New Bill Closes Death Benefit Gaps for First Responders After Pilot's Death

The Arizona Legislature has passed a bill that would extend a $250,000 death benefit to groups of first responders currently excluded under state law, including a pilot whose family has been denied the payout since his death in February.

SB 1503, sponsored by Senator David Gowan (R-AZ), was signed into law on Wednesday by Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ), one of only two bills she agreed to sign amid a moratorium she placed on all legislation until Republican lawmakers publicly release their budget proposal.

The bill was given added urgency following the death of Arizona Department of Public Safety pilot Robert Skankey, who was killed on February 4 when his helicopter went down while responding to a police shootout in Flagstaff.

Despite dying in the line of duty, Skankey's family has been unable to access the state benefit, precisely the kind of situation Gowan says the bill is designed to fix.

"These are Arizonans who show up in the hardest moments — guarding prisons, responding to emergencies under state orders, and supporting law enforcement from the air," Sen. Gowan said. "When the worst happens, their families should not be left navigating red tape or facing financial uncertainty."

Gowan's Fight

For Gowan, the legislation is an extension of work he began in 2023, when he sponsored the bill that put Proposition 311 on the 2024 ballot. Arizona voters approved that measure by a wide margin, establishing the $250,000 benefit funded through criminal conviction fees.

SB 1503 is aimed at closing the eligibility gaps that remained after that vote.

The bill also updates the definition of "killed in the line of duty" to include deaths caused by another person's criminal act while a responder is on official duty.

Gov.  Hobbs, whose ongoing budget standoff with the Republican-controlled Legislature has seen her veto multiple bills in recent days, called the signing a rare point of common ground. "I'm glad legislators heard my call to pass this critical legislation and worked across the aisle in order to support public safety," she said.

The law includes an emergency clause and applies retroactively to December 31, 2025, meaning it takes effect immediately and allows families like Skankey's to access benefits without further delay.