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All of the benefit information below has been complied by COPS, a support group for police survivors.
Rev.8/02
STATE OF KANSAS
DEATH BENEFITS
To obtain certified copies of registered personal documents, contact the Office of Vital
Statistics, 900 SW Jackson, Topeka, KS 66620-1290, phone (913) 296-1400.
STATE DEATH BENEFIT
Depending upon the employer's affiliation, death benefits are provided through the Kansas
Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F) or the Kansas Public Employees
Retirement System (KPERS).
STATE PENSION BENEFITS
The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) administers the Kansas Police
and Fireman's Retirement System (KP&F). Reports and applications for benefits should
be submitted to KPERS at Capitol Tower, Suite 200, 400 S.W. 8th Street, Topeka,
Kansas 66603-3925.
A person who meets the definition of "police" or "policeman" as set forth in K.S.A. 74-4952,
as amended by L. 1993, ch. 289, section 5, and is employed by a participating employer is a
member of KP&F.
"Police" or "policeman" is defined as: "An employee assigned to the police department and
engaged in the enforcement of law and maintenance of order within the state and its political
subdivisions, including sheriffs and sheriffs' deputies, or in support thereof and who is
specifically designated, appointed, commissioned or styled as such by the governing body or
city manager of the participating employer and certified to the retirement system as such."
K.S.A. 74-4952, as amended.
"Employee" is further defined as "any policeman... employed by a participating employer
whose employment for police...purposes is not seasonal or temporary and requires at least
1,000 hours of work per year." K.S.A. 74-4952, as amended. If a reserve officer meets these
definitions, the reserve officer will be a member of KP&F.
Benefits are payable for service-connected death or disability. "Service-connected" is defined
in part as, "for any member after five years of credited service, including any death or
disability resulting from a heart disease of the lung or respiratory tract or cancer..." Benefits
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may also be paid for death or disability resulting from causes which are not serviceconnected.
DEATH BENEFIT (SERVICE-CONNECTED)
The surviving spouse of an active member who dies from service-connected causes prior to
retirement will be entitled to an annual benefit of 50% of the member's final average salary
plus an additional 10% for each unmarried child under the age of 18 (age 23 for full time
student). The total benefit cannot exceed 75% of final average salary. Under the retirement
act, "service-connected" includes any death or disability resulting from heart disease of the
lung or respiratory tract provided the member has at least five years of credited service.
The spouse's benefit continues until death, the children's benefits continue until they reach
18 (age 23 for full-time students) or their earlier death or marriage. If there is no spouse or
unmarried eligible children, the beneficiary will receive the member's accumulated
contributions.
Benefits payable to a member's spouse or children are no longer terminated upon the
remarriage of the member's spouse or children.
BENEFITS
Regular members may name a sole or joint primary and a sole or joint contingent
beneficiary(ies), an estate or a trust. The retirement act also provides for a line of
descendancy in the event no beneficiary(ies) has been named, or the beneficiary(ies) is
deceased. This line of descendancy often eliminates the need for naming a contingent
beneficiary. Your beneficiary designation applies to all systems in which you are a member
for naming or changing a beneficiary after June 30, 1987. You may consult with your
designated agent before naming a beneficiary. Special members may name
beneficiary/beneficiaries as provided for by their local plans.
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
Each employee of a participating employer is eligible for coverage if the position the
employee holds has been designated by the governing body as a police officer or firefighter, is
not seasonal or temporary and requires 1,000 hours of work per year.
Membership is compulsory for all eligible employees, except for elected sheriffs and
members of local police or fire pension systems who may elect to become or not to become a
member.
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Persons who became members on or after July 1, 1989, are covered by the provisions of
House Bill 2403. All others may elect prior to January 1, 1990, to be covered by HB 2403 or
remain covered by the previous provisions of KP&F.
EDUCATION BENEFITS
Kansas Statute 75-4364
The 1996 Kansas legislature established the opportunity for dependents of public safety
officers who died as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty to enroll in Kansas
institutions of post-secondary education without payment of tuition or fees. Enrollment
without payment of tuition and fees means that an eligible student will be allowed to enroll
without payment of tuition or any mandatory fees required of all students at the time of
enrollment. The student will be responsible for other charges associated with the student's
academic program and living costs.
Dependent is defined to include a birth child, adopted child or stepchild or any child other
than the foregoing who was actually dependent in whole or in part on a public safety officer
and who is related to the public safety officer by marriage or consanguinity.
Persons who can establish that they were dependents of deceased public safety officers, even if
the deaths preceded the effective date of the legislation, are eligible. Acceptable forms of
documentation include, among others, birth and death certificates, news reports, and
obituaries.
Enrollment without charge of tuition or fees will be possible for eligible individuals beginning
with the fall 1996 enrollment period. Each eligible individual may qualify for tuition and fee
waiver only for a total of eight semesters of undergraduate instruction or the equivalent
thereof.
Enrollment without charge of tuition or fees under this statute will be possible at Kansas
educational institutions which means public institutions such as: area vocational schools, area
vocational-technical schools, community colleges, the municipal university, Regents
institutions and technical colleges.
The program is jointly administered by both the Kansas Board of Regents and the State Board
of Education, depending upon the educational institution selected by the individual. An
interested, qualifying individual would need to complete the information on the
Documentation Guide and submit it to the Director Admissions at the selected university.
There is no age limitation for the individuals specified but they must have been a dependent
at the time of the line-of-duty death. Admissions offices should be able to provide a
Documentation Guide.
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Contact: Kansas Board of Regents, 700 SW Harrison, Suite 1410, Topeka, KS 66603-
3760, general administration telephone (785) 296-3421, student financial aid telephone
(785) 296-3517, fax (785) 296-0983.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Varied depending upon police department benefits. Check with your Benefits Assistance
Officer.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Workers' Compensation coverage is compulsory for employers in Kansas.
Benefit is 66 2/3% of employee's wage for spouse or spouse and child(ren) with a minimum
weekly benefit of $25 and a maximum weekly benefit of $313. Total maximum payable is
$200,000 excluding dependent children. Benefits are subject to UI and Social Security
benefit offsets. There is also a maximum burial allowance of $3,300.
Surviving spouse receives a lump sum equal to 100 weeks of compensation upon remarriage
and weekly benefits cease. Children receive benefits until age 18 or beyond age 18 if
physically or mentally disabled, or until age 23 if full-time students.
To receive workers' compensation benefits, the surviving spouse must take the initiative and
file a workers' compensation claim through a workers' compensation attorney to receive any
compensation. The determination as to whether the claim will be paid will be determined by
the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
Contact the Division of Workers' Compensation of the Kansas Department of Human
Resources, 800 SW Jackson Street, Suite 600, Topeka, KS 66612-1227, telephone (913)
296-3441.
PERSONAL LIFE POLICY - INTESTATE
Descent and Distribution - In case of intestacy, real and personal estate descends and is
distributed as follows: (1) where the decedent left a surviving spouse and child or children,
one-half to the surviving spouse and one-half to the child or children surviving and the living
issue, if any, prior deceased children, but such issue inherit per stirpes; if no surviving spouse,
then all to the children as aforesaid; (2) if the decedent left no surviving spouse, then all to the
children as aforesaid; (3) if the decedent left no issue, the whole of the estate goes to the
surviving spouse; (4) if the decedent left no surviving spouse or issue, the whole of the estate
goes to the parents; (5) if one of the parents be dead, the whole of the estate foes to the
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surviving parent; (6) if both parents are dead, the property which would have passed to the
parents had both been living passes to the heirs of such parents; respectively (excluding their
respective spouses), the same as it would have passed had such parents owned it in equal
shares and died intestate, but if either of said parents left no such heirs, then to the living heirs
of the other parent. Each generation in ascending line is counted as one degree of blood
relationship and no property will pass except by lineal descent to persons more than six
degrees removed from decedent.
OPTIONAL GROUP LIFE INSURANCE
If your employer has affiliated with the retirement system for Optional Group Life
Insurance, you may purchase optional group life insurance coverage. You must make your
application within 14 days of your hire date or during an open enrollment period.
Coverage amounts range from $5,000 to $200,000. Amounts over $5,000 must be
underwritten by the insurance carrier. Premiums are handled by payroll deductions.
See your designated agent for more details.
PEER SUPPORT ORGANIZATION
Established in 1984, Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS), is a national, non-profit
organization that works with law enforcement agencies, police organizations, mental health
professional, and local peer-support organizations to provide assistance to surviving families
of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. COPS has become a "lifeline" to police
survivors nationwide. Contact: Mrs. Marilyn Goodheart, President, Kansas COPS, 2913
Hillcrest Drive, Hays, KS 67601-1715, phone (785) 628-6377, email: kscops@ruraltel.net.
MEMORIAL
A memorial to law enforcement officers is located on the northwest grounds of the Capitol
in Topeka, KS.
All of the benefit information above has been complied by COPS, a support group for police survivors.
Contact the National Office of Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. for additional information, or to support any of COPS' programs.
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Web site copyrighted © 2005 by Lydia Warner Miller