Financially, her hands were tied, but emotionally she stood strong. She knew that if her children were going to make it through this horrific ordeal, she had to be home to share their tears. As a society, we owe these surviving families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty the best protection we can give them. They, like the officers, have paid the highest price, sacrificing a spouse or parent for the protection of our community. To help alleviate some of the financial and emotional burdens that these families endure, I have introduced Assembly Bills 2615 and 2621, to ensure just compensation for the spouses and children of slain peace officers and firefighters.
Current law provides special death benefits for the wives of slain officers and firefighters.
These benefits are based on a percentage of the salary the officer or firefighter was receiving at the time of death. Other than the COLA adjustments, the benefits do not increase, no matter how long the spouse survives. AB 2615 is designed to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty protecting society, and to ensure that their families are not harmed further by their untimely death. This bill will provide for increases in death benefits based upon subsequent salary increases in the position that the slain officer held prior to his or her death, up to age 50. A majority of the widows have young children and do not remarry.