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Committee raises burial benefit and allows surviving spouses to remarry without losing benefits
Summary
Lawmakers voted to increase the workers'‑compensation burial allowance for line‑of‑duty deaths from $5,000 to $10,000 and to allow surviving spouses to continue receiving death benefits after remarriage; witnesses included surviving spouses and first‑responder advocates who described financial hardship under current rules.
Two related bills addressing benefits for families of fallen first responders advanced from the House Committee on Government.
SB 11‑56 would increase the burial allowance paid under workers'‑compensation death benefits from $5,000 (established in 1989) to $10,000 to better match current funeral costs. Survivors and advocates told the committee the $5,000 allowance is inadequate to cover today’s funeral expenses and that the increase would relieve urgent financial burdens at the time of a line‑of‑duty death.
SB 11‑57 would allow a surviving spouse to continue receiving line‑of‑duty death benefits even if the spouse later remarries. Witnesses said the current rule — which terminates benefits on remarriage — has forced some widows and widowers to forgo remarriage to preserve financial stability and health insurance. Several first‑responder spouses and employee‑assistance staff described the emotional and logistical burdens that follow a line‑of‑duty death and urged the committee to remove the remarriage penalty.
The committee returned both bills with due‑pass recommendations after unanimous or strongly favorable roll calls and indicated willingness to pursue further improvements in the future.
