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ArkansasHB12932025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

TO INCREASE THE PAYMENT OF A CLAIM TO DESIGNATED BENEFICIARIES OR SURVIVORS OF CERTAIN PUBLIC EMPLOYEES KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

Sponsored By: Wade Andrews (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican)

Enacted

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Bigger survivor payments for public workers

Arkansas raises the one-time state death benefit for named beneficiaries or survivors from $150,000 to $250,000, including educational benefits. The law adds state highway employees to the covered workers. Other covered workers include police officers, wildlife officers and game wardens, correction and community correction employees, jailers, and coroners. Coverage also includes commissioned law enforcement officers and emergency response employees of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. For these workers, deaths must occur after January 1, 2003. Covered deaths involve another person's criminal or negligent acts, exceptionally hazardous duty, or emergency medical work in the official line of duty. Firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and Arkansas Forestry Commission employees also have coverage for deaths after July 1, 1987. Their covered activities include fire or rescue work, hazardous material or bomb incidents, emergency medical work, and simulated training. For firefighter cancer deaths after January 1, 2012, the maximum also rises from $150,000 to $250,000, including educational benefits. The firefighter must be under 68 and have no cancer diagnosis before starting firefighter service. The firefighter must also have been exposed to a known cancer-causing substance while on duty. The Department of Health determines that exposure, considering findings from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Covered cancers include leukemia, lymphoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, and cancers of the brain, digestive tract, urinary tract, liver, and skin. Breast, cervical, thyroid, prostate, and testicular cancers are also covered. Other cancers qualify when research and statistics show higher rates among firefighters. A new seven-member Firefighter Benefit Review Panel reviews cancer claims and research and advises the Arkansas State Claims Commission on awards. The Governor appoints an oncologist, two government firefighters, two volunteer firefighters, a fire chief, and a citizen with relevant experience. The volunteer seats use lists from the Arkansas Professional Fire Fighters Association and Arkansas State Firefighters Association, Inc. The chief's seat uses the Arkansas Association of Fire Chiefs. Members serve four-year terms, and replacements serve the remaining term. The panel elects a chair and vice chair, needs four members for a quorum, and meets at least annually. It can hold special meetings, and members can receive expense reimbursement. Its advice does not itself grant benefits or create a new right to sue. These death-benefit rules do not apply to other state or local benefits or create a right to sue state or local governments.

State agencies pay larger survivor-benefit shares

The appropriate state agency fund account pays $125,000 of each covered $250,000 death claim, up from $75,000. This raises that account's share by $50,000 per claim. The funding rule does not add money to the survivor's total benefit.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • Wade Andrews

    Republican • House

  • Kim Hammer

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 124 • No: 1

Senate vote • 3/20/2025

Senate Vote - Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:00:10 PM

Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/19/2025

House Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:23:32 PM

Yes: 93 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that HB1293 is now Act 414

    3/25/2025House

  2. Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office.

    3/21/2025House

  3. TO BE ENROLLED

    3/20/2025House

  4. Returned from the Senate as passed.

    3/20/2025House

  5. Returned to the House as passed.

    3/20/2025Senate

  6. Read the third time and passed.

    3/20/2025Senate

  7. Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the calendar.

    3/19/2025Senate

  8. Received from the House.

    3/19/2025Senate

  9. Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.

    3/19/2025House

  10. Returned by the Committee Do Pass

    3/18/2025House

  11. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    3/6/2025House

  12. Amendment No. 2 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.

    3/6/2025House

  13. Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment.

    3/6/2025House

  14. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    2/3/2025House

  15. Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.

    2/3/2025House

  16. Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment.

    2/3/2025House

  17. Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC RETIREMENT & SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS-JOINT

    1/29/2025House

  18. Filed

    1/29/2025House

Bill Text

  • HB1293 - Introduced

    1/29/2025

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

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