South Carolina H 5139: Beverly Breuer, Retirement

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5139 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 10, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5139

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "HONOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ACT" BY 
ADDING SECTION 1-11-735 SO AS TO PROVIDE STATE-FUNDED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE 
FOR THE SURVIVING SPOUSES AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF FIRST RESPONDERS KILLED IN 
THE LINE OF DUTY; TO DEFINE ELIGIBLE FIRST RESPONDERS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR 
ADMINISTRATION, FUNDING, AND OPTIMAL CONTINUATION OF COVERAGE.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Honor Our First Responders Act."

SECTION 2. Article 5, Chapter 11, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
1-11-735. (A) For the purposes of 
this section:

 (1) 
"Law enforcement officer" means a sworn and certified individual employed by or 
serving under a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency who is 
authorized to enforce the criminal laws of this State, make arrests, conduct 
investigations, or maintain public safety.

 (2) 
"Firefighter" means an individual certified, recognized, or authorized to 
perform fire suppression, rescue, or hazardous-materials response while serving 
with a career, volunteer, combination, or special purpose fire department.

 (3) 
"Emergency medical services personnel" means an individual licensed or 
certified pursuant to the laws of this State as an emergency medical 
technician, advanced emergency medical technician, paramedic, or equivalent, 
who provides prehospital emergency medical care as part of a governmental, 
fire-based, hospital-based, or volunteer emergency medical services agency.

 (4) 
"First responder" means a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency 
medical services personnel, whether serving in a full-time, part-time, reserve, 
paid-on-call, or volunteer capacity, who is authorized or recognized by a 
governmental entity or recognized emergency services organization.

 (5) 
"Line of duty death" means the death of a first responder that occurs as a 
direct and proximate result of performing official duties, including emergency 
response, law enforcement activity, fire suppression, rescue operations, 
emergency medical care, required training, authorized off-duty intervention, or 
travel directly related to such duties. The term does not include a death 
resulting from criminal activity or gross misconduct by the first responder.

 (B) The 
surviving spouse and dependent children of a first responder who suffers a 
line-of-duty death are entitled to continued health insurance coverage under 
the State Health Plan.

 (C) Health 
insurance coverage provided pursuant to this section must continue for a period 
of three years from the date of the first responder's death.

 (D) 
The State shall assume full responsibility for all premium costs associated 
with coverage provided pursuant to this section. No premium, contribution, or 
cost-sharing obligation may be imposed upon:

 (1) 
the surviving spouse or dependent children;

 (2) 
the employing law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services agency; or

 (3) 
a political subdivision of the State.

 (E) 
Coverage provided pursuant to this section must:

 (1) 
be provided under the same health insurance plan and subject to the same terms 
and conditions in effect at the time of the first responder's death;

 (2) 
be equivalent in scope and benefits to coverage provided to active State Health 
Plan members and their dependents; and

 (3) 
be provided without lapse, waiting period, or involuntary termination during 
the prescribed coverage period.

 (F) 
The Public Employee Benefit Authority shall administer this section and shall 
enroll eligible surviving spouses and dependent children upon receipt of 
documentation verifying a line-of-duty death.

 (G) 
The General Assembly shall appropriate funds annually to the Public Employee 
Benefit Authority sufficient to cover all costs associated with providing 
coverage pursuant to this section.

 (H) 
Upon expiration of the three-year coverage period provided pursuant to 
subsection (C), a surviving spouse who was eligible for coverage under this 
section may elect to continue health insurance coverage under the State Health 
Plan at the same premium rate applicable to nonactive participants in the State 
Health Plan who are former employees or eligible dependents, without any state 
subsidy, and subject to the terms and conditions established by the Public 
Employee Benefit Authority. Continuation coverage must:

 (1) 
be offered without evidence of insurability;

 (2) 
be substantially equivalent in scope and benefits to coverage offered to 
similarly situated participants in the State Health Plan;

 (