House Bill No. 6408 aims to expand compensation benefits for dependents of employees who die as a result of work-related accidents. The bill modifies existing law by allowing compensation to be divided not only among individuals who are wholly dependent on the deceased employee but also among the next of kin of the deceased. Specifically, it introduces new provisions that state if there are no presumptive dependents, the compensation can be divided equally among the next of kin, in addition to the existing option of distributing it based on the degree of dependence. The bill maintains that compensation can be paid for up to 312 weeks from the date of death, with specific rates for wholly and partially dependent individuals.

The bill does not clarify the definition of "next of kin" or the priority of claims between next of kin and wholly dependent individuals. It also does not specify a benefit rate for nondependent next of kin receiving compensation. The proposed changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and are expected to incur potential costs for the Department of Administrative Services and various municipalities, with an estimated cost of $140,000 over six years starting in FY 26.