VA Governor signs Ken Cuccinelli bill to help law enforcement

Press release

[Gopher Broke]

Law authorizing immediate release of benefits for families of those killed in line of duty will ease financial burdens

RICHMOND (March 7, 2012) - Today, Governor Bob McDonnell signed into law a bill which allows the immediate release of a portion of the death benefits available to the families of law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty. The money can be used to cover funeral expenses while the family waits for full death benefits to be paid out at the conclusion of a standard investigation into the death. HB395 was part of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's legislative agenda.

"I was proud to work with Governor McDonnell, our legislators, and Secretary of Public Safety Marla Decker this year to advocate for this bill," said the attorney general. "I also want to thank Delegate Margaret Ransone and Senator Mark Obenshain for patroning legislation so important to the families of our fallen heroes."

Sen. Obenshain had a companion bill in the Senate, SB441, which has currently passed both houses.

"A line of duty death is already a difficult time for a family," said Cuccinelli. "The last thing they need to worry about is how they are going to find the money to pay for immediate expenses, such as funeral costs, while they wait for death benefits to be paid out. I witnessed firsthand the need for this bill as I went to the funerals of fallen police officers last year and one family told me they did not have the money bury their loved one.

"We need to honor the fallen by helping their families in their time of greatest need."

Virginia had four line of duty deaths in 2010 and six in 2011.