Bill > HB72

This bill modifies the Line of Duty Compensation Act to provide financial support for families of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty. The bill defines "public safety officers" broadly, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, air ambulance personnel, and other first responders. If a qualifying public safety officer dies in the line of duty, their survivors can file a claim with the Division of Workers' Compensation within one year of the death to receive a $25,000 compensation payment. The bill specifies a detailed hierarchy for distributing these funds, prioritizing surviving spouses and children, then moving to parents or other designated beneficiaries if no spouse or children exist. The compensation is in addition to any other benefits the family might receive and is not subject to attachment or garnishment. The bill also extends the sunset provision for this program from six to twelve years, setting the new expiration date as June 30, 2025. Additionally, for volunteer firefighters and emergency service responders, the compensation will be based on their regular employment's average weekly wage, ensuring they are not financially disadvantaged if injured while volunteering.

Government Affairs

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB72&year=2025&code=R