Bill > S1353

This bill amends Section 9C ½ of Chapter 32B of the General Laws, which pertains to public employee retirement and insurance benefits, to expand eligibility for death benefits for surviving spouses of call and volunteer firefighters. Specifically, it adds provisions to include children over nineteen who are physically or mentally incapacitated from earning, and removes the phrase "continue to" which implies a duration limit on benefits. Furthermore, it changes the premium contribution for these benefits from "100 per cent of the premium" to "a premium at the same rate as retirees of the governmental unit from time to time as part of the total cost for such hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance," meaning the surviving spouse would pay the same rate as active retirees for their health insurance coverage.