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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Re-ref Com On Appropriations2025-03-12

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill expands the Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act to include public safety employees killed while traveling to or from work, rather than only those killed while actively performing duties. It allocates $300,000 annually for the 2025-2027 budget period to cover these expanded benefits.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill honors fallen Officer Gabe Torres and provides critical financial support to families of public safety workers killed during their commute to protect their communities.
• •They contend that officers face unique dangers even while traveling to work due to their public visibility and role, making death benefits a fair recognition of the inherent risks these workers accept.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may argue that expanding death benefits beyond official duties sets a broad precedent that could increase long-term costs to the state and become difficult to manage or limit in future cases.
• •They may question whether commute-related deaths represent job-specific hazards versus general public safety risks that private sector employees also face, and whether other expansion requests might follow.