LouisianaLouisiana law provides payments to some first responders' survivors
Louisiana law provides payments to eligible survivors of firefighters and law enforcement officers, including an additional payment for each dependent child.
What it does
The law provides payments to survivors when a firefighter or law enforcement officer dies from a work injury or while protecting life or property. A surviving spouse is first in line, followed by children, a named beneficiary, or, in some cases, the estate.
Each dependent child who survives a firefighter or law enforcement officer receives an additional $50,000 payment, paid to the child's legal representative.
Argument forEach dependent child could receive a separate payment, which may give families with children added support after a qualifying death.
Argument againstFamilies could wait for support because the payment requires approval from the survivor benefit review board.
More detail
The law provides payments to certain survivors when a firefighter or law enforcement officer dies in qualifying circumstances. The death must result from an injury while the person performs official duties, or from an activity on or off duty to protect life or property in their role. Payment goes first to a surviving spouse, then to children, then to a named beneficiary, or to the estate if there is no beneficiary form and no spouse or children. A claim must be approved by the Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen's Survivor Benefit Review Board. The death must occur on or after July 1, 2025. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies even if the claim was approved before that date.
The law provides an additional payment for each dependent child who survives the firefighter or officer. This payment applies when a firefighter or law enforcement officer is survived by one or more dependent children. The payment goes to the child's duly appointed and qualified tutor or legal representative. The death must occur on or after July 1, 2025, and the claim must be approved by the survivor benefit review board.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 12Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 909.Became Law
- Jun 12Effective date: 07/01/2026.
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate.
- Jun 1Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 31Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 29Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.
- Vote recorded CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1744). Result: pass.Lower
- May 29Read by title, roll called, yeas 96, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
- May 28Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 27Called from the Calendar.
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1479). Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- May 26Rules suspended.
- May 26Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
- May 20Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 19Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 18Reported with amendments.Minor
- Apr 29Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Finance.Minor
- Apr 28Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 27Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 103, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#743). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23Scheduled for floor debate on 04/27/2026.
- Apr 22Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 21Reported favorably (18-0).Minor
- Mar 18Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Appropriations.Minor
- Mar 17Read by title. Lies over under the rules.Introduced
Public Safety