1. (a) If the state police department offers health coverage for active employees, the state police department shall offer to provide and pay for health coverage under the health coverage plan provided for active employees for:

   1. (1) the surviving spouse; and

   2. (2) each natural child, stepchild, and adopted child;

      of an employee who dies in the line of duty, regardless of whether the death occurs before July 1, 2005, or on or after July 1, 2005.

2. (b) The health coverage for a surviving natural child, stepchild, or adopted child provided under subsection (a) continues:

   1. (1) until the child becomes eighteen (18) years of age;

   2. (2) if the child is:

      1. (A) enrolled in and regularly attending a secondary school; or

      2. (B) a full-time student at an accredited college or university;

         until the child becomes twenty-three (23) years of age; or

   3. (3) if the child has a physical or mental disability, until the end of the physical or mental disability;

      whichever period is longest.

3. (c) If the state police department offers health coverage to active employees, the health coverage that the state police department provides to a surviving spouse or a natural child, a stepchild, or an adopted child under this section must be equal to that offered to active employees.

4. (d) The state police department's offer to provide and pay for health coverage under subsection (a) must remain open as long as the state police department continues to offer the health coverage for active employees, and:

   1. (1) a surviving spouse is eligible for the health coverage under subsection (a); or
   2. (2) a natural child, a stepchild, or an adopted child is eligible for the health coverage under subsections (a) and (b).

As added by P.L.24-2005, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.99-2007, SEC.14.