Increases accidental death benefit for surviving spouse or surviving children of certain PERS members and retirants; provides accidental death benefit to beneficiary of certain PERS and PFRS members and retirants; redefines child.

This bill increases accidental death benefits for surviving spouses and children of law enforcement officers, correction officers, and firefighters in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who were ineligible for membership in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It raises the benefit rate from 50% to 70% of the deceased member's compensation for surviving spouses, and to 70% for children when there's no surviving spouse. The bill also redefines "child" to include children 18 or older enrolled in secondary school, or under 24 enrolled in college (taking at least 12 credit hours per semester). These changes apply to benefits initially granted on or after September 11, 2001, with retroactive payments for eligible beneficiaries.