VermontStarting July 2026, survivors may request emergency worker benefits
Starting July 1, 2026, survivors may ask for a state benefit when a covered emergency worker dies on duty or from a work-related illness.
What it does
Survivors may ask for a monetary benefit if an emergency worker dies on duty or from a work-related illness. For several worker groups, the death must occur on or after July 1, 2026.
A board decides whether survivors receive benefits and may investigate claims without a request. It must vote unanimously to award a benefit and decide within 60 days after it has the information needed to check eligibility.
A state fund pays benefits and certain claim review costs. If it cannot cover awarded benefits while the General Assembly is out of session, the Emergency Board may transfer in enough money to pay them.
Argument forSurvivors may be able to get financial help after an emergency worker dies on duty or from a work-related illness.
Argument againstA unanimous vote may make it harder for a family to receive a benefit, even after the board has the information it needs.
More detail
Survivors may ask the board for a monetary benefit if an emergency worker dies on duty or from a work-related illness. Emergency personnel include firefighters, emergency medical and volunteer personnel, certified law enforcement officers, certain corrections staff, classified family services staff, and classified medical staff at state-run therapeutic or psychiatric facilities. The worker must have served Vermont, a county or town, or a nonprofit that provides services in Vermont. For law enforcement officers, certain corrections employees, family services employees, and certain state facility medical employees, survivors may request a benefit only for deaths on or after July 1, 2026. The date limit applies to law enforcement officers, certain corrections employees, family services employees, and certain state facility medical employees. Their deaths must occur on or after July 1, 2026.
The board decides whether to award a benefit and may investigate a claim on its own. The board includes the State Treasurer, the Attorney General, the state fire training officer, and a public member appointed by the Governor to represent emergency personnel. The board must vote unanimously to award a benefit. For work-related illness claims, the board may use fund money to pay reasonable fees for a medical expert and other services needed to review the claim. The 60-day decision period begins when the board receives all information needed to determine eligibility.
A state fund pays benefit claims and claim review expenses; the Emergency Board may add money if the fund cannot cover awarded benefits while the General Assembly is not in session. The fund is held by the State Treasurer and pays claims under this chapter, along with expenses for reviewing work-related illness claims. The fund may receive money from General Assembly transfers, Emergency Board transfers when the General Assembly is not in session, and contributions or donations. The Emergency Board may transfer additional money only when the General Assembly is not in session and the fund cannot pay benefits already awarded. The Emergency Board may transfer money only while the General Assembly is not in session and the fund balance is too low to pay benefits the board has awarded.
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 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 20Senate Message: Signed by Governor Phil Scott May 19, 2026Latest
- May 20Signed by Governor Phil Scott on May 19, 2026Became Law
- May 13Delivered to Governor on May 13, 2026To Governor
- May 5Senate Message: House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 1As passed by Senate and HouseMajor
- May 1House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 1House proposal of amendment; textMinor
- May 1Unfinished Business/House Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Apr 30Unfinished Business/House Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Apr 29Unfinished Business/House Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Apr 28House proposal of amendmentMinor
- Apr 24House proposal of amendmentMinor
- Apr 24Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 23House message: House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
- Apr 22Read third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 22Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Apr 21Third Reading orderedMinor
- Apr 21Report of Committee on General and Housing agreed to
- Apr 21Rep. Dickinson of St. Albans Town recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- Apr 21Rep. Burrows of West Windsor reported for the Committee on General and Housing
- Apr 21Read second timeMinor
- Apr 21Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Apr 17Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Apr 14Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- Apr 14Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 26Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and HousingMinor
- Mar 24Read 3rd time & passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 24Pending third reading, bill amended as moved by Senator(s) NorrisMinor
- Mar 24New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 203rd reading ordered
- Mar 20Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations, as amended, agreed to
- Mar 20Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations amended as moved by Senator Vyhovsky
- Mar 20Reported favorably by Senator Perchlik for Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 20Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Vyhovsky for Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 20Recommendation of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Vyhovsky
- Mar 20Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 20Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 20Unfinished Business/Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 19Recommendation of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Vyhovsky
- Mar 19Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 19Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 19New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 18Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 18Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 18Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 18Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 13Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- Mar 13Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 13Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 13Entered on Notice Calendar
- 2025
- Feb 25Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government OperationsIntroduced
Public Safety