S-0793.1  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 5322

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

 

By Senators Gaspard, Roach, McDonald, Rinehart, Heavey, Johnson, Franklin, Loveland, West and Winsley

 

Read first time 01/18/95.  Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

 

Providing a death benefit award.



    AN ACT Relating to a death benefit award for certain law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and commissioned employees of the Washington state patrol who die in the line of duty; adding a new section to chapter 41.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.26 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.43 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 41.04 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Effective January 1, 1994, a one hundred fifty thousand dollar death benefit award is granted for dying in the line of duty to any law enforcement officer or fire fighter, defined under chapter 41.26 RCW, or to any appointee of the governor or chief of the Washington state patrol under RCW 43.43.020.

    (2) The award under subsection (1) of this section shall be funded by the legislature as a sundry claim in the omnibus appropriations bill under RCW 43.88.080.

    (3) The director of the department of retirement systems shall adopt rules for implementing the death benefit award.  Entitlement to the death benefit award is retroactive to January 1, 1994.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 41.26 RCW under the subchapter heading "provisions applicable to plan I and plan II" to read as follows:

    A law enforcement officer or fire fighter is entitled to a death benefit award under section 1 of this act.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.43 RCW to read as follows:

    An appointee under RCW 43.43.020 is entitled to a death benefit award under section 1 of this act.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

 


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