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Committee advances bill to extend state death benefits to public works employees and coroners
Summary
The House Local Government Committee voted to include an amendment adding coroners and to report House Bill 1485 to the full House 14-12. The bill would extend the Emergency Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act to qualifying public works employees and coroners, providing a lump sum and supplemental monthly payments.
House Bill 1485, as amended, was reported out of the House Local Government Committee Wednesday after debate over which job classes should qualify for state death benefits.
The bill, sponsored by Representative Cerisi, would amend the Emergency Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act (Act 101 of 1976) so that qualifying public works employees — and, by amendment, coroners and coroner staff — are eligible for the same death benefits now available to firefighters, EMS personnel and law enforcement. John Casselli, the committee staff member who summarized the bill, said the existing law provides a one-time payment of $100,000 adjusted for inflation and, in qualifying cases, a monthly supplement equal to the deceased employee’s salary minus workers’ compensation, pension or retirement benefits.
Representative Cerisi told the committee the bill was prompted by a local public-works employee who raised concerns about families being left without adequate support after fatal incidents. “Public workers... put their life on the line,” Cerisi said, describing situations such as flood recovery where workers face unknown hazards.
Opponents warned the expansion could create open-ended eligibility questions. Chairman Brett Miller said adding additional classes risks opening a “Pandora’s box,” asking how the bill would define “emergency” and whether support staff or other categories might be claimed for benefits. Miller suggested municipalities could instead address coverage through local ordinances or insurance.
The committee approved an amendment (A02381) offered by Chairman Freeman to add coroners (including deputies and staff) to the bill; the amendment passed on a roll-call vote recorded as 14-12. The committee then voted 14-12 to report the bill, as amended, to the full House.
Next steps: HB1485 will go to the House floor for consideration. The committee record does not specify the sponsor of the roll-call motion beyond the chair’s motion reported in the transcript.
