SPONSOR:

Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Hoffner & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Harris & Rep. Romer & Rep. Dorsey Walker & Rep. Bush

Sens. Buckson, Gay, Hansen, Hocker, Lawson, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Richardson, Sokola, Walsh, Wilson; Reps. Baumbach, Carson, Heffernan, Hilovsky, Lynn, Morrison, Osienski, Parker Selby, D. Short, Michael Smith, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 202

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LINE OF DUTY DEATH BENEFITS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 6602, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 6602. Payment for beneficiaries; tuition payments; burial expenses.

1. Upon certification by the Insurance Commissioner that a claim under this chapter has been approved, the State

Treasurer shall:

For claims submitted prior to July 1, 1997, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $100,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $20,000. For claims submitted on July 1, 1997, through June 30, 2017, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $150,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $30,000. For claims submitted on July 1, 2017, and thereafter, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $200,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $40,000. For claims submitted on July 1, 2023, and thereafter, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6003(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $375,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $50,000. Installments shall terminate with the expiration of the beneficiary’s eligibility ;

SYNOPSIS

For claims for line of duty death benefits for covered persons, which include police officers, firefighters, auxiliary and volunteer ambulance and rescue company members, paramedics, and others, submitted on July 1, 2023, and thereafter, this Act increases the benefits for the beneficiary or beneficiaries from $200,000 to $375,000, payable in annual installments, with the maximum amount paid in any 1 calendar year being $50,000.

Author: Senator Huxtable