North Dakota Stands TALL For First Responders
The latest North Dakota Legislative session is soon coming to a close. Sure it's been fun writing about some of the outlandish bills that have been submitted over the last few months. But, just when I was thinking a primarily one-party governing body couldn't get their act together in time to pass a bill that truly reflects the will of the people, they just did! So enough with the silliness of the last few months, They've now passed some meaningful legislation that makes an immediate positive impact.
House Bill 1435 requires the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System board to offer health and pharmacy insurance coverage at no cost to the surviving spouse and dependents of an emergency responder who dies in the line of duty. Under the bill, “emergency responder” includes a peace officer, member of a correctional facility staff, emergency medical services personnel or firefighter who is employed by the state, a political subdivision of the state or an institution under the control of the state Board of Higher Education. The bill has a retroactive application date of Jan. 1, 2010, according to a press release from Burgum’s office.