State Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-Alabaster) is sponsoring legislation aimed at “expanding, guaranteeing, and protecting” death benefits for Alabama firefighters’ families after the existing program’s potential solvency.

“Years of patchwork amendments and band-aid changes to the law governing line of duty death benefits for firefighters have created loopholes that led to questionable claims and unanticipated payouts,” Bedsole said.

“By stopping the exploitation of the program, we can protect its longevity, expand its coverage, and guarantee that every firefighter’s family that deserves a benefit will receive a benefit far into the future.”

Bedsole pointed to examples where current loopholes allowed payouts for the families of firefighters who died long after leaving active service, sometimes at an advanced age.

Recent benefit payouts included cases such as an 81-year-old retired firefighter who died of Alzheimer’s disease and heart failure, an 85-year-old who died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and a 77-year-old who passed away from diabetes and heart disease.

Several other payouts were awarded for retirees who succumbed to various cancers and heart ailments years after their active duty ended.

Unless the identified loopholes are closed, Bedsole warned, the program’s funds could be depleted to the point where legitimate claims by families of firefighters who perish in the line of duty may have to be denied.

Currently, firefighter death benefits for line-of-duty deaths are approximately $152,000 per case. The benefit amount is tied to the Consumer Price Index to maintain its value relative to inflation. Payments are funded through the state’s General Fund and awarded by the Board of Adjustment.

HB227, sponsored by Bedsole, proposes several changes to the existing law:

• The loophole allowing open-ended claims for cardiac or pulmonary deaths would be closed. Death benefits would have to be claimed within 15 years of ending service unless hypertension, heart disease, or respiratory disease can be reasonably linked to a service-related event.

• The period for making a line of duty death benefit claim for cancer-related deaths would be extended from 10 years to 15 years.

• The definition of which firefighters qualify for death benefits, which is currently based on an attorney general’s opinion and could change, would be codified to ensure that retired firefighters remain eligible.

The legislation has already received a favorable report from the House general fund budget committee. Bedsole reports it is scheduled for a full vote of the Alabama House tomorrow.