2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 7 - Municipalities
Chapter 104 - Municipal Police and Fire Protection
Section 7-323e - Benefits.

(a) When any full-time paid police officer or firefighter who was covered by the provisions of this part dies, either before or after retirement, the surviving spouse of such police officer or firefighter shall, until the death or remarriage of such spouse, receive out of the fund a monthly sum equal to thirty per cent of the compensation of such police officer or firefighter.

(b) During any period in which such spouse has one dependent child under eighteen years of age, provided such child was dependent on such police officer or firefighter at the time of death, such spouse shall receive from the fund an additional monthly sum equal to fifteen per cent of the compensation of such police officer or firefighter.

(c) During any period in which such spouse has two or more dependent children under eighteen years of age, provided such children were dependent on such police officer or firefighter at the time of death, such spouse shall receive from the fund an additional monthly sum equal to thirty per cent of the compensation of such police officer or firefighter.

(d) If no spouse survives such police officer or firefighter who, at death, has one or more dependent children under eighteen years of age, or upon the death or remarriage of the spouse while receiving monthly payments with respect to one or more dependent children as hereinbefore described, the Retirement Commission shall cause to be paid to the legal guardian of such dependent child or children under eighteen years of age, or in its discretion to the spouse if such spouse remarries, for the sole use and benefit of such child or children a monthly sum equal to thirty per cent of compensation in the case of one such child and forty-five per cent of compensation in the case of two or more children. In any case where payments under this section are being made with respect to one or two such children, as each such child reaches eighteen years of age payment as to such child shall cease.

(e) If no spouse or no dependent child or children under eighteen years of age survive such police officer or firefighter, and such police officer or firefighter is survived by a dependent father or mother, they shall receive, in a manner determined by the Retirement Commission, a monthly sum from the fund equal to that herein provided to be received by a spouse without dependent children, provided, no child or children shall be entitled to receive double benefits by reason of the death of both parents and such child or children shall receive the highest benefit payable by reason of the death of either parent.

(f) If no spouse or no dependent child or children under eighteen years of age and no dependent father or mother survive such police officer or firefighter, and such police officer or firefighter is survived by a beneficiary designated by such police officer or firefighter prior to death on a form prescribed by the Retirement Commission, such beneficiary shall receive an amount equal to the deceased’s contributions under section 7-323c without interest. If no named beneficiaries survive such police officer or firefighter the aforesaid contributions, without interest, shall be paid to the executor or administrator of such deceased police officer or firefighter, or, at the option of the Retirement Commission, in accordance with the terms of section 45a-273.

(1963, P.A. 390, S. 5; February, 1965, P.A. 197, S. 3; 1971, P.A. 217; 1972, P.A. 50; P.A. 01-80, S. 2.)

History: 1965 act specified policemen and firemen for whom benefits will be paid are those who were covered under the provisions of this part rather than any full-time policeman or fireman “of a participating municipality”; 1971 act provided for payments to beneficiaries other than widow or children or to executor or administrator of estate; 1972 act made changes to remove references to specific gender, replacing “widow” with “surviving spouse”, etc. and prohibited children from receiving double benefits in cases where both parents die; P.A. 01-80 made technical changes for the purposes of gender neutrality, redesignated existing language as Subsecs. (a) to (f), increased the monthly sum given to a surviving spouse from 25% to 30% of compensation, increased the monthly sum given to certain surviving spouses with one dependent child from an additional sum equal to 12.5% to 15% of compensation, increased the monthly sum given to certain surviving spouses with two or more dependent children from an additional sum equal to 25% to 30% of compensation, and increased the amount of compensation to certain dependent children for the sole use and benefit of such children from 25% to 30% of compensation for one child and from 37.5% to 45% of compensation for two or more children.