72-1461. DEATH BENEFITS — SPOUSE AND THE SURVIVING CHILD OR CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTER KILLED IN PERFORMANCE OF DUTY. (1) In the event a paid firefighter is killed or sustains injury from which death results, while in the performance of duty and leaves surviving a spouse or a spouse with the firefighter’s surviving child or children, the spouse, during his or her lifetime, shall be paid from the public employee retirement account the same pension the deceased firefighter would have been entitled to had the deceased firefighter retired as of the date of death, but in no event less than a monthly sum equal to: (a) sixty-five percent (65%) of the average paid firefighter’s salary or wage in this state, if the deceased firefighter was an Option I firefighter, less any portion of the benefit transferred to an alternate payee as provided in sections 59-1319 and 59-1320, Idaho Code; or, (b) sixty-five percent (65%) of the deceased firefighter’s average monthly salary or wage, based on his average final compensation, if the deceased firefighter was an Option II firefighter, less any portion of the benefit transferred to an alternate payee as provided in sections 59-1319 and 59-1320, Idaho Code. If the surviving spouse should die, the full retirement pay shall be paid to the firefighter’s surviving child or children until they reach the age of eighteen (18) years or shall marry, whichever occurs first; provided, however, that if said deceased firefighter shall have died without leaving a surviving spouse and leaving surviving a child or children, said firefighter’s surviving child or children shall be entitled to be paid from the public employee retirement account the same pension the deceased firefighter would have been entitled to had the deceased firefighter retired as of the date of death, less any portion of the benefit transferred to an alternate payee as provided in sections 59-1319 and 59-1320, Idaho Code, until they shall reach the age of eighteen (18) years or shall marry, whichever occurs first.

(2) The monthly benefits provided for in this section shall vary annually according to the cost of living adjustment as set forth in section 72-1471, Idaho Code.

(3) Those benefits payable under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, or under the provisions of section 72-1445, Idaho Code, which were ordered prior to July 1, 1978, shall continue under the provisions of this chapter in effect at the time such benefit payment was ordered.

(4) Eligibility for benefits of surviving spouses that was terminated on or after July 1, 1987, solely because of the spouse’s remarriage is hereby reinstated effective July 1, 1992. Such spouses are entitled to have the benefits, including any cost of living allowances approved by the board effective on or after July 1, 1987, commence prospectively effective July 1, 1992, or upon their application to the retirement system, whichever is later.

History:

[(72-1461) 72-1429H, added 1963, ch. 125, sec. 11, p. 358; am. 1973, ch. 105, sec. 4, p. 179; am. 1980, ch. 50, sec. 25, p. 91; am. 1990, ch. 211, sec. 2, p. 473; 1990, am. and redesignated, ch. 231, sec. 100, p. 661; am. 1990, ch. 249, sec. 12, p. 714; am. 1991, ch. 27, sec. 1, p. 51; am. 1992, ch. 123, sec. 1, p. 402; am. 2006, ch. 19, sec. 3, p. 73; am. 2015, ch. 244, sec. 64, p. 1039.]