(b) The surviving spouse is entitled to a monthly benefit, during the spouse’s lifetime, equal to the benefit to which the member would have been entitled on the date of the member’s death, but no less than fifty percent (50%) of the monthly wage received by a first class patrolman. If the surviving spouse remarried before September 1, 1983, and benefits ceased on the date of remarriage, the benefits for the surviving spouse shall be reinstated on July 1, 1997, and continue during the life of the surviving spouse.

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

(2) until the child becomes twenty-three (23) years of age if the child is enrolled in and regularly attending a secondary school or is a full-time student at an accredited college or university; or

(3) during the entire period of the child’s physical or mental disability;

whichever period is longer.

     (d) The surviving children of the deceased member who are eligible to receive a benefit under subsection (c) may receive an additional benefit in an amount fixed by ordinance, but the total additional benefit under this subsection to all the member’s children may not exceed a total of thirty percent (30%) of the monthly wage received by a first class patrolman. However, this limitation does not apply to the children of a member who have a physical or mental disability.

     (e) If a deceased member leaves no surviving spouse and no child who qualifies for benefits under subsection (c) but does leave a dependent parent or parents, an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the monthly pay of a first class patrolman per month from the time of the member’s death shall be paid to the dependent parent or parents during their dependency. When both parents survive, the total amount is still twenty percent (20%), to be paid to them jointly. In all cases of payment to a dependent relative of a deceased member, the board is the final judge of the question of necessity and dependency and of the amount to be paid. The board may also reduce or terminate temporarily or permanently a payment to a dependent relative of a deceased member when it determines that the condition of the fund or other circumstances make this action necessary.

     (f) If the salary of a first class patrolman is increased or decreased, the pension payable under this section shall be proportionately increased or decreased. However, the monthly pension payable to a member or survivor may not be reduced below the amount of the first full monthly pension received by that person.

     (g) For purposes of this section, “dies in the line of duty” means death that occurs as a direct result of personal injury or illness caused by incident, accident, or violence that results from any action that the member in the member’s capacity as a police officer:

(1) is obligated or authorized by rule, regulation, condition of employment or service, or law to perform; or

(2) performs in the course of controlling or reducing crime or enforcing the criminal law.

The term includes a death presumed incurred in the line of duty under IC 5-10-13.

     (h) The unit of local government that employed the deceased member shall after December 31, 2003, offer to provide and pay for health insurance coverage for the member’s surviving spouse and for each natural child, stepchild, or adopted child of the member:

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

(2) until the child becomes twenty-three (23) years of age if the child is enrolled in and regularly attending a secondary school or is a full-time student at an accredited college or university; or

(3) during the entire period of the child’s physical or mental disability;

whichever period is longest. If health insurance coverage is offered by the unit to active members, the health insurance provided to a surviving spouse and child under this subsection must be equal in coverage to that offered to active members. The offer to provide and pay for health insurance coverage shall remain open for as long as there is a surviving spouse or as long as a natural child, stepchild, or adopted child of the member is eligible for the coverage under subdivision (1), (2), or (3).

As added by Acts 1982, P.L.214, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.364-1983, SEC.2; P.L.200-1984, SEC.2; P.L.196-1988, SEC.1; P.L.1-1989, SEC.70; P.L.1-1991, SEC.210; P.L.52-1993, SEC.3; P.L.40-1997, SEC.5; P.L.118-2000, SEC.9; P.L.62-2002, SEC.1; P.L.185-2002, SEC.6; P.L.86-2003, SEC.3; P.L.99-2007, SEC.215.