Bill > LD669

This bill expands existing death benefit provisions to include employees of the Department of Transportation (DOT) who die while performing their official duties, similar to benefits already provided to law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel. The bill defines what constitutes "official duties" for DOT employees, which includes work on state highways, bridges, transportation facilities, construction or maintenance zones, and any other DOT-related projects or property. It establishes a death benefit of $100,000 for these employees, which will be indexed to inflation annually, and outlines how the benefit will be distributed to surviving family members. The bill also allows for interim payments of up to $3,000 to eligible families while the final benefit is being processed, and grants the Commissioner of Transportation the authority to waive repayment of interim payments in cases of undue hardship. Additionally, the bill specifically directs the state to pay a $100,000 death benefit to the families of James Brown and Dwayne Campbell from the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund, which is a fund set aside for unexpected state expenses.