HB 32 / AA (BR 25) - J. Donohue, M. Cantrell, A. Gentry, J. Sims Jr

     AN ACT relating to death in the line of duty benefits and declaring an emergency.
     Amend KRS 16.601 and 61.621 to increase minimum death benefits payable to the surviving spouse of a member of the state-administered retirement systems from 25% to 50% of the deceased member's final rate of pay if the member died as a result of an act occurring in the line of duty; amend KRS 61.542 to provide that the surviving spouse shall supersede all previously designated beneficiaries in the case of line-of-duty death benefits payable from the systems administered by the Kentucky Retirement Systems unless the member files a valid beneficiary designation form after marriage to his or her spouse; provide that eligible surviving spouses of members who died in the line of duty prior to the effective date of the Act shall receive the increased line of duty death benefits; provide that a surviving spouse of a hazardous duty member who died as a result of an act occurring in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2017, who was ineligible for the minimum monthly death benefits because he or she was not named beneficiary shall be eligible for the benefits provided by this Act; EMERGENCY.