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SB31 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.

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

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.
  • Section 1 of this Act increases the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan (Chapter 55 of Title 29 of the Delaware Code) from $7,000 to $10,000.
  • The amount of this benefit has not been increased since 2001 (See 73 Del.
  • Laws, c.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-12 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Executive) in Senate with 7 On Its Merits

  2. 2025-03-12 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate

  3. 2025-01-03 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.
Section 1 of this Act increases the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan (Chapter 55 of Title 29 of the Delaware Code) from $7,000 to $10,000. The amount of this benefit has not been increased since 2001 (See 73 Del. Laws, c. 146, § 5).

Section 1 of this Act directly increases the amount of the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan and also increases the funeral benefits under additional pension plans because the amount of the benefits under the following pension plans is the same as the amount under § 5546 of Title 29:
• The State Police Pension Plan, Chapter 83 of Title 11.
• The Delaware County and Municipal Police and Firefighter Pension Plan, Chapter 88 of Title 11.
• The early retirement option for state employees, Chapter 53 of Title 29.

In addition, Section 1 of this Act increases the reasonable funeral expenses permitted in a wrongful death action under § 3724(d)(4) of Title 10 because the maximum for these damages is the amount under § 5546 of Title 29.

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. Pinkney & Sen. Wilson & Rep. Bolden

Sens. Buckson, Hansen, Huxtable, Pettyjohn, Poore, Walsh; Reps. Heffernan, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 31

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.

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

Section 1. Amend § 5546, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 5546. Burial benefits.

(a)

Upon

On

the death of an individual receiving a pension under this chapter the sum of

$7,000 shall

$10,000 must

be paid from the Fund to a designated beneficiary

or

or,

in the absence of a designated

beneficiary

beneficiary,

the amount of this benefit

shall

must

be paid to the deceased pensioner’s estate.

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

SYNOPSIS

Section 1 of this Act increases the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan (Chapter 55 of Title 29 of the Delaware Code) from $7,000 to $10,000. The amount of this benefit has not been increased since 2001 (See 73 Del. Laws, c. 146, § 5).

Section 1 of this Act directly increases the amount of the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan and also increases the funeral benefits under additional pension plans because the amount of the benefits under the following pension plans is the same as the amount under § 5546 of Title 29:

• The State Police Pension Plan, Chapter 83 of Title 11.

• The Delaware County and Municipal Police and Firefighter Pension Plan, Chapter 88 of Title 11.

• The early retirement option for state employees, Chapter 53 of Title 29.

In addition, Section 1 of this Act increases the reasonable funeral expenses permitted in a wrongful death action under § 3724(d)(4) of Title 10 because the maximum for these damages is the amount under § 5546 of Title 29.

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