(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
"Employee" means a current employee as defined in section 24-50-603 (7) who hasdental or medical benefit coverage pursuant to this part 6.
"State agency" means the department, commission, council, board, bureau, committee, institution of higher education, agency, or other governmental unit of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government that employs an employee at the time of his or her work-related death.
"Work-related death" means a death that is the proximate result of an injury arisingout of and in the course and scope of employment at a state agency.
The dependents of an employee who dies in a work-related death are automaticallyqualified for the continuation of dental or medical benefits pursuant to this part 6 for twelve months from the end of the month in which the work-related death occurred, so long as the dependents had dental or medical benefits pursuant to this part 6 at the time of the employee's work-related death. The dental or medical benefits allowed to dependents pursuant to this section shall be the same coverage that the dependents were enrolled in at the time of the employee's work-related death.
The applicable state agency shall pay the cost of providing dental or medical benefitson behalf of the employee's dependents for the twelve-month period pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. The state agency shall make arrangements with the director or the director's designee to pay such costs.
The director or the director's designee may promulgate rules in accordance with the"State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of this title 24, for the implementation of this section.
Source: L. 2018: Entire section added, (SB 18-148), ch. 21, p. 272, § 1, effective March 7.