New Laws to Support Military, First Responder Families Go Into Effect
DENVER, CO - Two bills aimed at supporting students in military families and ensuring surviving spouses of state employees will receive lifetime death benefits if their spouse is killed on the job will go into effect on August 7.
“Children of military families are especially vulnerable to the changes that come with moving schools, making new friends and joining extracurricular activities mid-season,” said Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, sponsor of HB24-1076. “This new law will help students that are part of military families during the transition process, allowing them to focus on learning, growing and socializing within a program that fosters support.”
“Military families make big sacrifices to support service members and their communities, and it’s critical that we support them as well,” Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1076. “This new law will help uplift kids in military families by making sure they get the support they need to thrive at school. I’m proud to have sponsored this legislation that will help military family members get connected to the support and resources they deserve.”
“This important law uplifts our military families which strengthens communities, supports our workforce and recognizes the day-to-day sacrifices made by those who serve our nation and their families,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1076. “As a representative for a community with a long tradition of military service, this bill will help ease the school transition for kids in military families, making it easier to call our great state home.”
HB24-1076, also sponsored by Senator Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, establishes the Purple Star School Program to designate and recognize K-12 public schools that show a strong commitment to military-connected students and their families. To qualify for the Purple Star designation, schools must:
Designate a staff member as a Military Liaison,
Maintain a website with resources for military-connected students and families,
Maintain student-led transition programs, and
Offer professional development opportunities relating to military-connected students.
“When the surviving spouses of firefighters, Colorado State Patrol officers, and other first responders remarry, they lose the death benefits they are entitled to,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton, sponsor of HB24-1139. “Death benefits for spouses are crucial in supporting widows and widowers during these times of need. This law ensures that surviving spouses will continue to see death benefits, even if they remarry, to help them heal from the trauma of losing their spouse while allowing them to move forward with their life.”
“Having served for over 35 years as a firefighter, I know the difficulties spouses of lost employees go through in the wake of their passing – and death benefits are critical for them during their times of need,” said Senator Tony Exum, Sr., D-Colorado Springs, sponsor of HB24-1139. “The current remarriage penalty forces a surviving spouse to relive the trauma of their loss and prevents them from moving forward with their lives. With this law, widows can choose to remarry without sacrificing financial security.”
HB24-1139, also sponsored by Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, and Senator Perry Will, R-New Castle, ensures lifetime workers’ death benefits for surviving spouses of state employees with high-risk jobs, even if they remarry. Prior to this law, a surviving spouse could be eligible to receive workers’ compensation death benefits for the rest of their life, but if they remarry, they forfeit the right to these benefits. The new law defines a job with high-risk classification as State Troopers, Colorado Bureau of Investigations officers, corrections officers, community parole officers, state firefighters, port of entry officers, parks and wildlife officers, and Colorado Department of Transportation safety and maintenance workers.