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Widow of Rutland detective urges legislature to approve state line-of-duty benefits after COVID-19 death
Summary
Joanne Sonji and her attorney urged the Joint Committee on Public Service to pass Senate Bill 18‑31, which would provide state line-of-duty death benefits to Detective John Sonji, who died after contracting COVID‑19 in April–May 2020; the Rutland Select Board and federal and state memorials have recognized his death as line-of-duty.
Joanne Sonji asked the Joint Committee on Public Service on May 7 to pass Senate Bill 18‑31 so she can receive state line-of-duty death benefits after her husband, Detective John Sonji of the Rutland Police Department, died following a 36‑day battle with COVID‑19 in 2020.
Sonji told the committee that Detective Sonji developed multi‑organ failure and died on May 29, 2020. She said she has been solely responsible for monthly household expenses since his death and that prior attempts at one‑off relief or remedial legislation (including earlier bills filed in 2021 and 2023) did not resolve her claim.
The testimony described a long legal and administrative…
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