Bill
HB 5451
The bill aims to modify survivor benefits payments for first responders, detailing eligibility, calculation, and administration for families of fallen or disabled responders.
Title: Relating to survivor’s benefit payment for first responders
Jurisdiction: West Virginia
Session: 2026
Sponsorship:
- Primary sponsor not listed
- Co-sponsor: J.B. Akers
Status and Procedural History:
- Filed for introduction on February 11, 2026
- Referred to: House Finance (also noted as to Finance at introduction)
- Introduced in the House on February 11, 2026
Overview and Intent
- Purpose of the bill: To modify or establish survivor’s benefits payments for first responders. The bill aims to address how survivor benefits are calculated, paid, or administered for the families of first responders, potentially including line-of-duty deaths, disabling injuries, or retirement-related survivor provisions. The exact text of provisions is not included in the available excerpt, but the focus is on survivor’s benefit payments for first responders.
Key Provisions (anticipated areas based on title)
- Eligibility: Likely defines who qualifies as a first responder for purposes of survivor benefits (e.g., law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and potentially other public safety personnel).
- Benefit Calculation: Possible formulas for determining monthly or lump-sum survivor benefits, including base benefit amounts, cost-of-living adjustments, and any caps.
- Payment Timing and Duration: Provisions on when survivors begin receiving benefits (e.g., upon death of the eligible first responder) and how long payments continue (e.g., to surviving spouse, dependent children, or other designated beneficiaries).
- Coordination with Other Benefits: Rules about coordination with federal social security, workers’ compensation, retirement benefits, or other state survivor programs (e.g., offset provisions or eligibility stacking restrictions).
- Administrative Procedures: How claims are filed, required documentation, and timelines for processing, plus any appeals process.
- Funding: Identification of the funding source (state general revenue, dedicated funds, or insurance-like mechanisms), and any annual appropriation requirements or caps.
- Protections and Limitations: Any exemptions, eligibility restrictions (e.g., remarriage of survivor, age of dependents), or sunset/automatic review provisions.
Potential Impact
- Affects: Families of first responders who are survivors eligible under the bill, including spouses, dependent children, and possibly other designated dependents.
- Government/Agency Roles: State agencies responsible for administering survivor benefits (likely the Department of Administration, Treasurer, or a related agency, and the legislative finance committee for oversight).
- Financial Implications: Does not specify a dollar amount in the provided text; typically such bills create or adjust annual appropriations or funding mechanisms to sustain survivor benefit payments.
- Temporal Aspects: If enacted, the bill would set the effective date for new survivor benefit provisions and any necessary transition rules for existing beneficiaries.
Notes and Considerations
- The bill text provided is not fully included in the excerpt, limiting detail on exact eligibility, benefit amounts, and administrative mechanics.
- The Finance Committee’s involvement suggests consideration of budgetary impacts and fiscal sustainability.
- As HB 5451 is in the 2026 session, it would follow West Virginia’s typical legislative timeline for passage, potential amendments, and gubernatorial action.
Recommendation for Readers
- To fully understand the bill’s specifics (eligibility criteria, benefit levels, funding sources, and effective dates), review the complete bill text and any fiscal notes or analyses produced by the House Finance Committee and the State Budget Office once published.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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