Relatives of a police officer or firefighter who dies on duty could qualify for at least $50,000 from the state under a bill pending before Nebraska lawmakers.
The bill would allow a one-time payment of $50,000 to a spouse, child or other designated person.
Payouts would increase in tandem with inflation.
The measure by Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln comes after Dakota City’s fire department lost three of its members to heart attacks in an 18-month period.
It also follows the 2015 death of Omaha police officer Kerrie Orozco of Council Bluffs, Iowa.
She was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant on a gang member.
The bill could see opposition given Nebraska’s projected shortfall of nearly $900 million in the upcoming two-year budget
AP
