H 4140 General Bill, By J.H. Hodges, Askins, Boan, Cobb-Hunter, Delleney, 
Inabinett, D.E. McTeer, J.H. Neal, T.F. Rogers, Scott, Spearman, J.W. Tucker and 
H.G. Worley
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 8-11-86 so as to provide that the primary beneficiaries of Corrections
 officers of the Department of Corrections and law enforcement officers of the
 Department of Public Safety and the State Law Enforcement Division killed in
 the line of duty shall receive as a death benefit under the State Death
 Benefit Salary Continuation Plan twice the annual salary of the officers, and
 to provide procedures to implement this provision including a requirement that
 employers pay the necessary premiums or fees to secure this coverage.

   04/20/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-31
   04/20/95  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-31

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 8-11-86 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF CORRECTIONS OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY SHALL RECEIVE AS A DEATH BENEFIT UNDER THE STATE DEATH BENEFIT SALARY CONTINUATION PLAN TWICE THE ANNUAL SALARY OF THE OFFICERS, AND TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROVISION INCLUDING A REQUIREMENT THAT EMPLOYERS PAY THE NECESSARY PREMIUMS OR FEES TO SECURE THIS COVERAGE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 8-11-86. (A) The primary beneficiary of a corrections officer of the Department of Corrections or a law enforcement officer of the Department of Public Safety or State Law Enforcement Division killed in the line of duty shall receive as a death benefit twice the annual salary of the officer.

(B) The death benefit authorized by this section shall be provided through the state group life insurance program whereby state employers at their option may elect for a specified premium or fee to provide their employees with one year's salary as an additional death benefit. The Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety, and the State Law Enforcement Division in order to provide the death benefits for their officers as provided herein are required to elect this optional coverage, the premiums or fees for which must be set so as to be sufficient to provide a death benefit of twice the officer's annual salary.

(C) The terms and conditions of the optional death benefit program referred to in this section which defines eligible employees also apply to these corrections or law enforcement officers.

(D) Primary beneficiary as used in this section means the person named primary beneficiary by the corrections or law enforcement officer of his state retirement or police officer's retirement benefits."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.