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Guard leaders ask lawmakers to raise state death gratuity to match federal benefit
Summary
Deputy Adjutant General Jackie Huber and the North Dakota National Guard urged the committee to increase the state death gratuity for members who die on state active duty from $15,000 to $100,000 to align with the federal death gratuity; committee took testimony but did not vote.
Deputy Adjutant General Jackie Huber told the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee on Jan. 16 that House Bill 1076 would raise the lump-sum death gratuity paid to the next of kin of a National Guard member who dies while serving on state active duty from $15,000 (the current state benefit) to $100,000, matching the federal death gratuity.
Huber explained the difference between federal and state duty status and said the state often seeks parity with federal benefits for service members called to state active duty for disasters and other missions. "We're asking the committee to consider increasing the benefit to a $100,000 to align with the federal death gratuity to better support families in their time of greatest need," she said.
Huber described inherently risky missions performed on state duty — including aviation firefighting operations carrying 660-gallon buckets — and said disaster costs (including this benefit, if triggered) would be folded into the cost of the disaster declaration. She also said North Dakota has not paid this benefit on state active duty historically but argued the change is a precaution to support families should a fatality occur.
Former Guardsman Lonnie Wongen and Commissioner Lonnie Wongen (testifying as an individual and later in other testimony) and other veterans testified in favor. Questions from committee members focused on who pays the benefit (state vs. federal in different disaster scenarios), whether temporary state employees have insurance, and whether neighboring states match the federal benefit.
The committee closed the hearing on HB 1076 after testimony; no committee vote was recorded during this hearing.
Why it matters: Increasing the state death gratuity would change the state’s obligation in the rare event of a fatality during state active duty and could raise questions about disaster funding and reimbursement.
What’s next: The bill was heard and closed; committee action (recommendation or vote) was not recorded during this hearing.
