1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a special death benefit of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for a public safety officer who dies in the line of duty before July 1, 2020, and two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($225,000) for a public safety officer who dies in the line of duty after June 30, 2020, shall be paid in a lump sum from the fund to the following relative of a public safety officer who dies in the line of duty:

   1. (1) To the surviving spouse.
   2. (2) If there is no surviving spouse, to the surviving children (to be shared equally).
   3. (3) If there is no surviving spouse and there are no surviving children, to the parent or parents in equal shares.

2. (b) If the fund would be reduced below two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) by payment in full of all claims that become final in any month, the board shall proceed as follows:

   1. (1) The board shall suspend payment of the claims that become final during that month and the following two (2) months.
   2. (2) At the end of the suspension period, the board shall pay all suspended claims. If the fund would be exhausted by payment in full of all suspended claims, the amount paid to each claimant shall be prorated.

As added by P.L.44-1988, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.42-1991, SEC.3; P.L.53-1993, SEC.1; P.L.49-1998, SEC.1; P.L.99-2020, SEC.7.