The law enforcement and firefighter survivor benefits bill, House Bill 4002, had a tortured life for a piece of legislation broadly supported by Alaskans. After the original bill was slow-walked and died at the end of this year’s extended legislative session, Gov. Bill Walker resurrected it for the Legislature’s first special session of the year. Once again, it died before final passage. This time, it won’t be on the docket for the upcoming special session that begins July 11 — it’s dead for good. In a year of many legislative disappointments, this still registers as a big one.
The survivor benefits bill arose out of concerns for the welfare of the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who die in the line of duty. After several high-profile deaths of Alaska State Troopers — Tage Toll in 2013, followed by Scott Johnson and Gabe Rich in 2014 — Rep. Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage, sponsored a bill that would extend health care coverage to those families for years after the death. As the law currently stands, health benefits for surviving families expire quickly — in some cases, at the end of the month in which the death occurs.
At a time when families are still reeling from a recent loss, it’s shameful to add the headache and burden of seeking health care coverage to the list of items fallen officers’ and firefighters’ families are dealing with.