HCS HB 551 -- LINE OF DUTY COMPENSATION ACT

SPONSOR:  Bruns (Dempsey)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Crime
Prevention and Public Safety by a vote of 10 to 0.

This substitute establishes the Line of Duty Compensation Act
which allows a person designated as a law enforcement officer,
emergency medical technician, paramedic, or firefighter to file a
claim for compensation with the Division of Workers' Compensation
in the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations within one
year of the death of the law enforcement officer, emergency
medical technician, paramedic, or firefighter if the person is
killed in the line of duty.  The amount of compensation for the
claim will be $100,000, subject to appropriation, for deaths
occurring on or after January 1, 2009.  A burial benefit of up to
$10,000 will also be payable to the surviving spouse or the
estate of a law enforcement officer or firefighter who is killed
in the line of duty.

The provisions of the substitute will expire six years from the
effective date.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of $0 in
FY 2008, Under $100,000 in FY 2009, and Under $100,000 in
FY 2010.  Estimated Cost on Other State Funds of $120,000 in
FY 2008, $880,898 in FY 2009, and $1,611,747 in FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that emergency workers, law
enforcement personnel, and firefighters make huge sacrifices in
order to protect our families and possessions.  The bill is an
attempt to thank them for their hard work and to show our
appreciation.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Dempsey; Missouri
State Council of Firefighters; Missouri Ambulance Association;
St. Charles County Ambulance Association; Missouri State
Fraternal Order of Police; Metropolitan Ambulance Services Trust;
Florissant Valley Fire Protection District; and Air Methods
Corporation.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:19 am