HB488 creates a COVID-19 death benefit for first responders, including emergency medical services personnel, delivering a retroactive $100,000 payout to eligible beneficiaries or dependents when COVID-19 is the cause.
It expands the state death benefit to cover COVID-19 related deaths of first responders and EMS personnel, with a $100,000 payment from the State Treasury to eligible beneficiaries or dependents for deaths tied to COVID-19 between March 13, 2020 and December 31, 2022. It makes these changes retroactive to qualifying deaths since 2019 and updates definitions to include EMS personnel within the benefit. It preserves existing rules for how the payout is distributed among spouses, children, and other dependents, and requires claims within two years with the awarding authority's decision being final.
Delivered to Governor at 9:36 p.m. on April 7, 2022.
Assigned Act No. 2022-437.
Clerk of the House Certification
Signature Requested
Enrolled
Passed Second House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 1081
Third Reading Passed
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar
Referred to Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund
Engrossed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 766
Motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 765
Jones (M) Amendment Offered
Motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 764
Ways and Means General Fund Amendment Offered
Third Reading Passed
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar 1 amendment
Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Ways and Means General Fund
Source: Alabama Legislature