| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to firefighter death benefits; amending s. |
| 3 | 112.191, F.S.; revising provisions providing death |
| 4 | benefits for firefighters; expanding activities entitling |
| 5 | firefighters to death benefits to include participation in |
| 6 | training exercises; providing retroactive application; |
| 7 | providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Section 1. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (2) of |
| 12 | section 112.191, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 13 | 112.191 Firefighters; death benefits.- |
| 14 | (2) |
| 15 | (b) The sum of $50,000, as adjusted pursuant to paragraph |
| 16 | (i), shall be paid as provided in this section if a firefighter |
| 17 | is accidentally killed as specified in paragraph (a) and the |
| 18 | accidental death occurs as a result of the firefighter's |
| 19 | response to what is reasonably believed to be an emergency |
| 20 | involving the protection of life or property or the |
| 21 | firefighter's participation in a training exercise. This sum |
| 22 | shall be in addition to any sum provided for in paragraph (a). |
| 23 | Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in no case shall the |
| 24 | amount payable under this subsection be less than the actual |
| 25 | amount stated therein. |
| 26 | (c) If a firefighter, while engaged in the performance of |
| 27 | his or her firefighter duties, is unlawfully and intentionally |
| 28 | killed, is injured by an unlawful and intentional act of another |
| 29 | person and dies as a result of such injury, dies as a result of |
| 30 | a fire which has been determined to have been caused by an act |
| 31 | of arson, or subsequently dies as a result of injuries sustained |
| 32 | therefrom, the sum of $150,000, as adjusted pursuant to |
| 33 | paragraph (i), shall be paid as provided in this section. |
| 34 | Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in no case shall the |
| 35 | amount payable under this subsection be less than the actual |
| 36 | amount stated therein. |
| 37 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law |
| 38 | and shall apply to deaths of firefighters occurring on or after |
| 39 | November 1, 2007. |