SB29 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR CERTAIN VOLUNTEERS WITH FIRE OR AMBULANCE COMPANIES.

Labor

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Brown
Last action: 2025-03-12
Official status: Senate Finance 3/12/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text mentions a delay until October 1, 2025, to allow time for funding via the fiscal year 2026 appropriations act, but does not guarantee that funding will be approved.

SB29: Increase Funeral Benefit Amount for Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Members

This bill raises the maximum funeral expense payment to $10,000 for eligible volunteer firefighters, ambulance workers, and ladies auxiliary members in Delaware.

What This Bill Does

Increases the maximum amount paid for funeral expenses from $7,000 to $10,000.
Clarifies that volunteers can receive this benefit even if they are also state employees entitled to other burial benefits under specific laws.
Lists specific sections of Delaware law regarding state employee benefits so there is no confusion about eligibility.
Sets the start date for these changes as October 1, 2025.
Makes small wording corrections to match standard legal writing rules.

Who It Names or Affects

Members of volunteer fire companies in Delaware
Members of volunteer ambulance and rescue companies in Delaware
Members of ladies auxiliaries for volunteer fire companies

Limits and Unknowns

The benefit only applies if the person served as an active member in Delaware for at least 10 years.
The new rules do not start until October 1, 2025.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SA 1

1 • Brown

PWB 3/12/25

Plain English: This amendment clarifies that funeral costs for certain volunteer firefighters must be paid from a specific state insurance fund and updates how this rule is numbered in the law.

It adds a new section to the Delaware Code stating that payments for these funerals come from the same self-insurance fund used for firefighter disability benefits.
It requires the General Assembly to provide enough money to this fund whenever needed to cover funeral claims.
It changes the official number of the law section about volunteer firefighter funerals so it follows standard naming rules.

The amendment text does not explain what specific amount of money will be paid for each funeral, only which fund pays them.

Bill History

2025-03-12 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment SA 1 to SB 29 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2025-03-12 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 5 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits
2025-03-12 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate
2025-01-03 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR CERTAIN VOLUNTEERS WITH FIRE OR AMBULANCE COMPANIES.
Section 1 of this Act increases to $10,000 the amount of funeral expenses which can be paid for the funeral of a deceased member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliary, or volunteer ambulance and rescue company. The amount of this benefit has not been increased since 2004 (See 74 Del. Laws, c. 339, § 1).

Consistent with a legal interpretation of the existing law by state agencies, Section 1 of this Act continues to enable the payment of funeral expenses for the funeral of a deceased member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliary, or volunteer ambulance and rescue company even if the member was also a state employee entitled to burial benefits under § 8331 of Title 11, § 8395 of Title 11, § 8846 of Title 11, or § 5316 of Title 29. However, Section 1 of this Act makes changes to existing law to make this legal interpretation clear and to specifically identify the state employee burial benefits to which this provision applies.

Section 2 of this Act delays the effect of this Act until October 1, 2025, to provide time to implement this Act after the enactment of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations act containing the funding for this Act.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Brown & Sen. Wilson & Rep. Heffernan

Sens. Hansen, Huxtable, Poore, Seigfried, Walsh; Reps. Bolden, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 29

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR CERTAIN VOLUNTEERS WITH FIRE OR AMBULANCE COMPANIES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 6750, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 6750. Funeral expenses for deceased volunteer firefighters.

(a)

The reasonable funeral expenses of a deceased member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies

auxiliary

auxiliary,

or volunteer ambulance and rescue company

shall

must

be paid in

amount not to exceed

$7,000.

$10,000.

(b)(1)

If the deceased member of such company was a state employee entitled to a funeral benefit, this chapter shall not apply. A

An individual is eligible for funeral expenses under this chapter if the individual served, in this State, as an active

member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies

auxiliary

auxiliary,

or volunteer ambulance and rescue company

for the purposes of this chapter is one who has served as an active member of such organization in Delaware

for at least 10 years.

(2) The 10 years of service required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section includes years of service as an active member of 1 or more volunteer fire companies, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliaries, or volunteer ambulance and rescue companies in this State.

(c) If an individual eligible for funeral expenses under this chapter was a state employee entitled to a benefit under § 8331 of Title 11, § 8395 of Title 11, § 8846 of Title 11, § 5316 of Title 29, or § 5546 of Title 29, the individual is also eligible for the benefit under this chapter.

Section 2. This Act takes effect on October 1, 2025.

SYNOPSIS

Section 1 of this Act increases to $10,000 the amount of funeral expenses which can be paid for the funeral of a deceased member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliary, or volunteer ambulance and rescue company. The amount of this benefit has not been increased since 2004 (See 74 Del. Laws, c. 339, § 1).

Consistent with a legal interpretation of the existing law by state agencies, Section 1 of this Act continues to enable the payment of funeral expenses for the funeral of a deceased member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliary, or volunteer ambulance and rescue company even if the member was also a state employee entitled to burial benefits under § 8331 of Title 11, § 8395 of Title 11, § 8846 of Title 11, or § 5316 of Title 29. However, Section 1 of this Act makes changes to existing law to make this legal interpretation clear and to specifically identify the state employee burial benefits to which this provision applies.

Section 2 of this Act delays the effect of this Act until October 1, 2025, to provide time to implement this Act after the enactment of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations act containing the funding for this Act.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Author: Senator Brown