SB29 • 2025

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

Healthcare 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 source does not specify the exact requirement of serving for at least 10 years, but it is mentioned in the candidate explanation. The bill text only specifies that individuals must have served as an active member of such organizations in Delaware.

Act Increasing Funeral Expenses for Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company Members

The bill increases funeral expenses from $7,000 to $10,000 for certain volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers in Delaware.

What This Bill Does

Increases the maximum amount of funeral expenses that can be paid for a deceased member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliary, or volunteer ambulance and rescue company from $7,000 to $10,000.
Clarifies that members who are also state employees and eligible for burial benefits under certain sections of Delaware law can still receive funeral expenses under this act.

Who It Names or Affects

Volunteer firefighters, volunteer fire company ladies auxiliary members, and members of volunteer ambulance companies who meet the eligibility requirements.
State agencies responsible for implementing this act.

Terms To Know

volunteer fire company: A group of unpaid individuals who provide firefighting services in their community.
ambulance and rescue company: An organization that provides emergency medical services using ambulances.

Limits and Unknowns

The act will not take effect until October 1, 2025.
It is unclear how the funding for this increase in funeral expenses will be provided.

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: The amendment changes where funeral expenses for volunteer firefighters come from and how they are listed in the law.

Moves funeral expenses for volunteer firefighters into a new section called § 6701A, instead of the old one called § 6750.
Adds details about paying these funeral expenses from an existing fund used for firefighter disability benefits.

The amendment does not explain how much money is in the fund or how it will be funded if needed.

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