Bill Proposes Permanent Extension to Deadline for Safety Worker Death Benefit Claims

The incoming leader of the California Senate introduced a bill that would make permanent an extended deadline for dependents of police officers and firefighters to file claims for death benefits the Legislature approved in 2014. Senate Bill 1086, by Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, would repeal a sunset statute that would roll back the filing extension on Jan. 1, 2019. Gov. Jerry Brown in May 2014 signed into law AB 1035, which extended to 420 weeks, from 240 weeks, the time period for dependents of police and firefighters to file a claim for work comp death benefits. Brown noted in a sig...