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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1239
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 4334
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY
Introduced by:
(PS)
AN ACT CONCERNING A FALLEN OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER
FUND AND PROVIDING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE TO
SURVIVORS OF A FIREFIGHTER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 3-122a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 2
(a) For purposes of this section: 3
(1) "Dependent child" means a child, whether by blood or adoption, 4
of a police officer or firefighter who (A) is under the age of twenty-two 5
and was dependent on the earnings of such officer or firefighter at the 6
time of such officer's or firefighter's death, provided a child shall not be 7
considered dependent if such child provides more than half of such 8
child's own support, is married or is legally adopted by another person, 9
or (B) is any age and is physically or mentally incapacitated and was 10
dependent on the earnings of such officer or firefighter at the time of 11
such officer's or firefighter's death. 12
(2) "Firefighter" has the same meaning as provided in section 7-313g, 13
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as amended by this act; 14
[(2)] (3) "Killed in the line of duty" means the death of a police officer 15
or firefighter while engaged in the performance of such officer's or 16
firefighter's duties, resulting from an incident, an accident or violence 17
that caused such death or caused injuries that were the direct or 18
proximate cause of such officer's or firefighter's death, including any 19
death that is determined to be occupationally related by a workers' 20
compensation insurance carrier, an employer to whom a certificate of 21
self-insurance has been issued pursuant to section 31-248 or an 22
administrative law judge for workers' compensation purposes under 23
chapter 568. "Killed in the line of duty" does not include the death of a 24
police officer or firefighter through such officer's or firefighter's own 25
wanton or wilful act. 26
[(3)] (4) "Law enforcement unit" has the same meaning as provided 27
in section 7-294a. 28
[(4)] (5) "Police officer" has the same meaning as provided in section 29
7-294a. 30
[(5)] (6) "Surviving family" means any person who is a surviving 31
spouse, surviving dependent child, surviving child who is not a 32
dependent child or surviving parent of a police officer or firefighter 33
killed in the line of duty, or a surviving individual listed on such officer's 34
or firefighter's most recent beneficiary form on file with such officer's 35
employing law enforcement unit or such firefighter's employer. 36
(b) There is established a fund to be known as the "Fallen Officer and 37
Firefighter Fund". The fund may contain any moneys required by law 38
to be deposited in the fund and shall be held by the Treasurer separate 39
and apart from all other moneys, funds and accounts. The interest 40
derived from the investment of the fund shall be credited to the fund. 41
Amounts in the fund may be expended by the Comptroller for purposes 42
of payments pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and 43
reimbursement of municipalities pursuant to subdivision (2) of 44
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subsection (c) of section 3-123eee, as amended by this act. Any balance 45
remaining in the fund at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried 46
forward in the fund for the fiscal year next succeeding. 47
(c) (1) After receiving notice, in a form and manner as determined by 48
the Comptroller, from an individual who is a member of the surviving 49
family of a police officer or firefighter who was killed in the line of duty, 50
the Comptroller shall pay, within available appropriations, a lump sum 51
death benefit totaling one hundred thousand dollars from the fund 52
established in subsection (b) of this section to such surviving family, in 53
accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (e) of this 54
section, provided the surviving family of a police officer or firefighter 55
killed in the line of duty shall not receive more than one such lump sum 56
death benefit. Payments shall be made to surviving families in the order 57
in which notices are received until the amount in such fund is depleted. 58
(2) Any payment made pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection 59
shall be in addition to any other benefits for which individuals of such 60
officer's or firefighter's surviving family are eligible and such payments 61
shall not be reduced or offset due to any other benefits, including, but 62
not limited to, workers' compensation or other survivor benefits. 63
(d) Not later than July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the 64
Comptroller shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of 65
section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 66
having cognizance of matters relating to public safety and security. Such 67
report shall include a list of all expenditures made from the fund 68
established by subsection (b) of this section during the prior year, the 69
current balance of such fund and information regarding additional 70
amounts needed for such fund. 71
(e) The Comptroller shall adopt regulations in accordance with the 72
provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this section, 73
including, but not limited to, application procedures and criteria for 74
awarding grants among individuals who are members of the surviving 75
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family, with priority given to awards that would benefit a dependent 76
child or children and a spouse who is a member of the surviving family. 77
The Comptroller may implement policies and procedures necessary to 78
implement the provisions of this section while in the process of adopting 79
such regulations, provided notice of intent to adopt such regulations is 80
published on the eRegulations System not later than twenty days after 81
the date of implementation of such policies and procedures. Any 82
policies and procedures implemented under this subsection shall be 83
valid until the time such regulations are adopted. 84
Sec. 2. Section 3-123aaa of the general statutes is repealed and the 85
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 86
As used in this section and sections 3-123bbb to 3-123hhh, inclusive, 87
as amended by this act: 88
(1) "Firefighter" has the same meaning as provided in section 7-313g, 89
as amended by this act; 90
[(1)] (2) "Health Care Cost Containment Committee" means the 91
committee established in accordance with the ratified agreement 92
between the state and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition 93
pursuant to subsection (f) of section 5-278. 94
[(2)] (3) "Killed in the line of duty" has the same meaning as provided 95
in section 3-122a, as amended by this act. 96
[(3)] (4) "Nonprofit employee" means any employee of a nonprofit 97
employer. 98
[(4)] (5) "Nonprofit employer" means (A) a nonprofit corporation, 99
organized under 26 USC 501, as amended from time to time, that (i) has 100
a purchase of service contract, as defined in section 4-70b, or (ii) receives 101
fifty per cent or more of its gross annual revenue from grants or funding 102
from the state, the federal government or a municipality or any 103
combination thereof, or (B) an organization that is tax exempt pursuant 104
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to 26 USC 501(c)(5), as amended from time to time. 105
[(5)] (6) "Nonstate public employee" means any employee or elected 106
officer of a nonstate public employer. 107
[(6)] (7) "Nonstate public employer" means a municipality or other 108
political subdivision of the state, including a board of education, quasi-109
public agency or public library. A municipality and a board of education 110
may be considered separate employers. 111
[(7)] (8) "Partnership plan" means a health care benefit plan offered 112
by the Comptroller to (A) nonstate public employers or nonprofit 113
employers pursuant to section 3-123bbb, as amended by this act, (B) 114
graduate assistants at The University of Connecticut and The University 115
of Connecticut Health Center, (C) postdoctoral trainees at The 116
University of Connecticut and The University of Connecticut Health 117
Center, (D) graduate fellows at The University of Connecticut and The 118
University of Connecticut Health Center, and (E) graduate students of 119
The University of Connecticut participating in university-funded 120
internships as part of their graduate program. 121
[(8)] (9) "Police officer" has the same meaning as provided in section 122
7-294a. 123
[(9)] (10) "State employee plan" means a self-insured group health 124
care benefits plan established under subsection (m) of section 5-259. 125
Sec. 3. Subsection (i) of section 3-123bbb of the general statutes is 126
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 127
2025): 128
(i) (1) A nonstate public employer that provides coverage pursuant to 129
a partnership plan to a police officer or firefighter who is killed in the 130
line of duty shall continue to provide such coverage to the survivors of 131
such officer or firefighter who were covered under such plan at the time 132
of such officer's or firefighter's death. Such coverage shall continue 133
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without break for a period of one year after such officer's or firefighter's 134
death, and may be renewed annually for up to five years. Such nonstate 135
public employer shall facilitate continuation and renewal of such 136
coverage. 137
(2) A nonstate public employer that did not provide coverage 138
pursuant to a partnership plan to a police officer or firefighter who is 139
killed in the line of duty shall apply for coverage pursuant to a 140
partnership plan for those survivors of such officer or firefighter who 141
were receiving health care benefit coverage through a plan offered to 142
such officer or firefighter at the time of such officer's or firefighter's 143
death, at the request of such survivors. The Comptroller shall accept 144
such application upon the terms and conditions applicable to the 145
partnership plan for enrollment and provision of coverage to such 146
survivors for one year. Such enrollment and coverage may be renewed 147
annually for up to five years. Such nonstate public employer shall 148
facilitate initiation and renewal of such enrollment and coverage. 149
Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 3-123eee of the general statutes is 150
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 151
2025): 152
(c) (1) Each employer shall pay monthly the amount determined by 153
the Comptroller, pursuant to this section, for coverage of its employees 154
or its employees and retirees, as appropriate, under a partnership plan. 155
An employer may require each covered employee to contribute a 156
portion of the cost of such employee's coverage under the plan, subject 157
to any collective bargaining obligation applicable to such employer, 158
provided no contribution may be required of an individual receiving 159
coverage as described in subsection (i) of section 3-123bbb, as amended 160
by this act. 161
(2) An employer making payments pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 162
subsection for coverage under a partnership plan of an individual or 163
individuals described in subsection (i) of section 3-123bbb, as amended 164
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by this act, shall be reimbursed by the Comptroller for the total cost of 165
such payments from the Fallen Officer and Firefighter Fund established 166
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 3-122a, as amended by this act. 167
Sec. 5. Section 7-313g of the general statutes is repealed and the 168
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 169
For purposes of this section and sections 3-122a, as amended by this 170
act, 3-123, 3-123aaa, as amended by this act, 7-313h to 7-313k inclusive, 171
and 29-303, "firefighter" shall include any (1) local fire marshal, deputy 172
fire marshal, fire investigator, fire inspector and such other classes of 173
inspectors and investigators for whom the State Fire Marshal and the 174
Codes and Standards Committee, acting jointly, have adopted 175
minimum standards of qualification pursuant to section 29-298; and (2) 176
uniformed member of a paid municipal, state or volunteer fire 177
department. 178
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2025 3-122a
Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 3-123aaa
Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 3-123bbb(i)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 3-123eee(c)
Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 7-313g
Statement of Purpose:
To (1) establish that the surviving family of a firefighter killed in the line
of duty shall be paid a death benefit from the Fallen Officer Fund, (2)
rename such fund the "Fallen Officer and Firefighter Fund", and (3)
provide health insurance coverage to the survivors of a firefighter killed
in the line of duty.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]