This bill amends the Firefighters' Retirement System regulations regarding survivor benefits for children with disabilities. It allows a surviving eligible spouse to designate their deceased spouse's child or children with a permanent mental or physical disability, as well as dependent minor children, to receive a specified amount of benefits. This designation must be made within thirty days of the member's death, and the system's actuary must certify that the benefits allocated to the children and the remaining benefits for the surviving spouse are of equivalent value. Additionally, any benefits paid to a child with a disability will be adjusted to prevent a reduction in the surviving spouse's benefits.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that if a surviving eligible spouse irrevocably designates a child with a disability to receive benefits, those benefits will continue throughout the child's life, rather than being contingent on the disabling condition being deemed permanent. This change aims to provide more security and clarity regarding the distribution of survivor benefits to children with disabilities.

Statutes affected:
HB28 Original: 11:2256(B)(3)
HB28 Engrossed: 11:2256(H)(1)
HB28 Enrolled: 11:2256(H)(1)
HB28 Act : 11:2256(H)(1)