Florida Senate - 2025                             CS for SB 1160
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability;
       and Senator Leek
       
       
       
       
       585-03153-25                                          20251160c1
    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 a declaration of an important
    9         state interest; providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section
   14  112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         112.19 Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional
   16  probation officers; death benefits.—
   17         (2)
   18         (h)1. Any employer who employs a full-time law enforcement,
   19  correctional, or correctional probation officer who, on or after
   20  January 1, 1995, suffers a catastrophic injury, as defined in s.
   21  440.02, Florida Statutes 2002, in the line of duty shall pay the
   22  entire premium of the employer’s health insurance plan for the
   23  injured employee, the injured employee’s spouse, and for each
   24  dependent child of the injured employee until the child reaches
   25  the age of majority or until the end of the calendar year in
   26  which the child reaches the age of 25 if the child continues to
   27  be dependent for support, or the child is a full-time or part
   28  time student and is dependent for support. The term “health
   29  insurance plan” does not include supplemental benefits that are
   30  not part of the basic group health insurance plan. If the
   31  injured employee subsequently dies, the employer must shall
   32  continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the
   33  surviving spouse until remarried, and for the dependent
   34  children, under the conditions outlined in this paragraph.
   35  However:
   36         a. Health insurance benefits payable from any other source
   37  shall reduce benefits payable under this section.
   38         b. It is unlawful for a person to willfully and knowingly
   39  make, or cause to be made, or to assist, conspire with, or urge
   40  another to make, or cause to be made, any false, fraudulent, or
   41  misleading oral or written statement to obtain health insurance
   42  coverage as provided under this paragraph. A person who violates
   43  this sub-subparagraph commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,
   44  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   45         c. In addition to any applicable criminal penalty, upon
   46  conviction for a violation as described in sub-subparagraph b.,
   47  a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation
   48  officer or other beneficiary who receives or seeks to receive
   49  health insurance benefits under this paragraph forfeits shall
   50  forfeit the right to receive such health insurance benefits, and
   51  must shall reimburse the employer for all benefits paid due to
   52  the fraud or other prohibited activity. For purposes of this
   53  sub-subparagraph, the term “conviction” means a determination of
   54  guilt that is the result of a plea or trial, regardless of
   55  whether adjudication is withheld.
   56         2. In order for the officer, spouse, and dependent children
   57  to be eligible for such insurance coverage, the injury must have
   58  occurred while the officer was in the line of duty or in an
   59  official training as the result of the officer’s response to
   60  fresh pursuit, the officer’s response to what is reasonably
   61  believed to be an emergency, or an unlawful act perpetrated by
   62  another. Except as otherwise provided herein, this paragraph may
   63  not be construed to limit health insurance coverage for which
   64  the officer, spouse, or dependent children may otherwise be
   65  eligible, except that a person who qualifies under this section
   66  is not eligible for the health insurance subsidy provided under
   67  chapter 121, chapter 175, or chapter 185.
   68         Section 2. The Legislature determines and declares that
   69  this act fulfills an important state interest.
   70         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.