00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 151                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to occupational death benefits for peace officers and firefighters under                               
02 the Public Employees' Retirement System of Alaska; and providing for an effective                                       
03 date."                                                                                                                  
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1. AS 39.35.430 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                           
06            (i)  A person who was married for less than one year to a peace officer or                                   
07       firefighter who died on or after January 1, 1961, and before January 1, 1976, and who                             
08       would have been eligible to receive a benefit under this section at the time the peace                            
09       officer or firefighter died if the marriage had been one year or more in duration is a                            
10       surviving spouse of a peace officer or firefighter and, regardless of previous or                                 
11       ongoing payment of a benefit to a dependent child of the employee and                                             
12       notwithstanding (f) of this section, shall receive a monthly survivor's pension under                             
13       this section. A dependent child's eligibility for a benefit under this section may not be                         
14       terminated or impaired because of a payment under this subsection.                                                

01    * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
02 read:                                                                                                                   
03       APPLICABILITY. Benefits under this Act may not be made retroactive to a date that                                 
04 precedes the effective date of sec. 1 of this Act.                                                                      
05    * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
06 read:                                                                                                                   
07       TRANSITION. Notwithstanding AS 39.35.430(c), the first payment of a surviving                                     
08 spouse's pension under sec. 1 of this Act shall be for the month of July 2011. The                                      
09 commissioner of administration shall cause the amount of the pension to be determined                                   
10 according to AS 39.35.340(g), 39.35.430, and 39.35.475. The annual increase under                                       
11 AS 39.35.475 shall be calculated from the year the peace officer or firefighter died.                                   
12    * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
13 read:                                                                                                                   
14       TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. The commissioner of administration shall adopt                                           
15 regulations consistent with this Act, but in no event may the regulations take effect before the                        
16 effective date of sec. 1 of this Act.                                                                                   
17    * Sec. 5. Section 4 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).                                    
18    * Sec. 6. Except as provided in sec. 5 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2011.