New legislation to increase benefits for officers killed in the line of duty isn’t available in time for the family of Robert Duran.

Duran, a Santa Fe police officer, was killed on March 2 when his car crashed with two other vehicles during a high-speed chase on Interstate 25. Duran, 43, had been with the Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) since 2015. He is survived by his wife and two teenagers.

House Bill 68 (HB 68), a new crime bill that will go into effect on July 1, allows for $1 million in supplemental death benefits when officers are killed in the line of duty. Duran’s family qualifies only for the current benefit of $250,000 along with his pension and life insurance, according to KRQE.

Rep. Meredith Dixon (D-Bernalillo), who helped sponsor the bill, said Duran’s death serves as an example of why benefits to first responders need to be increased. 

“[It is] a very unfortunate and tragic situation that we just witnessed in New Mexico, and one of the things I think the legislature [should] do is let our law enforcement officers, their families, and the community know that we appreciate their work and we support what they’re doing,” Dixon said to KRQE.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has yet to sign HB 68 and she cannot change the legislation to include the Duran family, KRQE said.