BILL NUMBER: S190
SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law and the volun-
teer ambulance workers' benefit law, in relation to the payment of death
benefits
 
PURPOSE:
To establish the payment of certain volunteer firefighter and volunteer
ambulance worker death benefits to be paid within ninety days of the
filing of application to receive such death benefits.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) is amended by
adding a new section 7b to provide that the payment of certain volunteer
firefighter death benefits shall be within ninety days of the filing of
application to receive such death benefit.
Section 2. The Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Law (VAWBL) is
amended by adding a new section 7-b that provides that the payment of
certain volunteer ambulance worker death benefits shall be within ninety
days of the filing of application to receive such death benefit.
Sections 1 and 2 of the bill both require the workers' compensation
board to conduct outreach and support services to persons entitled to
the death benefit payable under Section 7 of the VFBL and the VAWBL.
Section 3 is the enacting clause.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Section 7 of the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) provides a
death benefit of $50,000 for volunteer firefighters who die in the line
of duty. Over the years, there have been a number of instances in which
payment of the VFBL death benefits were delayed. These delays cause
significant hardship (financial and otherwise) for the beneficiary of
the volunteer firefighter. It has been documented that in certain cases
beneficiaries have waited over six months to receive payment of such
death benefit. This legislation will assist surviving spouses and bene-
ficiaries through the claims process and mandate that payment of bene-
fits be made available within ninety days upon the filing of applica-
tion.
This legislation will also provide this same protection under Section 7
of the Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Law (VAWBL).
This measure further encourages communication and coordination among the
workers' compensation board, volunteer fire and ambulance service organ-
izations, volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers and their fami-
lies. While it is clear that some period of time is required in order to
determine whether a death or injury occurred in the line of duty, exces-
sive delays in payment only cause unnecessary anguish to the family.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.