BILL AS INTRODUCED S.89
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S.89 1
Introduced by Senator Vyhovsky 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Public safety; survivorsʼ benefits 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to extend 6
survivors’ benefits to survivors of law enforcement officers, Department of 7
Corrections employees, Family Services Division employees, and employees 8
in State-operated therapeutic community residences or inpatient psychiatric 9
hospital units who die while in the line of duty or from an occupation-related 10
illness. 11
An act relating to expanding survivor benefits 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. SHORT TITLE 14
This act may be cited as “Jessica’s Law.” 15
Sec. 2. 20 V.S.A. § 3171 is amended to read: 16
§ 3171. DEFINITIONS 17
As used in this chapter: 18
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(3) “Emergency personnel” means: 1
(A) firefighters as defined in subdivision 3151(3) of this title; and 2
(B) emergency medical personnel and volunteer personnel as defined 3
in 24 V.S.A. § 2651; 4
(C) law enforcement officers who have been certified by the Vermont 5
Criminal Justice Council pursuant to section 2358 of this title; 6
(D) facility employees of the Department of Corrections and 7
Department of Corrections employees who provide direct security and 8
treatment services to offenders under supervision in the community; 9
(E) classified employees of the Family Services Division of the 10
Department for Children and Families; and 11
(F) classified employees of State-operated therapeutic community 12
residences or inpatient psychiatric hospital units. 13
(4) “Line of duty” means: 14
(A) answering or returning from with respect to firefighters, 15
emergency medical personnel, and volunteer personnel: 16
(i) service in answer to a call of the department or service for a 17
fire or emergency or, including going to and returning from a fire or 18
emergency or participating in a fire or emergency training drill; or 19
(B)(ii) similar service in another town or district to which the 20
department or service has been called for firefighting or emergency purposes.; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.89
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(B) with respect to law enforcement officers: 1
(i) service as a law enforcement officer in answer to a complaint 2
lodged with the department or in response to a disorder, including going to, 3
returning from, and investigating or responding to the complaint or disorder; or 4
(ii) service under orders from the department or in any emergency 5
for which the law enforcement officer serves as a law enforcement officer; 6
(C) with respect to covered employees of the Department of 7
Corrections, discharging their duties as employees; 8
(D) with respect to classified employees of the Family Services 9
Division of the Department for Children and Families, discharging their duties 10
as employees; and 11
(E) with respect to classified employees of State-operated therapeutic 12
community residences or inpatient psychiatric hospital units, discharging their 13
duties as employees. 14
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Sec. 3. 20 V.S.A. § 3172 is amended to read: 16
§ 3172. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SURVIVORS BENEFIT REVIEW 17
BOARD 18
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(c) If the Board decides to award a monetary benefit, the benefit shall be 20
paid to the surviving spouse or, if the emergency personnel had no spouse at 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.89
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the time of death, to the surviving child, or equally among surviving children. 1
If the deceased emergency personnel is not survived by a spouse or child, the 2
benefit shall be paid to a surviving parent, or equally between surviving 3
parents. If the deceased emergency personnel is not survived by a spouse, 4
children, or parents, the Board shall not award a monetary benefit under this 5
chapter. 6
(d) Upon a Board decision to award a monetary benefit under this chapter, 7
the Treasurer shall make payment to the beneficiaries as described in 8
subsection (c) of this section. The Treasurer shall have up to one year from the 9
date of receiving the claim to disburse the funds. 10
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Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE 12
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 13