HLS 25RS-53 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 231
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHASSION
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
LAW ENFORCE/OFFICERS: Extends health insurance coverage for the families of law
enforcement officers and firemen killed in the line of duty
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 40:1665.2(G)(1) and (2)(b) and to enact R.S. 40:1665(D),
3 relative to financial security for survivors of law enforcement officers and firemen
4 killed in the line of duty; to provide relative to health insurance coverage for the
5 surviving spouse and child of a law enforcement officer or fireman killed in the line
6 of duty for a certain time period; to provide for retroactivity; and to provide for
7 related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 40:1665.2(G)(1) and (2)(b) are hereby amended and reenacted and
10R.S. 40:1665(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §1665. Financial security for surviving spouses and children of firemen in certain
12 cases
13 * * *
14 D.(1) The employer of a fireman who suffers death as a result of any injury
15 arising out of and in the course of the performance of his official duties as a fireman,
16 or arising out of any activity while on or off duty in his capacity as a fireman in the
17 protection of life or property shall provide and pay for health insurance coverage for
18 the fireman's surviving spouse for the remainder of the surviving spouse's life
19 following the death of the fireman.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 231
HLS 25RS-53 ORIGINAL
1 (2)(a) The employer of a fireman who suffers death as a result of any injury
2 arising out of and in the course of the performance of his official duties as a fireman,
3 or arising out of any activity while on or off duty in his capacity as a fireman in the
4 protection of life or property shall provide and pay for health insurance coverage for
5 the fireman's child, stepchild, or adopted child who is either:
6 (i) Under the age of eighteen.
7 (ii) Under the age of twenty-three and enrolled in and regularly attending a
8 secondary school or is a full-time student at an accredited college or university.
9 (iii) Physically or mentally disabled.
10 (b) The employer shall provide and pay for the health insurance provided
11 pursuant to this Paragraph following the death of the fireman until the child no
12 longer meets the qualifications provided in this Paragraph.
13 (3) If health insurance coverage is offered by the employer to active
14 members, the health insurance provided to a surviving spouse or child pursuant to
15 this Subsection shall be equal in coverage to that offered to active members.
16 (4)(a) The surviving spouse shall have the option to decline the health
17 insurance coverage provided in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.
18 (b) The surviving parent or legal guardian of each child, stepchild, or
19 adopted child of the deceased fireman shall have the option to decline the health
20 insurance coverage provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection for the child.
21 * * *
22 §1665.2. Financial security for surviving spouses and children of law enforcement
23 officers in certain cases
24 * * *
25 G.(1) The employer of a law enforcement officer who suffers death as a
26 result of any injury arising out of and in the course of the performance of his official
27 duties as an officer, or arising out of any activity while on or off duty in his capacity
28 as a law enforcement officer in the protection of life or property shall provide and
29 pay for health insurance coverage for the law enforcement officer's surviving spouse
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 231
HLS 25RS-53 ORIGINAL
1 for two years the remainder of the surviving spouse's life following the death of the
2 law enforcement officer.
3 (2)
4 * * *
5 (b) The employer shall provide and pay for the health insurance provided
6 pursuant to this Paragraph for two years following the death of the law enforcement
7 officer or until the child no longer meets the qualifications provided in this
8 Paragraph, whichever comes first.
9 * * *
10 Section 2. This Act shall be applied retroactively for the payment of health insurance
11benefits for the surviving spouses and children of all law enforcement officers and firemen
12who suffered death as a result of any injury arising out of and in the course of the
13performance of their official duties as an officer or fireman, or arising out of any activity
14while on or off duty in their capacity as a law enforcement officer or fireman in the
15protection of life or property.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 231 Original 2025 Regular Session Chassion
Abstract: Extends health insurance coverage for the families of law enforcement officers
and firemen killed in the line of duty.
Present law requires the employer of an officer who is killed in the course of the
performance of his official duties or arising out of any activity on or off duty in his capacity
as a law enforcement officer, in the protection of life or property, to provide and pay for
health insurance coverage for the law enforcement officer's surviving spouse for two years
following the death of the law enforcement officer. Requires the employer to provide and
pay for health insurance coverage for the law enforcement officer's surviving child for as
long as the child remains qualified for the benefit or two years, whichever comes first.
Proposed law extends the present law health insurance coverage for law enforcement officers
to firemen.
Present law provides health insurance coverage to the surviving spouse for two years
following the death of the law enforcement officer.
Proposed law extends the health insurance coverage for the remainder of the life of the law
enforcement officer's or fireman's surviving spouse.
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 231
HLS 25RS-53 ORIGINAL
Present law provides health insurance to the children of the law enforcement officer for two
years following the death of the law enforcement officer or until the child no longer meets
the qualifications provided in present law, whichever comes first. The qualifications of
present law are that the child is under 18 years of age, is under 23 years of age if regularly
attending secondary school or an accredited college or university, or is physically or
mentally disabled.
Proposed law removes the two-year limitation for health insurance benefits and extends the
availability of health insurance benefits to the children of firemen who were killed in the line
of duty.
Proposed law applies retroactively.
(Amends R.S. 40:1665.2(G)(1) and (2)(b); Adds R.S. 40:1665(D))
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.