House committee amends H.57 to let emergency board refill survivor-benefits fund; full bill continued

The House Committee on General and Housing held a hearing Feb. 18 on H.57, a bill that would make law enforcement officers eligible for a one-time survivor benefit paid from a special fund when an officer dies in the line of duty.

Committee members adopted an amendment to H.57, offered by Legislative Council, that authorizes the Emergency Board to transfer money into the special fund when the Legislature is not in session. The amendment was approved unanimously in committee roll call (11–0). The committee did not vote the underlying bill out; members asked a small group of committee members and Legislative Council to reconcile earlier committee edits and return with amendment language for further consideration.

Why it matters: H.57 would expand eligibility for a one-time payment that has historically been paid from a special fund administered by the Office of the State Treasurer. The committee’s amendment responds to a key operational concern raised by the treasurer’s office and others: the fund has fluctuating, non‑base funding and can be depleted when an application is filed while the…