131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 439		LR 113(02)
	An Act to Allow Death by Suicide to Be Considered a Death While in the Line of Duty
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Potential current biennium cost increase - Maine Budget Stabilization Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Current law provides death benefit payments for law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and corrections officers who die while in the line of duty. The death benefit is $100,000 indexed annually by the consumer price index. This bill allows consideration of whether any such individual who died by suicide has died while in the line of duty. As it cannot be predicted how many deaths by suicide may be determined to have occurred in the line of duty, no estimate of cost can be made. Funding for death benefits comes from the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund.