Permits reimbursement of COBRA health benefit costs of survivors of certain deceased public safety employees; appropriates $750,000.

This bill (A3134) allows surviving spouses and unmarried children of public safety employees who died while on duty or within 24 hours of duty to apply for reimbursement of the first six months of their COBRA health insurance costs. It directly affects dependents of New Jersey state/local police, firefighters (paid/part-time/volunteer), correctional officers, and emergency responders who lost coverage upon the employee's death. The state appropriates $750,000 annually to reimburse qualifying applicants who apply by March 1 each year, with payments allocated pro-rata if funds are insufficient to cover all applications. The reimbursement applies only to the initial six months of COBRA coverage, not the full 36-month federal benefit period.