Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1160
       
       
        
       By Senator Leek
       
       
       
       
       
       7-01628-25                                            20251160__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to benefits for certain officers
    3         injured in the line of duty; amending s. 112.19, F.S.;
    4         revising eligibility criteria for health insurance
    5         coverage provided to law enforcement, correctional,
    6         and correctional probation officers injured in the
    7         line of duty and to their spouses and dependent
    8         children; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section
   13  112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         112.19 Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional
   15  probation officers; death benefits.—
   16         (2)
   17         (h)1. Any employer who employs a full-time law enforcement,
   18  correctional, or correctional probation officer who, on or after
   19  January 1, 1995, suffers a catastrophic injury, as defined in s.
   20  440.02, Florida Statutes 2002, in the line of duty shall pay the
   21  entire premium of the employer’s health insurance plan for the
   22  injured employee, the injured employee’s spouse, and for each
   23  dependent child of the injured employee until the child reaches
   24  the age of majority or until the end of the calendar year in
   25  which the child reaches the age of 25 if the child continues to
   26  be dependent for support, or the child is a full-time or part
   27  time student and is dependent for support. The term “health
   28  insurance plan” does not include supplemental benefits that are
   29  not part of the basic group health insurance plan. If the
   30  injured employee subsequently dies, the employer must shall
   31  continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the
   32  surviving spouse until remarried, and for the dependent
   33  children, under the conditions outlined in this paragraph.
   34  However:
   35         a. Health insurance benefits payable from any other source
   36  shall reduce benefits payable under this section.
   37         b. It is unlawful for a person to willfully and knowingly
   38  make, or cause to be made, or to assist, conspire with, or urge
   39  another to make, or cause to be made, any false, fraudulent, or
   40  misleading oral or written statement to obtain health insurance
   41  coverage as provided under this paragraph. A person who violates
   42  this sub-subparagraph commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,
   43  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   44         c. In addition to any applicable criminal penalty, upon
   45  conviction for a violation as described in sub-subparagraph b.,
   46  a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation
   47  officer or other beneficiary who receives or seeks to receive
   48  health insurance benefits under this paragraph forfeits shall
   49  forfeit the right to receive such health insurance benefits, and
   50  must shall reimburse the employer for all benefits paid due to
   51  the fraud or other prohibited activity. For purposes of this
   52  sub-subparagraph, the term “conviction” means a determination of
   53  guilt that is the result of a plea or trial, regardless of
   54  whether adjudication is withheld.
   55         2. In order for the officer, spouse, and dependent children
   56  to be eligible for such insurance coverage, the injury must have
   57  occurred while the officer was in the line of duty or in an
   58  official training as the result of the officer’s response to
   59  fresh pursuit, the officer’s response to what is reasonably
   60  believed to be an emergency, or an unlawful act perpetrated by
   61  another. Except as otherwise provided herein, this paragraph may
   62  not be construed to limit health insurance coverage for which
   63  the officer, spouse, or dependent children may otherwise be
   64  eligible, except that a person who qualifies under this section
   65  is not eligible for the health insurance subsidy provided under
   66  chapter 121, chapter 175, or chapter 185.
   67         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.