Firefighters - As enacted, extends the period for the estate of an emergency responder killed in the line of duty from three years from the date of death to the later of such date or the date of a final order of a court, administrative law judge, or authorized state or local official designating the death as being in the line of duty; extends the period for an estate to file an appeal of a denial from 90 days to one year; adds a mechanism of appeal of a denial of a claim for the estates of firefighters, volunteer rescue squad workers, and emergency medical technicians. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 24; Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 2; Title 38, Chapter 8 and Title 68, Chapter 140.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Antonio Parkinson

HB 2477 extends emergency responder death benefit claim deadlines from three years to final court/agency determination and creates formal appeals for denied line-of-duty death benefit claims.

Comp. became Pub. Ch. 721

#firefighters

Legislative bill overview

HB 2477 extends the timeline for emergency responder estates to claim line-of-duty death benefits from three years to the final resolution date of official designation proceedings. The bill also lengthens the appeal period for denied claims from 90 days to one year and creates a formal appeals mechanism for firefighters, volunteer rescue squad workers, and emergency medical technicians.

Why is this important

Families of emergency responders who die in service depend on these benefits for financial stability, but bureaucratic delays in determining "line of duty" status can cause claims to expire before official findings are made. This bill prevents families from losing eligibility due to administrative processing timelines beyond their control, and provides a clearer path to challenge denial decisions.

Potential points of contention

Cost implications: Extending benefit eligibility periods and adding appeals processes could increase state/local government payouts, though the fiscal note details are not provided in this summary

Definition clarity: The bill references "final order" determinations but doesn't specify what constitutes adequate evidence or which officials have authority to make these designations, potentially creating litigation over eligibility

Retroactive application: Unclear whether the extended timeline applies to deaths that occurred before the bill's passage, which could create unexpected claims on older cases