Lawmakers are considering changes to the pension system after the widow of Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier was told she couldn’t receive his pension.
Comptroller Sean Scanlon denied the request because Pelletier, himself, did not meet the requirements to receive his pension when he was struck and killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 84 in May.
“Trooper Pelletier's tragic death exposed a loophole in state law that myself, the governor and the Connecticut State Police all agree must be fixed,” Scanlon said in a statement. “We are actively working together to find a solution, and we will.”
Any fix will likely require legislative approval and lawmakers say they, too, are open to the idea.
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“The last thing that that family needs to be worrying about is any kind of financial worry,” Rep. Chris Polous, (D) Southington, said Tuesday.
Pelletier was vested in the state’s pension system because he worked more than 10 years, including nine as a state trooper and two as a correction officer.
He did not meet the criteria to collect that pension – 25 years of employment or reaching the age of 55 -- which is why his family’s request was denied.
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Lawmakers couldn’t come up with a solution in time for Wednesday’s special session, but Polous plans to submit a bill in January.
Legislative leaders suggested they could even come back to the Capitol for another special session if they come up with a proposal sooner.
“Whenever we are sure what we want to do in terms of statute, the governor can call us in again,” Sen. Martin Looney, (D) President Pro Tempore said.
There’s bipartisan support.
“It really is an egregious omission and I think it’s something we’re going to have to address and rectify,” Rep. Vincent Candelora, (R) Minority Leader, said.
Pelletier’s family is receiving help in other ways, including $100,000 from the state’s Fallen Officer Fund and five years of health insurance.
The family is also receiving other benefits, including workers' compensation, and a GoFundMe for them has reached nearly $675,000.
Bristol changed its pension system to offer benefits to the families of two officers and lawmakers say they want to do the same for state troopers.
