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FISCAL NOTE
House Bill 323
Committee: County and Municipal
Government
Sponsor: Representative Phillip Pettus
Analyst: Peter Grogan Date: 05/02/2023
House Bill 323 as introduced would require: 1) each municipality to pay an annual premium
into a fund established by the Alabama League of Municipalities (League) for the
reimbursement of certain out-of-pocket expenses for the treatment of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) for certain first responders; 2) the Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL)
to regulate the fund; 3) the League to establish annual premiums and reimburse claims, up to a
maximum of $15,000 for the life of a claimant; and 4) municipalities to provide an additional 80
hours of paid leave, to each first responder, per claim. These provisions would increase the
obligations of municipalities by an undetermined amount dependent upon: 1) the amount of
annual premiums assessed for each first responder employed by the municipality; and 2) the
amount of paid leave provided to first responders that file a claim pursuant to this bill.
This bill would also increase the administrative obligations of DOL to regulate and adopt rules
for the operation of the fund.
In addition, this bill could increase the obligations of volunteer fire departments, regional
associations of volunteer fire departments, municipalities, or any combination that elect to pay
all or part of a volunteer firefighter's annual premium by an undetermined amount dependent on
the amount of these premiums. This bill further provides that a volunteer firefighter may elect to
participate at his or her own expense.
In addition, this bill could decrease potential receipts to the Education Trust Fund by an
undetermined amount dependent on the amount of out-of-pocket reimbursements paid to a first
responder, which would be exempt from state income tax pursuant to this bill. FN-1FICLZ-1
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This bill could also decrease potential revenues to the State General Fund by an undetermined
amount dependent on the amount of premiums exempt from insurance premium taxes for
coverage provided by this bill.