SB129 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul Sanford

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Firefighters, law enforcement officers, families eligible to receive death benefit as if the person died in the line of duty, resubmission of denied applications and extension of statute of limitations, Sec. 36-30-2 am'd.

Summary

SB129 would expand the state death benefit to cover families of firefighters and law enforcement officers who die from occupational disease as if the death occurred in the line of duty, and would reopen certain past denied claims for reconsideration.

What This Bill Does

It extends eligibility for the state death benefit to families of firefighters or law enforcement peace officers who die due to occupational disease, treating those deaths as on-duty deaths. The benefit amount remains $100,000 (payable from the State Treasury) and is subject to annual CPI adjustments as currently provided by law. It also allows applications for the state death benefit filed after April 29, 2010 that were denied because the decedent was not employed at death to be resubmitted within six months of the bill becoming law, with the awarding authority able to reconsider and grant the application.

Who It Affects

• Families of firefighters or law enforcement peace officers (current or former) who die as a result of an occupational disease, who would become eligible for the state death benefit as if the death occurred in the line of duty.
• Individuals or families with state death benefit applications denied after April 29, 2010 due to the decedent not being employed at death, who may resubmit within six months of the act taking effect and seek reconsideration.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 36-30-2 to extend the state death benefit eligibility to families of firefighters or law enforcement peace officers who die from occupational disease, treating such deaths as on-duty deaths.
• Allows resubmission and potential grant of the state death benefit for applications submitted after April 29, 2010 that were denied because the decedent was not employed at the date of death, with a six-month window after enactment for reconsideration.
• Maintains the death benefit amount of $100,000 (payable from the State Treasury) and its CPI-based adjustments.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Firefighters