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Committee advances fix to prevent pension cutoff for 18-year-old high‑school students
Summary
SB208 would amend dependent‑child definitions in several retirement systems so a child who turns 19 while still in accredited secondary school continues to receive survivorship benefits until age 24 if enrolled in school.
Sen. Laura Smith brought Senate Bill 208 to the committee as a narrow statutory fix to prevent interruptions in survivorship benefits for children of fallen law enforcement officers, troopers and firefighters. Smith said the current statutory language can end benefits when a dependent turns 19 in their senior year of high school, creating a sudden loss of income.
William Hollahan, executive director of the Montana Public Employee Retirement Administration, explained that existing definitions pay benefits to a dependent child until age 18 or until age 24 if the child is a full‑time student at an accredited postsecondary institution. SB208 would add "accredited secondary school" to the list so a high‑school student who turns 19 during their senior year would continue receiving monthly benefits.
Representatives of Montana Professional Firefighters and the Association of Montana Troopers described real-world examples and urged the committee to pass the clean-up. Committee members asked whether the bill should explicitly add 'diploma' or 'graduate equivalent' language; Hollahan said the phrase 'accredited secondary' would cover Montana high schools and adding diploma language would be administrable if the committee preferred.
The hearing closed after proponents said the change is a modest legislative correction that can prevent significant financial harm to some families.
