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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 fight. Attorney Allison Gurley, representing Sonji, told the committee the State Retirement Board and the Worcester Regional Retirement Board denied benefits and that the case is moving through administrative appeals before DALA and may proceed to the contributory retirement appeals board and Superior Court. Gurley said experts concluded to a reasonable degree of medical certainty that Detective Sonji contracted COVID‑19 in the line of duty and urged the committee to act so families are not asked to prove what is “unprovable” in pandemic exposures.
Nicholas Monaco, chief of police for the town of Rutland, described Detective Sonji’s continued on‑duty contacts with the public in April 2020, noted the Rutland Select Board’s unanimous vote to declare his death a line-of-duty death, and cited federal recognition and memorialization of Sonji on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial. Monaco called the special legislation an opportunity to “do the right thing” for one of the town’s public servants.
Committee members expressed sympathy and support but did not take a formal vote. Witnesses noted written testimony and documents (including a DALA decision) were submitted to the committee. Sonji asked for a favorable report on S.18‑31.
Why this matters: the bill would change eligibility for state death benefits in a case where administrative boards have denied benefits and families and municipalities have recognized the death as in the line of duty. The committee’s action would affect how COVID‑19 workplace exposures for first responders are treated for retirement and death‑benefit purposes.
The hearing record shows the committee received factual testimony about the dates of illness and death, prior legislative filings, administrative appeals, and local government actions. No committee vote or final committee action on S.18‑31 was recorded during the hearing; the bill remains before the committee for further action.
