HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- State senators approved legislation Wednesday that would expand death benefits for police officers, emergency responders and members of the National Guard.
The bill, approved unanimously, goes to the House for consideration.
The legislation would expand current law that says the officers, responders and guardsmen qualify for death benefits if they are killed in the line of duty. In addition, officers, responders and guardsmen also would qualify if they die from a heart attack or stroke while on duty or within 24 hours of having participated in training or an emergency response, under the legislation.
The bill also would raise the dollar amount of the death benefit to $100,000, an amount that is adjusted upward each July 1 to reflect inflation.
