North Carolina SB 86: Laura's Law.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 86

Short Title: Enhance Firefighter Benefits & Representation. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Moffitt, Daniel, and Burgin (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
February 13, 2025
*S86-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ENHANCE BENEFITS AND REPRESENTATION FOR NORTH CAROLINA 2
FIREFIGHTERS AND RESCUE SQUAD WORKERS. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
5
PART I. ENHANCE BENEFITS UNDER NORTH CAROLINA FIREFIGHTERS' AND 6
RESCUE SQUAD WORKERS' PENSION FUND AND MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES 7
TO THE RELATED STATUTES 8
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 58-86-55 reads as rewritten: 9
"§ 58-86-55. Monthly pensions upon attaining the age of 55 years. 10
(a) The monthly pension benefit under this section is one hundred eighty dollars 11
($180.00) and is payable per month from the Pension Fund unless otherwise provided. 12
(a1) Any member who has served 20 years as an "eligible firefighter" or "eligible eligible 13
firefighter or eligible rescue squad worker" worker in the State of North Carolina, as provided in 14
G.S. 58-86-25 and G.S. 58-86-30, this Article, and who has attained the age of 55 years is entitled 15
to be paid a monthly pension from this fund. The monthly pension shall be in the amount of one 16
hundred seventy-five dollars ($175.00) per month. Any retired firefighter receiving a pension 17
shall, effective January 1, 2025, receive a pension of one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175.00) 18
per month.benefit under this section. 19
(b) Members shall pay fifteen dollars ($15.00) per month as required by G.S. 58-86-35 20
and G.S. 58-86-40 for a period of no longer than 20 years. No "eligible rescue squad member" 21
shall receive a pension prior to July 1, 1983. 22
(c) A member who is totally and permanently disabled while in the discharge of the 23
member's official duties as a result of bodily injuries sustained or as a result of extreme exercise 24
or extreme activity experienced in the course and scope of those official duties and who leaves 25
the fire or rescue squad service because of this disability shall be entitled to be paid from the fund 26
a monthly benefit in an amount of one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175.00) per month a 27
monthly pension benefit under this section beginning the first month after the member's fifty-fifth 28
birthday. All applications for disability are subject to the approval of the board who Board, and 29
the Board may appoint physicians to examine and evaluate the disabled member prior to approval 30
of the application, and annually thereafter. Any G.S. 58-86-41 shall not apply to a disabled 31
member shall not be required to make the monthly payment of fifteen dollars ($15.00) as required 32
by G.S. 58-86-35 and G.S. 58-86-40.member. 33
(d) A member who is totally and permanently disabled for any cause, cause other than 34
line of duty, those under subsection (c) of this section and who leaves the fire or rescue squad 35
service because of this disability and who has at least 10 years of service with the pension fund, 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 86-First Edition
Pension Fund may be permitted to continue making a monthly contribution of fifteen dollars 1
($15.00) in the amount required under G.S. 58-86-41 to the fund until the member has made 2
contributions for a total of 240 months. The Upon attaining the age of 55, that member shall upon 3
attaining the age of 55 years be entitled to receive a monthly pension as provided by benefit under 4
this section. All applications for disability are subject to the approval of the board who Board, 5
and the Board may appoint physicians to examine and evaluate the disabled member prior to 6
approval of the application application, and annually thereafter. 7
(d1) Benefits payable from the Pension Fund shall be paid in the following manner when 8
a member is killed in the line of duty and the requirements of Article 12A of Chapter 143 of the 9
General Statutes are met: 10
(1) If the member had been receiving a monthly pension fund benefit under this 11
section prior to being killed in the line of duty, then there shall be paid to the 12
member's principal beneficiary, if only one principal beneficiary is eligible 13
and has not accepted a return of contributions, an amount of one hundred 14
seventy-five dollars ($175.00) per month the monthly pension benefit amount 15
beginning the month following the member's month of death, payable until 16
the beneficiary's death. If the member became a member prior to July 1, 2018, 17
and had not designated a principal beneficiary prior to being killed in the line 18
of duty, there shall be paid to the member's living spouse upon the spouse's 19
application to the Board, an amount of one hundred seventy-five dollars 20
($175.00) per month the monthly pension benefit amount beginning the month 21
following the member's month of death, payable until the spouse's death.