Honor Our First Responders Act

2025-2026 Bill 5139: Honor Our First Responders Act - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5139
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Wooten, Caskey, T. Moore, Pope, Bannister, Cox, Bailey, Holman, Duncan and Cobb-Hunter
Companion/Similar bill(s): 850, 3907
Document Path: LC-0430DG26.docx
Introduced in the House on February 10, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Honor Our First Responders Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

2/10/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 10
)

2/10/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 10
)

2/11/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cox,
Bailey, Holman, Duncan

3/26/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cobb-Hunter

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
02/10/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "HONOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ACT" BY
ADDING SECTION
1-11-735
SO AS TO PROVIDE STATE-FUNDED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
FOR THE SURVIVING SPOUSES AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF FIRST RESPONDERS KILLED IN
THE LINE OF DUTY; TO DEFINE ELIGIBLE FIRST RESPONDERS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR
ADMINISTRATION, FUNDING, AND OPTIMAL CONTINUATION OF COVERAGE.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
This act may be cited as the "Honor Our First Responders Act."

S
ECTION 2.
A
rticle 5, Chapter 11, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
1-11-735
.
(
A) For the purposes of
this section:

(
1)
"Law enforcement officer" means a sworn and certified individual employed by or
serving under a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency who is
authorized to enforce the criminal laws of this State, make arrests, conduct
investigations, or maintain public safety.

(
2)
"Firefighter" means an individual certified, recognized, or authorized to
perform fire suppression, rescue, or hazardous-materials response while serving
with a career, volunteer, combination, or special purpose fire department.

(
3)
"Emergency medical services personnel" means an individual licensed or
certified pursuant to the laws of this State as an emergency medical
technician, advanced emergency medical technician, paramedic, or equivalent,
who provides prehospital emergency medical care as part of a governmental,
fire-based, hospital-based, or volunteer emergency medical services agency.

(
4)
"First responder" means a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency
medical services personnel, whether serving in a full-time, part-time, reserve,
paid-on-call, or volunteer capacity, who is authorized or recognized by a
governmental entity or recognized emergency services organization.

(
5)
"Line of duty death" means the death of a first responder that occurs as a
direct and proximate result of performing official duties, including emergency
response, law enforcement activity, fire suppression, rescue operations,
emergency medical care, required training, authorized off-duty intervention, or
travel directly related to such duties. The term does not include a death
resulting from criminal activity or gross misconduct by the first responder.

(
B) The
surviving spouse and dependent children of a first responder who suffers a
line-of-duty death are entitled to continued health insurance coverage under
the State Health Plan.

(
C) Health
insurance coverage provided pursuant to this section must continue for a period
of three years from the date of the first responder's death.

(
D)
The State shall assume full responsibility for all premium costs associated
with coverage provided pursuant to this section. No premium, contribution, or
cost-sharing obligation may be imposed upon:

(
1)
the surviving spouse or dependent children;

(
2)
the employing law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services agency; or

(
3)
a political subdivision of the State.

(
E)
Coverage provided pursuant to this section must:

(
1)
be provided under the same health insurance plan and subject to the same terms
and conditions in effect at the time of the first responder's death;

(
2)
be equivalent in scope and benefits to coverage provided to active State Health
Plan members and their dependents; and

(
3)
be provided without lapse, waiting period, or involuntary termination during
the prescribed coverage period.

(
F)
The Public Employee Benefit Authority shall administer this section and shall
enroll eligible surviving spouses and dependent children upon receipt of
documentation verifying a line-of-duty death.

(
G)
The General Assembly shall appropriate funds annually to the Public Employee
Benefit Authority sufficient to cover all costs associated with providing
coverage pursuant to this section.

(
H)
Upon expiration of the three-year coverage period provided pursuant to
subsection (C), a surviving spouse who was eligible for coverage under this
section may elect to continue health insurance coverage under the State Health
Plan at the same premium rate applicable to nonactive participants in the State
Health Plan who are former employees or eligible dependents, without any state
subsidy, and subject to the terms and conditions established by the Public
Employee Benefit Authority. Continuation coverage must:

(
1)
be offered without evidence of insurability;

(
2)
be substantially equivalent in scope and benefits to coverage offered to
similarly situated participants in the State Health Plan;

(
3)
require the surviving spouse to pay the full premium cost at the applicable
group rate, including any administrative fees permitted by law; and

(
4)
be administered by the Public Employee Benefit Authority in a manner consistent
with existing continuation or retiree coverage options.

S
ECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on February 10, 2026 at 1:42 PM