An Act extending killed in line of duty benefits to those deceased as a result of COVID-19

This bill expands killed-in-action benefits to police officers and other public employees in Massachusetts who died from COVID-19 during the state of emergency between March 2020 and June 2021. It establishes a presumption that the illness was work-related for uniformed police members who were required to work outside their homes during that period, while also granting similar benefits to other state and local employees who died from work-related infections. By reclassifying these deaths as work-related, the legislation ensures that affected families can receive financial support and other benefits typically reserved for those killed in the line of duty.