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A pilot employed by a law enforcement agency now counts as a "first responder" under the state law on death benefits for first responders killed in the line of duty, and this applies back to December 31, 2025.
Official title: first responders; state death benefit
- Immediately as an emergency measure (signed April 15, 2026)
- Applies retroactively from and after December 31, 2025
What changes
BeforeThe definition of "first responder" for this article included the meaning in another state law, plus Arizona National Guard members on state active duty in Arizona and state corrections officers.
NowThe definition also includes a pilot who is employed by a law enforcement agency.
Who it affects
- Pilots employed by law enforcement agencies, and their families
- Law enforcement agencies that employ pilots
What you need to do
Nothing.
What the law doesn't answer
- What the state death benefit is, how much it pays, or who receives it
- Whether "law enforcement agency" means state, local, or both
- Whether any pilot deaths after December 31, 2025 are expected to qualify
- How a claim for the benefit is made
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.