Modifying survivor’s benefit payments on first responders for payment of funeral expenses

SB 826 modifies West Virginia's existing law to ensure survivor benefit payments for first responders' funeral expenses reach a minimum of $8,000. It directly affects the families of law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, correctional staff, and other qualifying emergency workers who die while on duty. The bill clarifies that funds from this program will supplement other existing benefits (like those under §23-4-1) to guarantee at least $8,000 is available for reasonable funeral costs, rather than duplicating payments already covered by other programs. The key change is aligning the statute's language with related state code to streamline payment processing for eligible families.