KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

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SB144 • 2026

PEACE OFFICERS/FIREFIGHTERS: DISABILITY

An Act relating to occupational disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters; and providing for an effective date.

Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
SENATOR YUNDT
Last action
2025-03-26
Official status
(S) L&C
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Peace Officers and Firefighters Disability Benefits

This act changes the disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters in Alaska, increasing their monthly benefit after one year of eligibility.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the monthly amount of occupational disability benefits to be 40% of an employee's gross monthly pay at the time they stop working due to disability.
  • Increases the monthly benefit to 75% for peace officers and firefighters after their first 12 months of eligibility.
  • Ensures that peace officers and firefighters become fully vested in employer contributions when appointed to disability status.
  • Requires employers to continue making contributions to employees' individual accounts while they receive disability benefits.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Peace officers
  • Firefighters

Terms To Know

Occupational Disability Benefits
Money given to workers who can't work because of a job-related injury or illness.
Fully Vested
Having the right to keep all contributions made by an employer, even if you leave your job.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will take effect.
  • It only applies to peace officers and firefighters in Alaska.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-26 620

    (S) REFERRED TO LABOR & COMMERCE

  2. 2025-03-26 620

    (S) L&C, FIN

  3. 2025-03-26 620

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

PEACE OFFICERS/FIREFIGHTERS: DISABILITY
An Act relating to occupational disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB0144A -1- SB 144
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0485\A

SENATE BILL NO. 144

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY SENATOR YUNDT

Introduced: 3/26/25
Referred: Labor and Commerce, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to occupational disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters; 1
and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 39.35.410(d) is amended to read: 4
(d) The monthly amount of an occupational disability benefit i s 40 percent of 5
the disabled employee's gross monthly compensation at the time of termination due to 6
disability. For each month of eligibility after the first 12 months, the mo nthly 7
benefit amount payable to an employee who is a peace officer or firefighter at the 8
time of termination is increased to 75 percent of the employee' s gross monthly 9
compensation at the time of termination. 10
* Sec. 2. AS 39.35.890(d) is amended to read: 11
(d) The monthly amount of an occupational disability benefit i s 40 percent of 12
the disabled employee's gross monthly compensation at the time of termination due to 13
disability. For each month of eligibility after the first 12 months, the mo nthly 14
34-LS0485\A
SB 144 -2- SB0144A
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

benefit amount payable to an employee who is a peace officer or firefighter at the 1
time of termination is increased to 75 percent of the employee' s gross monthly 2
compensation at the time of termination. Notwithstanding AS 39.35.790(b), at the 3
time a member is appointed to disability, the member becomes fu lly vested in the 4
employer contributions made under AS 39.35.750(a). A disabled m ember is fully 5
vested in the contributions to the member's individual account made under this 6
subsection. An employee is not entitled to elect distributions from the employee's 7
individual contribution acc ount under AS 39.35.810 while the em ployee is receiving 8
disability benefits under this section. While an employee is re ceiving disability 9
benefits, based on the disabled e mployee's gross monthly compen sation at the time of 10
termination due to disability, the employer shall make contributions 11
(1) to the employee's individual account under AS 39.35.730 on behalf 12
of the employee, without deduction from the employee's disability payments; and 13
(2) on behalf of the employee under AS 39.35.750. 14
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 15