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Committee approves raising firefighters’ line-of-duty death benefit to $25,000 and increasing fund cap
Summary
Senate Bill 2,135, which raises the firefighters’ line-of-duty death benefit from $10,000 to $25,000 and increases the associated fund cap from $50,000 to $125,000, received a do-pass recommendation after testimony from the insurance department and fire service groups.
The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee recommended a do-pass on Senate Bill 2,135, a measure that would increase the state’s line-of-duty death benefit for firefighters from $10,000 to $25,000 and raise the fund ceiling that pays those benefits from $50,000 to $125,000.
Sen. Jerry Klein (District 14) introduced the measure and described it as an update to a law originally enacted in 2007. John Arnold, deputy insurance commissioner, told the committee the department reviewed the benefit after recent line-of-duty deaths and concluded the $10,000 benefit had eroded in value. “If that kept up with inflation, it would be valued a little over $15,000 in today’s money,” Arnold said, explaining the department’s recommendation to increase the benefit to $25,000 and to increase the fund so the account could cover up to five payouts in a fiscal year.
Arnold testified the additional $75,000 to raise the fund from $50,000 to $125,000 would come from premium-tax distributions on property insurance that flow to fire districts; he said the increase would be a one-time shift into the fund and not general-fund spending. The department has not paid any of the death benefits since the program’s 2007 inception, Arnold said, and the proposed increase is meant to recognize sacrifice and provide more meaningful short-term assistance to survivors should a claim arise.
Representatives from the state’s fire service offered oral support. Ken Wongen, president of the North Dakota Fire Chiefs Association and fire chief for Carrington, said the increase would be important to families: “This benefit relieves short term concerns for the families in ways that our firefighters cannot,” he said. Darren Schimpke, president of Professional Firefighters in North Dakota, said that for many volunteer firefighters this measure would be the only death benefit available beyond personal insurance and WSI coverage.
Committee members questioned whether it was necessary to increase the fund ceiling to cover five payouts, given the program’s minimal historical use. Arnold said the ceiling change mirrored the proportional increase in the per-person benefit (from $10,000 to $25,000) and that, if extraordinary circumstances occurred (for example, multiple deaths in a single incident), the agency could pursue deficiency spending or seek emergency commission action rather than leaving families without prompt support.
The committee approved a do-pass motion; Representative Ruby moved the motion and Representative Volmer seconded. The motion carried on roll call and the committee designated Representative Ruby to carry the bill.
If enacted as introduced, the measure would apply to both full-time and volunteer firefighters and is intended as a supplement to Workers’ Safety and Insurance (WSI) benefits that apply to on‑duty injuries and deaths.
