The bill would increase State costs by an estimated $42,000 annually. There were an estimated 212 surviving spouses of National Guard or defense force members who are eligible to receive the $300 annual payment as of November 1, 1999. Thus, increasing the benefit for those 212 surviving spouses from $300 to $500 would increase the State's cost for those payments by $42,000 annually. Although it is possible that the addition of active duty death to the eligibility requirements for the surviving spouse could result in more surviving spouses becoming eligible for this benefit, the number of such spouses is expected to be few; thus the exact fiscal impact is unknown.