HB435 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Ed OliverRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Public officers and employees; further provide for the benefits of the office of coroner and other related persons.
Summary: HB435 would extend Alabama state death benefits to coroners, deputy coroners, medicolegal death investigators, and medical examiners who die in the line of duty, and add a COVID-19 death benefit for eligible cases.
What This Bill Does
It changes the law so beneficiaries of coroner-related personnel can receive the same state death benefits as first responders when killed on the job. It creates a COVID-19 death benefit of $100,000 for eligible deaths between March 13, 2020 and December 31, 2022, payable from the State Treasury, with certain exclusions such as willful misconduct or intoxication, but it states this COVID benefit applies regardless of vaccination status or mask use. The bill also includes retroactive provisions to apply to past deaths and allows for reconsideration of certain denied claims, with an effective date of October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects
Beneficiaries and dependents of coroners, deputy coroners, medicolegal death investigators, and medical examiners who die in the performance of official duties, who would receive state death benefits like other first responders.
Families or dependents of those coroner-related personnel who die from COVID-19 during the covered period, who would receive a one-time $100,000 COVID-19 death benefit (subject to specified exclusions).

Key Provisions
Extends state death benefits to coroners, deputy coroners, medicolegal death investigators, and medical examiners who die in the performance of official duties, under the same rules as first responders for compensation and dependents.
Adds a COVID-19 death benefit of $100,000 for eligible COVID-19–related deaths (March 13, 2020 to December 31, 2022), payable from the State Treasury, with defined exclusions and retroactive applicability; sets an effective date of October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: State & State Officers