Death benefits: tribal firefighters.

Existing law governs the payment of death benefits to certain employees, including state firefighters, who are killed in the line of duty. Existing law provides certain methods for determining death benefits payable to an employee's dependents, and extends the payment of death benefits for the dependents of a firefighter, as specified, who is killed in the performance of duty until the firefighter's youngest child attains 19 years of age. Existing law provides for the payment of a scholarship to dependents of specified firefighters killed in the performance of duty. Existing law also requires the employer of a firefighter who is killed in the performance of duty, or who dies as a result of specified accidents or injuries, to continue providing health benefits to the deceased firefighter's spouse unless the spouse elects to receive a lump-sum survivor's benefit in lieu of monthly benefits. This bill would extend those benefits to a firefighter employed by a tribal fire department.