1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; providing health coverage 
  1.3             for survivors of public safety officers killed in the 
  1.4             line of duty; appropriating money; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 1998, section 299A.465, subdivision 2. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 299A.465, 
  1.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER OR FIREFIGHTER KILLED IN 
  1.10  LINE OF DUTY.] (a) This subdivision applies when a peace public 
  1.11  safety officer or firefighter is killed while on duty and 
  1.12  discharging the public safety officer's or firefighter's duties 
  1.13  as a peace public safety officer or firefighter. 
  1.14     (b) The public safety officer's or firefighter's employer 
  1.15  shall continue to cover the deceased public safety officer's or 
  1.16  firefighter's dependents, including the public safety officer's 
  1.17  spouse: 
  1.18     (1) if the public safety officer or firefighter was 
  1.19  receiving dependent coverage at the time of the public safety 
  1.20  officer's or firefighter's death under the employer's group 
  1.21  health plan; or 
  1.22     (2) if the public safety officer's spouse was not covered 
  1.23  as a dependent at the time of the public safety officer's death, 
  1.24  but at that time was eligible, or afterward becomes eligible, to 
  1.25  be a dependent on the employer's group health plan. 
  2.1      (c) The employer is responsible for the employer's 
  2.2   contribution for the coverage of the public safety officer's or 
  2.3   firefighter's dependents.  Coverage must continue for a 
  2.4   dependent of the public safety officer or firefighter for the 
  2.5   period of time that the person is a dependent up to the age of 
  2.6   65. 
  2.7      (d) For the purposes of this subdivision, and coordination 
  2.8   of benefits under subdivision 3 for persons covered by this 
  2.9   subdivision, "public safety officer" has the meaning given in 
  2.10  section 299A.41, subdivision 4, and also includes employees of 
  2.11  secure treatment facilities, as defined in section 253B.02, 
  2.12  subdivision 18a. 
  2.13     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.14     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.15  commissioner of public safety for the public safety officer's 
  2.16  benefit account established under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.17  299A.42.  This appropriation is available until spent.