TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING SURVIVOR BENEFITS FOR THE DEPENDENT CHILD OF A MEMBER OF THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM OR A MEMBER OF THE STATE POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

HB 1348 expands survivor benefits under Arkansas' public employees' and state police retirement systems to include dependent children who previously lost coverage upon reaching a certain age. The bill directly affects minor children of deceased retirees from these systems by ensuring they continue receiving benefits until age 18 (or 22 if in school), removing prior eligibility cutoffs. Key provisions amend existing statutes to clarify that dependent children qualify for survivor benefits regardless of age, provided they meet dependency requirements. The bill was passed as an emergency measure and became Act 364 on March 20, 2025.