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Panel advances cleanup to End of Watch Trust to tighten definitions, grant DOJ rulemaking
Summary
Senate Bill 487, a cleanup to the End of Watch Trust program for families of officers killed or catastrophically injured, won committee support. The bill narrows some definitions, creates administrative clarifications and gives the Department of Justice rulemaking and appeals authority, supporters said.
Senator Barry Usher, sponsor of Senate Bill 487, told the committee the legislation corrects language and fills gaps discovered while implementing last session’s End of Watch Trust. "The End of Watch Trust was created to help the spouses and children of officers killed in the line of duty," Usher said, and SB 487 would clarify eligibility definitions, grant rulemaking authority to the Department of Justice and outline reporting expectations for the trust.
Proponents included representatives of the Montana Police Protective Association, the Association of Montana Troopers, the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, the Montana Association of Chiefs of Police, the Montana Association of Counties and the Department of Justice. Shelby DeMars of the Montana Police Protective Association summarized the bill as a set of necessary cleanup items identified during implementation and a product of extensive stakeholder collaboration.
Key clarifications in testimony: - DOJ would have rulemaking authority to administer the trust. - The bill narrows definitions of "catastrophic injury," "immediate family" and "in the line of duty" to reduce ambiguity. - The statute clarifies when payments stop and how benefits continue for eligible children who reach age limits.
Department of Justice counsel and the Department’s human resources officer appeared as informational witnesses and answered committee questions about payments, the trust principal and administrative fees. DOJ reported that payments had been issued to three families and that a fourth payment was being processed for a catastrophic injury case. Witnesses said the trust began with a $10 million appropriation and that interest earnings were intended to fund payments.
Senators voiced general support for the cleanup language. The committee voted to advance SB 487 by voice vote; the chair announced the motion passed.
What it means: SB 487 does not change the program’s substantive benefits but clarifies statutory language, governance, and administrative authority so the trust can operate as intended and minimize disputes about eligibility and payment processes.
Next steps: The bill passed out of committee and will move to the Senate floor.
