Arizona voters approve Prop 311 to create a new state death benefit fund

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona voters have overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure to create a new state death benefit fund, according to the Associated Press.

Early responses showed 62.9% of votes were in favor of Proposition 311, with a total of 1,078,818 votes as of 8:45 p.m.

Prop 311 allows a first responder’s surviving spouse or children to be killed by another person’s crime. The recipient(s) would receive a lump sum payment of $250,000.

Gowan supported legislation that put Prop 311 on the ballot this November.

Money from the fund, capped at $2 million, must be distributed to the family within 30 days of the state’s notification of a first responder’s death.

“Once the 2 million limit is reached and anything beyond that, the Legislature will have the authority to help our first responders with equipment and programs,” Gowan explained.

Money for the state death benefit fund will be raised by introducing a new $20 fee that will be levied on every criminal conviction. Therein lie many of the arguments against this ballot measure.

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