the change would require retroactive payments. Clowney and staff said the measure would cover eligible cases beginning with the 02/2019 codification but would not create lump-sum payments going backward in time.

A committee member asked how the statutory \"presumed\" causation standard is determined. Clowney said the language mirrors the existing line-of-duty disability code and includes the statutory standards and guardrails already used to evaluate claims.

No one signed in to speak for or against the bill. Representative Clowney closed and moved for passage; the motion received a second and the committee approved HB 1322 by voice vote. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The committee recorded the bill as having a small state fiscal impact but said the benefit would be meaningful to any family that qualifies under the clarified language.","HB 1322 would allow survivors of firefighters whose deaths are caused by occupational cancers recognized as line-of-duty disabilities since Feb. 2019 to receive line-of-duty death benefits; sponsors said the fiscal impact is likely small and that no retroactive lump-sum payments would be made before the effective date.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6124477,"Committee raises line-of-duty death benefit to $250,000; highway payouts not retroactive",344,9920,354440,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc&start=9&end=354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2682743-6c5d7447e66eb93d211824fb67aa6acc/thumbnail_9920.jpg","/articles/6124477/Arkansas/Committee-raises-line-of-duty-death-benefit-to-250000-highway-payouts-not-retroactive","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124477-c63391399d5a6e155fe4807e43f2afed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213739&Signature=OSm7~tsztWCsdTJqCFKBhZ8c7ZapDU9rAMhqjgIbNXoEg-SELxTkrPTa9~iKwlSWVcim9XYcOu7lOD3NcmPkJiNzmIY3WWCoCq47TR3mPatpgInHMv0ErDWXvAWcb2bZhJHeTAcU0Y6dgk2RthDp49rrMplD83xuOliO2d8CgnabGunTmHtz3pvWWokXIjaYLPirNQakNbA5TFW5NKpjmaUppoqamlLnbKssuZIvmDbpH1vkt4BX3K9LJuZ~lEln3DLu3zbKTslIh9HI5k8SdFpybc6Y0Cn7fRf0lVmCfovkoLMu4OfyS~-Wza75aywquslqh8gpHs13cp1W77SEbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Andrews presented House Bill 1293 to the joint Public Retirement & Social Security Programs committee, asking the panel to increase the state line-of-duty death benefit for firefighters, police, state troopers, first responders and highway employees.

\"So what we're doing is increasing the line of death duty benefit. We have men and women who put their selves in line every single day. Firefighters, first responders, police officers, state troopers, and this bill also is adding, our highway department workers does well. People who serve our state, our communities, and expect to go home to their families every night. But unfortunately, life happens, and they don't always get to go home,\" Representative Andrews said.

The bill raises the maximum benefit from $150,000 to $250,000. Andrews told the committee the benefit level has not been adjusted in more than a decade and that actuary material attached to the bill showed an average of about 5.5 claims per year over the past decade. He framed the increase as extra financial support for survivors, not full compensation.

Senator Boyd asked whether the bill would create retroactive eligibility for deaths occurring after Jan. 1, 2003, noting existing statutory language references that date. Committee members sought clarification about whether past highway employee claims would become payable under the new amount.

Jared Wiley, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, told the committee the highway department would not make retroactive payments: the department's payments would apply from the time the bill becomes law forward for highway employees.

With no members signed in to speak against the bill and one supporter waving off, Representative Andrews closed and moved to pass HB 1293. A second was recorded but not named in the transcript. The motion carried by voice vote; a roll-call tally was not recorded in the committee minutes.

The committee did not change retirement-system benefit formulas; Andrews said the change does not alter the underlying retirement systems and that costs are split between state claims and the relevant agency.

HB 1293 was passed by the committee and will proceed according to the legislative calendar.","A joint committee passed HB 1293 to raise the state line-of-duty death benefit from $150,000 to $250,000 for firefighters, police, state troopers, first responders and highway workers; the Arkansas Department of Transportation said payments for highway employees would apply only to deaths after enactment, not retroactively.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel approves bill letting retiring firefighters remain on city health plans until Medicare-eligible

Committee clarifies retiree eligibility for State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program

Committee approves bill to extend line-of-duty death benefits to occupational-cancer fatalities back to 2019

Committee raises line-of-duty death benefit to $250,000; highway payouts not retroactive