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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
REVISED
death benefits; burial costs
Purpose
Increases the amount of burial expenses, from $5,000 to $10,000, that are paid as a workers' compensation death benefit in the case of a workplace injury causing death.
Background
The Industrial Commission of Arizona is the state regulatory agency responsible for processing and adjudicating a workers' compensation claim. Employees may receive workers’ compensation benefits, including medical treatment and lost wages, as a result of injuries or death caused by an accident arising out of and in the course of employment. Every injured employee and the dependents of every injured employee who is killed by an accident during employment is entitled to receive compensation for loss sustained as a result of the injury or death, unless the injury was purposely self-inflicted. The compensation, or death benefits, received by the employee or the employee's dependents is determined by the employee's average monthly wage at the time of the injury. The workers' compensation death benefits include compensation for burial expenses in an amount up to $5,000 (A.R.S. §§ 23-1021; 23-1046; and A.R.S. Title 23, Chapter 6).
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note estimates that S.B. 1135 would have an ongoing annual cost of $50,000 to Arizona government employers beginning in FY 2027, which consists of an annual impact to the state's Risk Management Fund of $5,000 and an annual local government impact of $45,000 (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Increases, from $5,000 to $10,000, the death benefit for burial expenses.
2. Makes technical changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Revisions
· Updates the fiscal impact statement.
Prepared by Senate Research
March 24, 2026
MG/SJ/hk