Enacts the MJ 911 Act to extend health insurance coverage for families of law enforcement officers and firemen employed in Lafayette Parish who are killed in the line of duty (OR INCREASE LF EX See Note)

House Bill 430 enacts the MJ 911 Act by creating two new statutory sections, Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:1665.5 and 1665.6, which establish extended health insurance coverage requirements for families of deceased law enforcement officers and firemen employed in Lafayette Parish. The law modifies existing health insurance provisions by requiring employers to provide lifetime health insurance coverage for surviving spouses of officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty, replacing the previous two-year limit. For surviving children, stepchildren, and adopted children, coverage extends until they no longer meet one of three specified qualifications: being under age eighteen, being under age twenty-three while enrolled in secondary school or attending college full-time, or being physically or mentally disabled. The employer must provide coverage equal to that offered to active members if such coverage exists, and the law applies retroactively to January 1, 2017.

The practical effect of this legislation extends significant financial obligations to Lafayette Parish employers of law enforcement officers and firemen, including municipal police departments, sheriff's offices, and fire departments operating in that parish. Surviving spouses who lose their breadwinners will receive lifetime health insurance benefits rather than coverage terminating after two years, providing long-term security and protection against medical expenses. Children of deceased officers will benefit from extended coverage through educational pursuits and into early adulthood, with particular protection for disabled children who may have lifelong healthcare needs. The retroactive application to January 1, 2017 means that families of officers and firefighters who died during that period may be entitled to back benefits and ongoing coverage beginning from that date. Employers may face significant unfunded liability for these obligations, particularly regarding the lifetime spouse coverage provision.

This legislation operates within the framework of Louisiana Revised Statutes 40, which establishes requirements for employer-provided health insurance to families of public safety personnel. The existing law already required employers to provide two years of coverage for surviving spouses and up to two years for qualifying children, establishing the baseline principle that employers bear responsibility for these benefits. House Bill 430 substantially expands those obligations specifically for Lafayette Parish employers, creating a bifurcated system where parish employers face stricter requirements than statewide standards. The retroactive application raises potential constitutional and fiscal considerations regarding the authority to impose retroactive financial obligations on governmental entities and the funding mechanisms to support lifetime benefits. The law permits surviving spouses and legal guardians to decline coverage, preserving individual choice while maintaining the employer obligation to offer it.