HOUSE BILL No. 4298

 

February 27, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Shackleton, Meyer, Sheltrown, Vander Veen, Stahl, Rocca, Ehardt, Spade and Richardville and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to create a health insurance benefit for the spouse                        

                                                                                

    and children of a public safety officer who is killed in the line           

                                                                                

    of duty.                                                                    

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 1.  The department of treasury shall administer and                    

                                                                                

2   carry out the purpose of this act.                                          

                                                                                

3       Sec. 2.  As used in this act:                                               

                                                                                

4       (a) "Department" means the Michigan department of treasury.                 

                                                                                

5       (b) "Fund" means the fund created in section 3.                             

                                                                                

6       (c) "Killed" means that the public safety officer's death is                

                                                                                

7   the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury incurred in           

                                                                                

8   the line of duty.                                                           

                                                                                

9       (d) "Line of duty" means an action that a public safety                     

                                                                                

10  officer is obligated or authorized to perform by rule,                      

                                                                                

11  regulation, condition of employment or service, or law,                     

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   including, but not limited to, a social, ceremonial, or athletic            

                                                                                

2   function that the public safety officer is assigned to or                   

                                                                                

3   compensated for by the public agency he or she serves.                      

                                                                                

4       (e) "Public safety officer" means any individual serving a                  

                                                                                

5   public agency in an official capacity, with or without                      

                                                                                

6   compensation, as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, rescue             

                                                                                

7   squad member, or ambulance crew member.                                     

                                                                                

8       Sec. 3.  (1) The public safety officers survivors fund is                   

                                                                                

9   created within the state treasury.                                          

                                                                                

10      (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets                   

                                                                                

11  from any source for deposit into the fund.  The state treasurer             

                                                                                

12  shall direct the investment of the fund.  The state treasurer               

                                                                                

13  shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund                    

                                                                                

14  investments.                                                                

                                                                                

15      (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall                 

                                                                                

16  remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.                 

                                                                                

17      (4) The department of treasury shall expend money from the                  

                                                                                

18  fund, upon appropriation, only for 1 or more of the following               

                                                                                

19  purposes:                                                                   

                                                                                

20      (a) To provide lifetime health insurance coverage for the                   

                                                                                

21  spouse of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty.               

                                                                                

22      (b) To provide health insurance coverage for the children of                

                                                                                

23  a public safety officer killed in the line of duty until those              

                                                                                

24  children are 18 years of age or until 23 years of age if enrolled           

                                                                                

25  as a full-time student in a college or university.