summary
Introduced
02/17/2025
02/17/2025
In Committee
03/12/2025
03/12/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT TO HONOR THE LIFE OF GABE TORRES, A RALEIGH POLICE OFFICER WHOSE LIFE CAME TO AN END WHILE HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO WORK AFTER A TRAGIC ACT OF VIOLENCE ON OCTOBER 13, 2022, BY EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES' DEATH BENEFITS ACT TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS KILLED ON THE WAY TO OR FROM WORK.
AI Summary
This bill expands the definition of "official duties" for public safety employees to include travel to and from work, which will make it easier for families of public safety workers who die during their commute to receive death benefits. Specifically, the bill modifies existing law to explicitly add "en route to" duty to the list of circumstances considered official duties, which means that if a public safety employee like police officer Gabe Torres is killed while traveling to or from work, their family would be eligible for death benefits under the Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act. The bill also appropriates $300,000 in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer to support these expanded benefits, with the funds allocated for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. The legislation will take effect when it becomes law and will apply to deaths of covered persons occurring on or after that date, serving as a tribute to Gabe Torres, a Raleigh police officer who was tragically killed while traveling to work in October 2022.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment
Sponsors (47)
Sarah Crawford (D)*,
Erin Paré (R)*,
Reece Pyrtle (R)*,
James Roberson (D)*,
Eric Ager (D),
Jonathan Almond (R),
Vernetta Alston (D),
Mary Belk (D),
Jerry Branson (R),
Gloristine Brown (D),
Kanika Brown (D),
Terry Brown (D),
Allen Buansi (D),
Laura Budd (D),
Deb Butler (D),
Celeste Cairns (R),
Grant Campbell (R),
Becky Carney (D),
Richard Carver (R),
Maria Cervania (D),
Tracy Clark (D),
Bryan Cohn (D),
Carla Cunningham (D),
Julia Greenfield (D),
Pricey Harrison (D),
Frances Jackson (D),
Ya Liu (D),
Carolyn Logan (D),
Tim Longest (D),
Jeff McNeely (R),
Charlie Miller (R),
Marcia Morey (D),
Ben Moss (R),
Howard Penny (R),
Garland Pierce (D),
Rodney Pierce (D),
Lindsey Prather (D),
Renée Price (D),
Heather Rhyne (R),
Phil Rubin (D),
Paul Scott (R),
Carson Smith (R),
Julie Von Haefen (D),
Bill Ward (R),
Donna White (R),
Matthew Winslow (R),
Jeff Zenger (R),
Last Action
Re-ref Com On Appropriations (on 03/12/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H137 |
| Analysis - Summary H137-SMDC-2(e1)-v-4 | https://dashboard.ncleg.gov/api/Services/BillSummary/2025/H137-SMDC-2(e1)-v-4 |
| BillText | https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/House/PDF/H137v1.pdf |
| BillText | https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/House/PDF/H137v0.pdf |
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