Kralicek bill passes unanimously

BOISE - SB 1111, which would help permanently disabled law enforcement officers like Mike Kralicek of Coeur d’Alene with health insurance costs for their families, has passed the Idaho House unanimously and now heads to Gov. Butch Otter. Kralicek actually isn’t covered by the bill - it’s only for those injured on or after July 1, 2009. But the Coeur d’Alene police officer, who suffered critical brain and spinal cord injuries after a fleeing, handcuffed suspect shot him in the face three days after Christmas in 2004, is a big supporter of the measure, as is his wife, Carrie, to help others who face situations like theirs in the future. The bill, SB 1111, would provide a $100,000 lump-sum payment to cover the family’s health insurance costs in such situations. It’s entirely funded by the officers themselves, through a slightly increased retirement contribution, and run through the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho, at no cost to either the state or local governments. Rep. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, told the House, “This is a very important piece of legislation to fill a hole that’s been a need in our state for many years.”