Louisiana § RS 11:3516 - Death benefits

§ RS 11:3516. Death benefits

A.  On and after September 11, 1981, if a member of a police department dies while in police service, while on or off official duty, or while receiving a pension, and leaves a child or children under eighteen years of age, or a child or children who are under twenty-two years of age and who are full-time students at an accredited institution of higher learning or at an accredited trade or vocational school, or a widow, or a dependent mother, these survivors shall be paid as follows:

(1)  Each child who is under eighteen years of age or who is under twenty-two years of age and enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning or trade or vocational school: one hundred fifty dollars per month.

(2)  A widow: four hundred dollars per month for as long as she remains unmarried.

(3)  A dependent mother: one hundred dollars per month.

B.  The benefits provided for in this Section shall be paid to all beneficiaries, including those whose rights to receive these benefits accrued prior to September 11, 1981, but otherwise without any retroactive effect.

C.(1)  With respect to the police pension and relief fund for the city of Bogalusa, child or children as referred to in this Section shall include, regardless of age, any child who has a physical and/or mental disability and the child shall receive benefits throughout life if medical and/or psychological information indicates the child has a total and permanent disability.

(2)  If, however, medical or psychological information indicates that the child with a disability can benefit from specialized training in order to be rendered self supporting, then the child will receive benefits so long as he is actively enrolled in a specialized school or training program until such time as the child is certified as being qualified to engage in gainful employment.

(3)  The board of trustees may demand at reasonable intervals that such child submit to a medical and/or pyschological examination for current evaluation, subject to the penalty of all monthly payments being suspended until submission to examination within fifteen days after request.

Amended by Acts 1954, No. 460, §2; Acts 1970, No. 489, §1; Acts 1972, No. 495, §2; Acts 1981, No. 577, §1; Acts 1984, No. 860, §1, eff. upon approval of the City Council of Bogalusa (approved Jan. 10, 1984); Redesignated from R.S. 33:2236 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE:  Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).