House Labor Committee approves pensions for local heros
INDIANAPOLIS – A bill passed Thursday in the House Labor and Employment Committee would reserve disability pensions for local heroes within police and fire departments.
House Bill 1012 ensures lifetime disability payments for badly injured police and firefighters throughout the state. This includes only injuries attained while in the line of duty and would be split into a series of benefits depending on the degree of the injury.
In the past, members receiving benefits would be eligible to continue the program until the age of 52, when the plan would switch over to provide retirement benefits. If a member with a disability became able to work, he or she would continue to receive benefit payments at a reduced amount.
The proposed bill would refigure retirement benefits. The amount would be based on the number of years of active service. It would also consider the period during which the member received payments.
The bill passed unanimously in the House committee.
