Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 1160 By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Senator Leek 585-03153-25 20251160c1 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 a declaration of an important 9 state interest; providing an effective date. 10 11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12 13 Section 1.Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section 14 112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 15 112.19Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional 16 probation officers; death benefits. 17 (2) 18 (h)1.Any employer who employs a full-time law enforcement, 19 correctional, or correctional probation officer who, on or after 20 January 1, 1995, suffers a catastrophic injury, as defined in s. 21 440.02, Florida Statutes 2002, in the line of duty shall pay the 22 entire premium of the employers health insurance plan for the 23 injured employee, the injured employees spouse, and for each 24 dependent child of the injured employee until the child reaches 25 the age of majority or until the end of the calendar year in 26 which the child reaches the age of 25 if the child continues to 27 be dependent for support, or the child is a full-time or part 28 time student and is dependent for support. The term health 29 insurance plan does not include supplemental benefits that are 30 not part of the basic group health insurance plan. If the 31 injured employee subsequently dies, the employer must shall 32 continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the 33 surviving spouse until remarried, and for the dependent 34 children, under the conditions outlined in this paragraph. 35 However: 36 a.Health insurance benefits payable from any other source 37 shall reduce benefits payable under this section. 38 b.It is unlawful for a person to willfully and knowingly 39 make, or cause to be made, or to assist, conspire with, or urge 40 another to make, or cause to be made, any false, fraudulent, or 41 misleading oral or written statement to obtain health insurance 42 coverage as provided under this paragraph. A person who violates 43 this sub-subparagraph commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, 44 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 45 c.In addition to any applicable criminal penalty, upon 46 conviction for a violation as described in sub-subparagraph b., 47 a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation 48 officer or other beneficiary who receives or seeks to receive 49 health insurance benefits under this paragraph forfeits shall 50 forfeit the right to receive such health insurance benefits, and 51 must shall reimburse the employer for all benefits paid due to 52 the fraud or other prohibited activity. For purposes of this 53 sub-subparagraph, the term conviction means a determination of 54 guilt that is the result of a plea or trial, regardless of 55 whether adjudication is withheld. 56 2.In order for the officer, spouse, and dependent children 57 to be eligible for such insurance coverage, the injury must have 58 occurred while the officer was in the line of duty or in an 59 official training as the result of the officers response to 60 fresh pursuit, the officers response to what is reasonably 61 believed to be an emergency, or an unlawful act perpetrated by 62 another. Except as otherwise provided herein, this paragraph may 63 not be construed to limit health insurance coverage for which 64 the officer, spouse, or dependent children may otherwise be 65 eligible, except that a person who qualifies under this section 66 is not eligible for the health insurance subsidy provided under 67 chapter 121, chapter 175, or chapter 185. 68 Section 2.The Legislature determines and declares that 69 this act fulfills an important state interest. 70 Section 3.This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.