Committee advances bill to extend line-of-duty death benefits to coroners and medical examiners

The House Labor & Industry Committee on March 25 reported House Bill 569 out of committee to provide line-of-duty death benefits to county coroners, deputy coroners and medical examiners.

Prime sponsor Representative Ham told the committee the measure would amend Act 101 of 1976, the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, to add coroners to the list of public servants eligible for the benefit. "It's a simple piece of legislation. It provides line of duty death benefits to our county coroners, our deputy coroners, and our medical examiners," Ham said.

The bill drew supportive remarks from both sides of the aisle. Representative Gleim cited risks coroners faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and said the bill deserved support. Representative Bridal, who said she had worked with coroners as a county solicitor, and Representative Barker, who reported coroners in her district supported the change, both urged approval. Cochair Representative Grove described the bill as "good" and said he expected no negative votes from his side.

Chairman Dawkins moved the bill with Representative Rossi making the motion and a second recorded as "Representative Robert." After discussion, Dawkins said, "Hearing no negative votes, we report House Bill 569 is reported as committed from the House and Labor Industry Committee." The committee did not take a roll-call tally on the record during that announcement.

If enacted, the bill would align coroners' survivors' benefits with those available to other first responders under Act 101; the legislation did not specify benefit amounts or effective dates in committee testimony.

Representatives who spoke on the bill included Ham (prime sponsor), Gleim, Bridal, Barker, Grove and Dawkins, among others. No amendments or formal floor vote counts were recorded in the committee for this item; the committee reported the bill as committed for further consideration.