Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1160 By Senator Leek 7-01628-25 20251160__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to benefits for certain officers 3 injured in the line of duty; amending s. 112.19, F.S.; 4 revising eligibility criteria for health insurance 5 coverage provided to law enforcement, correctional, 6 and correctional probation officers injured in the 7 line of duty and to their spouses and dependent 8 children; providing an effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11 12 Section 1.Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section 13 112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 14 112.19Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional 15 probation officers; death benefits. 16 (2) 17 (h)1.Any employer who employs a full-time law enforcement, 18 correctional, or correctional probation officer who, on or after 19 January 1, 1995, suffers a catastrophic injury, as defined in s. 20 440.02, Florida Statutes 2002, in the line of duty shall pay the 21 entire premium of the employers health insurance plan for the 22 injured employee, the injured employees spouse, and for each 23 dependent child of the injured employee until the child reaches 24 the age of majority or until the end of the calendar year in 25 which the child reaches the age of 25 if the child continues to 26 be dependent for support, or the child is a full-time or part 27 time student and is dependent for support. The term health 28 insurance plan does not include supplemental benefits that are 29 not part of the basic group health insurance plan. If the 30 injured employee subsequently dies, the employer must shall 31 continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the 32 surviving spouse until remarried, and for the dependent 33 children, under the conditions outlined in this paragraph. 34 However: 35 a.Health insurance benefits payable from any other source 36 shall reduce benefits payable under this section. 37 b.It is unlawful for a person to willfully and knowingly 38 make, or cause to be made, or to assist, conspire with, or urge 39 another to make, or cause to be made, any false, fraudulent, or 40 misleading oral or written statement to obtain health insurance 41 coverage as provided under this paragraph. A person who violates 42 this sub-subparagraph commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, 43 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 44 c.In addition to any applicable criminal penalty, upon 45 conviction for a violation as described in sub-subparagraph b., 46 a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation 47 officer or other beneficiary who receives or seeks to receive 48 health insurance benefits under this paragraph forfeits shall 49 forfeit the right to receive such health insurance benefits, and 50 must shall reimburse the employer for all benefits paid due to 51 the fraud or other prohibited activity. For purposes of this 52 sub-subparagraph, the term conviction means a determination of 53 guilt that is the result of a plea or trial, regardless of 54 whether adjudication is withheld. 55 2.In order for the officer, spouse, and dependent children 56 to be eligible for such insurance coverage, the injury must have 57 occurred while the officer was in the line of duty or in an 58 official training as the result of the officers response to 59 fresh pursuit, the officers response to what is reasonably 60 believed to be an emergency, or an unlawful act perpetrated by 61 another. Except as otherwise provided herein, this paragraph may 62 not be construed to limit health insurance coverage for which 63 the officer, spouse, or dependent children may otherwise be 64 eligible, except that a person who qualifies under this section 65 is not eligible for the health insurance subsidy provided under 66 chapter 121, chapter 175, or chapter 185. 67 Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.