Alaska2026Passed Legislature
SB144
SB 144: Disability Benefits for Peace Officers and Firefighters
Last scannedSep 12, 2026, 4:46 AM
In one sentence
This bill changes the rules to increase disability payments for peace officers and firefighters after they have received benefits for one year.
What it does
- Sets the monthly disability benefit at 40 percent of an employee's gross pay when their job ends due to injury or illness.
- Increases that monthly payment to 75 percent of gross pay starting in month 13 if the person is a peace officer or firefighter.
- Makes employer contributions fully owned by the member immediately upon appointment to disability status.
- Requires employers to keep making money into the employee's individual account while they receive disability benefits.
- Stops employees from taking money out of their own contribution accounts while they are getting these disability payments.
Who it affects
- Peace officers in Alaska
- Firefighters in Alaska
Limits and unknowns
- The bill does not explain how a person proves their injury is work-related.
- The text does not state what happens to benefits after the employee reaches retirement age.
- The source material does not list specific dollar amounts for these payments.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Occupational disability benefit
- Money paid to an employee whose job ended because of a work-related injury or illness.
- Gross monthly compensation
- The total amount of pay an employee earns in one month before taxes are taken out.
- Vested
- Fully owned by the worker, meaning they cannot lose these funds even if they leave their job or stop working.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
PEACE OFFICERS/FIREFIGHTERS: DISABILITY An Act relating to occupational disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters; and providing for an effective date.
Official activity
Bill history
- (S) REFERRED TO LABOR & COMMERCE620
- (S) L&C, FIN620
- (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS620