House Bill No. 231, introduced by Representative Chassion, aims to extend health insurance coverage for the families of law enforcement officers and firemen who are killed in the line of duty. The bill enacts new provisions under R.S. 40:1665(D) and 1665.2(H), which require the employer of a deceased officer or fireman to provide health insurance coverage for the surviving spouse for the remainder of their life and for the children until they no longer meet specific qualifications, such as being under 18, under 23 and enrolled in school, or being physically or mentally disabled. The bill also stipulates that if health insurance is offered to active members, the coverage for surviving family members must be equal to that of active members.

Additionally, the bill specifies that these provisions will only apply in parishes with a population between 240,000 and 255,000, based on the latest federal census, and it retroactively applies to January 1, 2017. The proposed law retains the existing two-year limitation for health insurance benefits for spouses and children of law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty, as amended by the House Committee on Appropriations.

Statutes affected:
HB231 Original: 40:2(G)(1)