Kaul Signals Support for Legislation to Provide Benefits to Survivors of Fallen Officers

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul this week signaled his support for legislation that would provide benefits to the survivors of fallen law enforcement officers. The bipartisan legislation, authored by Senator Van Wanggaard, Senator Janet Bewley, Representative John Spiros and Representative Steve Doyle would required a city, village, town or county, along with Marquette University, to pay health insurance premiums for the surviving spouse and dependent children of a law enforcement officer who dies in the line of duty. Those benefits would only be paid if the entity paid such premiums for the officer while they were employed. Current law provides similar benefits to the spouses and children of a firefighter who dies, or has died in the line of duty. The legislation is currently being circulated for co-sponsorship in the State Legislature, and the Attorney General encourages full support for the legislation.