Bill Would Amend Lifetime Death Benefits for Spouses

Colorado lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation that would amend death benefits paid to surviving spouses in workers' compensation claims. House Bill 1139 says that dependents of deceased employees who had worked jobs classified as high-risk would be eligible to receive lifetime death benefits even after remarrying. Current language in the law allows for lifetime benefits only if the spouse remains unmarried; the benefits are terminated if the widow or widower gets remarried. Jobs with a high-risk classification include those at the Colorado State Patrol, the state’s Bureau o...