House Appropriations reviews bill to extend $80,000 survivor benefit to law enforcement and corrections officers

At a House Appropriations Committee meeting Monday, members reviewed H.57, a bill that would expand an $80,000 survivor benefit to include sworn law enforcement officers and correctional officers and update definitions and administrative procedures for awarding the benefit.

Sophie Sedatny, counsel for the Office of Legislative Council, described the bill as "relating to survivor benefits for law enforcement officers" and said "H 57 ... seeks to make changes to the monetary benefit of $80,000 paid to the family of emergency personnel who die in the line of duty or from an occupation related illness that's presumed to have occurred in the line of duty." Sedatny said the House Committee on General and Housing recommended a strike‑all amendment that adopts a version of a prior bill with several changes, including: adding corrections officers to the covered class; expanding the definitions of child, domestic partner and spouse; changing the composition of the review board; requiring survivors to request the benefit…