HB44 • 2026

WORKERS COMP DEATH BENEFITS

An Act relating to workers' compensation death benefits; and providing for an effective date.

Children Labor Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON
Last action: 2025-01-22
Official status: (H) L&C
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on the exact distribution rules for other family members beyond parents and siblings.

Workers' Compensation Death Benefits

This act amends the rules for workers' compensation death benefits in Alaska.

What This Bill Does

Sets a maximum of $12,000 for reasonable and necessary funeral expenses.
Specifies percentages of weekly wages to be paid to widows or widowers with children.
Outlines that if a widow or widower remarries, they receive a lump sum payment equal to two years' worth of benefits.
Establishes rules for paying death benefits to other family members like parents and siblings if there are no surviving spouse or children.

Who It Names or Affects

People who die from work injuries in Alaska
Their families, including spouses, children, parents, and siblings

Terms To Know

Death benefit: Money given to the family of someone who died because of a work injury.
Spendable weekly wage: The amount of money a worker would have earned each week before taxes and other deductions.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify when the new rules start, but it will be on January 1, 2026.
Only changes how death benefits are paid out; does not affect other parts of workers' compensation laws.

Bill History

2025-01-22 42
(H) REFERRED TO LABOR & COMMERCE
2025-01-22 42
(H) L&C, FIN
2025-01-22 42
(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
2025-01-22 42
(H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/25

Official Summary Text

WORKERS COMP DEATH BENEFITS
An Act relating to workers' compensation death benefits; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB0044a -1- HB 44
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0257\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 44

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON

Introduced: 1/22/25
Referred: Labor and Commerce, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to workers' compensation death benefits; and p roviding for an 1
effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 23.30.215(a) is amended to read: 4
(a) If the injury causes death, the compensation is known as a death benefit 5
and is payable in the following amounts to or for the benefit of the following persons: 6
(1) reasonable and necessary funeral expenses not exceeding $12,000; 7
(2) if there is a widow or widower or a child or children of t he 8
deceased, the following percentages of the spendable weekly wages of the deceased: 9
(A) 80 percent for the widow or widower with no children; 10
(B) 50 percent for the widow or widower with one child and 40 11
percent for the child; 12
(C) 30 percent for the widow or widower with two or more 13
children and 70 percent divided equally among the children; 14
34-LS0257\A
HB 44 -2- HB0044a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(D) 100 percent for an only child when there is no widow or 1
widower; 2
(E) 100 percent, divided equally, if there are two or more 3
children and no widow or widower; 4
(3) if the widow or widower remarries, the widow or widower is 5
entitled to be paid in one sum an amount equal to the compensat ion to which the 6
widow or widower would otherwise be entitled in the two years c ommencing on the 7
date of remarriage as full and final settlement of all sums due the widow or widower; 8
(4) if there is no widow or widower or child or children, then for the 9
support of father, mother, grandc hildren, brothers, and sisters , if dependent on the 10
deceased at the time of injury, 42 percent of the spendable wee kly wage of the 11
deceased to such beneficiaries, share and share alike, not to e xceed $150,000 in the 12
aggregate; 13
(5) $8,000 to a surviving widow or widower, or equally divided among 14
surviving children of the deceased if there is no widow or widower; and 15
(6) if there is no widow or widower or child or children, and the 16
father, mother, grandchildren, brothers, and sisters were not d ependent on the 17
deceased at the time of injury, the following amounts are payable in a lump sum: 18
(A) $120,000 to the surviving parent, if there is only one 19
surviving parent; 20
(B) $120,000 divided equally amo ng the surviving parents, 21
if there are two or more surviving parents; or 22
(C) $120,000 to the estate of the decedent, if there are no 23
surviving parents. 24
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026. 25