HB536INTRODUCED
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HB536
HGWW266-1
By Representatives Tillman, Treadaway
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 08-Apr-25
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5 HGWW266-1 04/07/2025 JC (L)lg 2025-1325
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First Read: 08-Apr-25
SYNOPSIS:
Existing law currently provides for peer support
members to help law enforcement officers in need of
emotional and moral support caused by job-related
stress or a particular incident in the line of duty.
This bill would require the Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency to set up a program to educate and
provide resources to law enforcement officers who
suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in
cooperation with county and municipal law enforcement
agencies.
This bill would also require law enforcement
agencies and departments to provide financial
assistance to officers to meet cost-sharing obligations
for insurance benefits for PTSD treatment, to reimburse
officers for mileage for traveling to treatment
appointments, and paid leave for time off work for PTSD
treatment.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to law enforcement officers; to require the
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Relating to law enforcement officers; to require the
Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to establish a program to
educate law enforcement officers about post-traumatic stress
syndrome; to provide for cooperation between ALEA and local
law enforcement agencies; and to require law enforcement
agencies to provide certain benefits to officers with PTSD.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) For the purposes of this section the
following terms have the following meanings:
(1) ALEA. The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.
(2) EMPLOYER. The state, a department or agency
thereof, a county or municipality, or other political
subdivision that employs law enforcement officers.
(3) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. A law enforcement officer
who is certified by the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and
Training Commission and who is employed by the state, a
county, or municipality.
(4) POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD). A mental
health condition that meets the diagnostic criteria in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth
Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), published by the American
Psychiatric Association.
(5) QUALIFYING EVENT. An isolated and extraordinarily
traumatic event involving an officer acting within the line
and scope of duty and that includes the officer satisfying
either of the following:
a. Witnessing or being directly engaged in actions
resulting in the death of an individual on the scene of the
event.
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event.
b. Witnessing or being directly engaged in actions,
during or immediately after an event, which result in an
injury of such a severe nature that it leads directly to the
death of an individual due to the injury on the way to, or no
more than 48 hours after, reaching a hospital for treatment.
(6) QUALIFYING TREATING PHYSICIAN. A licensed clinical
psychologist or board certified psychiatrist licensed to
practice in this state and with experience diagnosing PTSD,
including the identification of malingering PTSD, and treating
patients with evidenced-based therapies.
(7) TREATMENT. The term includes evidence-based
therapies recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, including cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy,
cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization and
reprocessing, and prolonged exposure, and other talk therapy,
alone or in combination with prescription drugs.
Section 2. There is established a program to treat law
enforcement officers in the State of Alabama for
post-traumatic stress disorder, to be comprised of the
following participants:
(1) The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, as
further described in Section 3.
(2) State departments or agencies, counties, and
municipalities that employ law enforcement officers, as
described in Sections 4 through 6.
Section 3. (a) The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency
shall do all of the following:
(1) Require, as a precondition for certification as a
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(1) Require, as a precondition for certification as a
peer support member as described in Section 36-21-14, Code of
Alabama 1975, that an applicant complete an introductory
training course on PTSD and the recognition of its symptoms.
(2) Develop and update a roster of qualifying treating
physicians who are located throughout the State of Alabama.
(3) Designate an employee with personal experience or
contact with PTSD to be a permanent resource officer and
liaison to local law enforcement agencies to respond to
inquiries about PTSD resources and treatment and to conduct
on-site presentations or seminars on PTSD.
(4) Develop written materials to educate officers on
PTSD, which shall:
a. Include information on symptoms, coping methods, and
treatment options;
b. Be under periodic review by mental health
professionals to ensure that they contain current and accurate
information substantiated by peer-reviewed literature; and
c. Made available in printed form for distribution and
as a resource link accessible on the ALEA website.
(b) In the implementation and development of the
measures described in subsection (a), ALEA shall receive upon
request the assistance, including the expertise, of the
Alabama Department of Mental Health.
Section 4. An employer shall do all of the following:
(1) If the employer provides or makes available health
care insurance to law enforcement officers, the employer shall
review the health benefit plan for compliance with the federal
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to ensure that
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Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to ensure that
coverage exists to pay claims or reimbursement for treatment
for PTSD.
(2) The employer shall use the resources developed
under the auspices of ALEA as provided in Section 3 of this
act, including, at a minimum, compulsory education to law
enforcement officers on recognizing PTSD.
(3) Provide the benefits described in Section 5.
Section 5. (a) To claim benefits under this section, a
law enforcement officer shall satisfy all of the following:
(1) Experience a qualifying event during the 12-month
period immediately preceding the date of the first claim for
benefits.
(2) Agree in writing that the employer is not liable
under Chapter 5, Title 25, Code of Alabama 1975, to the law
enforcement officer who elects to receive benefits under this
act.
(3) Participate in an applicable peer support event,
conducted by a certified peer support member where the law
enforcement officer receives a debriefing, defusing, or
coaching session in accordance with Section 36-21-14, Code of
Alabama 1975.
(4) Receive certification from a qualified treating
physician containing both of the following:
a. That the law enforcement officer has been diagnosed
with PTSD and that the PTSD resulted solely from his or her
involvement in a qualifying event that occurred in the line
and course of his or her duties as a law enforcement officer.
b. That the treatment, which may include evidence-based
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b. That the treatment, which may include evidence-based
therapies, counseling, or prescription drugs, is medically
necessary.
(5) Authorize the insurer, if applicable, to
communicate with the qualified treating physician for the
limited and sole purpose of confirming PTSD treatment to the
extent necessary to verify claims for benefits under this
section.
(b) An employer shall reimburse a law enforcement
officer for any copayment, coinsurance, or deductible incurred
by the officer in receiving treatment for PTSD that is
otherwise covered by the law enforcement officer's health
insurance, not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000)
during his or her lifetime.
(c)(1) A law enforcement officer shall be reimbursed
for travel for PTSD treatment.
(2) The reimbursement shall be per mile for a round
trip at the current standard mileage rate set by the Internal
Revenue Service for receiving medical care for income tax
deduction if the travel meets all of the following conditions:
a. The purpose is to visit a qualified treating
physician for PTSD treatment.
b. The mileage, one way, between the law enforcement
officer's residence and the qualified treating physician is at
least 25 miles.
c. The travel is not outside the State of Alabama.
Section 6. (a) An employer shall provide a law
enforcement officer up to an additional 80 working hours of
paid leave to undergo treatment for PTSD.
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paid leave to undergo treatment for PTSD.
(b) Any leave taken to undergo treatment for PTSD shall
be without any loss of pay and shall be in addition to all
types of leave otherwise applicable under the employer's
policies, including sick leave, personal leave, and annual
vacation.
(c) Any leave taken to undergo treatment for PTSD shall
not be used by the employer as a factor in any performance
evaluation given to the law enforcement officer or any
disciplinary action required under the employer's policies to
be administered to the officer.
(d) The benefits provided pursuant to this section are
independent of any coverage for PTSD treatment available to a
law enforcement officer under employer-sponsored health
insurance or health insurance obtained by the law enforcement
officer from any other source, and eligibility is governed
solely by the terms of this section.
(e) An employer is authorized to seek and obtain
secondary, or gap, insurance to pay for the benefits provided
under this section.
(f) In the event a law enforcement officer is employed
by more than one employer simultaneously, the primary employer
shall be responsible for the benefits provided under this
section. The primary employer shall be identified as the
employer that provides primary health insurance benefits to
the law enforcement officer.
(g) A law enforcement officer is no longer entitled to
the benefits under this section if he or she resigns, is
terminated, or retires.
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terminated, or retires.
(h) If a law enforcement officer transfers to a
different employer, the new employer shall not be required to
pay any premium for any benefits paid for by insurance under
this section until the current calendar year's coverage
expires with the previous employer.
Section 7. The benefits and reimbursement provided
under Section 6 of this act shall not apply to PTSD resulting
from events occurring prior to October 1, 2025.
Section 8. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2025.
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