New legislation broadens definition of 'line of duty' deaths in Dallas

Dallas, Texas - Dallas first responders who pass away due to work-related illnesses will now receive full benefits, just like those who lose their lives while doing their jobs, like in a fire or police action.

This comes after a new law was passed.

This means that if a firefighter or police officer dies from a sickness that's related to their job, their family will get the same benefits as if they had died on duty. This is important for people like Kristi Walters, who has been fighting for this since 2018. She started this fight after her husband, David Walters, a firefighter, died from a heart attack. Even though he didn't die while fighting a fire, his job exposed him to dangerous substances which contributed to his health issues.

The Dallas Police and Fire Pension System was the only one in Texas that didn't give full benefits to families of first responders who died due to job-related illnesses. But this law changes that.

The person who proposed this law, State Representative Julie Johnson, said before the new law, families were only getting 50% of the benefits. But now, they can receive 100% of the benefits. This is a way to support families who have lost their loved ones who were protecting the community.

This law also recognizes that firefighters and police officers are exposed to health risks in their job that can cause sickness and death.

Another important supporter of this law, Republican State Representative Frederick Frazier, who is also a Dallas police officer, said it's important to recognize that there are many ways a first responder can die because of their job.

Looking ahead, Walters said this new law will make it easier for families to grieve and have peace of mind. However, families will still need to prove that the death of their loved one was caused by their job to receive these benefits.