HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 1 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to first responders and crime scene 2
investigators; amending s. 112.1815, F.S.; defining 3
the term "first responder"; amending s. 112.18155, 4
F.S.; authorizing certain diagnoses to be made through 5
telehealth; removing a cross -reference; creating s. 6
112.18156, F.S.; providing definitions; providing that 7
posttraumatic stress disorder suffered by a crime 8
scene investigator is a compensable occupational 9
disease under certain circumstances; authorizing 10
certain diagnoses to be made through telehealth ; 11
specifying the evidentiary standard for demonstrating 12
such disorder; specifying that benefits do not require 13
a physical injury and are not subject to certain 14
apportionment or limitations; providing requirements 15
for benefits offered to a crime scene investigator for 16
posttraumatic stress disorder; specifying when a claim 17
for posttraumatic stress disorder must be noticed; 18
requiring a crime scene investigator's employing 19
agency to provide specified mental health training; 20
requiring the Department of Financial Services to 21
adopt rules; declaring that the act fulfills an 22
important state interest; providing an effective date. 23
24
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 25
HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 2 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
26
Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 112.1815, Florida 27
Statutes, is amended to read: 28
112.1815 Firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical 29
technicians, and law enforcement officers; special provisions 30
for employment-related accidents and injuries. — 31
(1) The term "first responder" As used in this section , 32
the term "first resp onder" means any of the following persons 33
who is a full-time paid employee, a part -time paid employee, or 34
an unpaid volunteer: 35
(a) A law enforcement officer , as defined in s. 943.10(1). 36
s. 943.10, 37
(b) A firefighter, as defined in s. 633.102 ., or 38
(c) An emergency medical technician or a paramedic, as 39
those terms are defined in s. 401.23 . 40
(d) A correctional officer, as defined in s. 943.10(2). 41
(e) A 911 public safety telecommunicator, as defined in s. 42
401.465(1). 43
(f) A federal law enforcement offi cer, as defined in s. 44
901.1505(1) employed by state or local government. A volunteer 45
law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical 46
technician or paramedic engaged by the state or a local 47
government is also considered a first responder of the s tate or 48
local government for purposes of this section . 49
Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 112.18155, Florida 50
HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 3 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Statutes, is amended to read: 51
112.18155 Correctional officers; special provisions for 52
posttraumatic stress disorders. — 53
(2) For purposes of this section and chapter 440, and 54
notwithstanding ss. 440.093 and 440.151(2), posttraumatic stress 55
disorder, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 56
of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, published by the American 57
Psychiatric Association, suf fered by a correctional officer is a 58
compensable occupational disease within the meaning of s. 59
440.151 if both of the following apply: 60
(a) The posttraumatic stress disorder resulted from the 61
correctional officer acting within the course of his or her 62
employment as provided in s. 440.091 . 63
(b) The correctional officer is examined and subsequently 64
diagnosed with such disorder by a licensed psychiatrist , in 65
person or through telehealth as that term is defined in s. 66
456.47(1), who is an authorized treating p hysician as provided 67
in chapter 440 due to one of the following events: 68
1. Being taken hostage by an inmate or trapped in a life -69
threatening situation as a result of an inmate's act; 70
2. Directly witnessing a death, including a death due to 71
suicide, of a person who suffered grievous bodily harm of a 72
nature that shocks the conscience; 73
3. Directly witnessing an injury, including an attempted 74
suicide, to a person who subsequently dies before or upon 75
HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 4 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
arrival at a hospital emergency department if the person was 76
injured by grievous bodily harm of a nature that shocks the 77
conscience; 78
4. Participating in the physical treatment of an injury, 79
or manually transporting a person who was injured, including by 80
attempted suicide, who subsequently dies before or upon arrival 81
at a hospital emergency department if the person was injured by 82
grievous bodily harm of a nature that shocks the conscience; 83
5. Directly witnessing a homicide regardless of whether 84
the homicide was criminal or excusable, including murder, mass 85
killing, manslaughter, self -defense, misadventure, and 86
negligence; or 87
6. Seeing for oneself a decedent whose death involved 88
grievous bodily harm of a nature that shocks the conscience. 89
Section 3. Section 112.18156, Florida Statutes, is created 90
to read: 91
112.18156 Crime scene investigators; special provisions 92
for posttraumatic stress disorders. — 93
(1) As used in this section, the term: 94
(a) "Advanced stage of decomposition" means the breaking 95
down of soft tissue, skin, and hair, as well as muscle and 96
connective tissue. 97
(b) "Crime scene investigator" means a forensic member of 98
a law enforcement agency, government, or civilian crime 99
laboratory whose primary responsibility is to document, 100
HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 5 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
identify, collect, or preserve forensic evidence relevant to a 101
law enforcement, death, or natural disaster investigation, and 102
whose primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, 103
collecting evidence such as fingerprints, footprints, tire 104
tracks, blood and other biological fluids, fibers, and fire 105
debris. 106
(c) "Directly witnessing" means to see or hear for 107
oneself. 108
(d) "Mass killing" means three or more killings in a 109
single incident. 110
(2) For purposes of this section and chapter 440, and 111
notwithstanding ss. 440.093 and 440.151(2), posttraumatic stress 112
disorder, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 113
of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, published by the American 114
Psychiatric Association, suffered by a crime scene investigator 115
is a compensable occupational disease within the meaning of s. 116
440.151 if both of the following apply: 117
(a) The posttraumatic stress disorder resulted from the 118
crime scene investigator acting within the course of his or her 119
employment. 120
(b) The crime scene investigator is examined and 121
subsequently diagnosed with such disorde r by a licensed 122
psychiatrist, in person or through telehealth as that term is 123
defined in s. 456.47(1), who is an authorized treating physician 124
as provided in chapter 440 due to one of the following events: 125
HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 6 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1. Directly witnessing a death, including a death due to 126
suicide, that involved grievous bodily harm of a nature that 127
shocks the conscience; 128
2. Directly witnessing the death of a minor; 129
3. Directly witnessing an injury, including an attempted 130
suicide, to a person who subsequently dies before or upon 131
arrival at a hospital emergency department if the person was 132
injured by grievous bodily harm of a nature that shocks the 133
conscience; 134
4. Directly witnessing an injury to a minor who 135
subsequently dies before or upon arrival at a hospital emergency 136
department; 137
5. Directly witnessing a homicide regardless of whether 138
the homicide was criminal or excusable, including murder, mass 139
killing, manslaughter, self -defense, misadventure, and 140
negligence; 141
6. Seeing for oneself a deceased minor; 142
7. Seeing for oneself a decedent whose death involved 143
grievous bodily harm of a nature that shocks the conscience; or 144
8. Seeing for oneself a decedent who is in an advanced 145
stage of decomposition. 146
(3) The posttraumatic stress disorder must be demonstrated 147
by clear and convincing medical evidence. 148
(4) Benefits for a crime scene investigator under this 149
section: 150
HB 993 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0993-00
Page 7 of 7
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(a) Do not require a physical injury to the crime scene 151
investigator. 152
(b) Are not subject to any of the following: 153
1. Apportionment due to a preexisting posttraumatic stress 154
disorder. 155
2. Any limitation on temporary benefits under s. 440.093. 156
3. The 1-percent limitation on permanent psychiatric 157
impairment benefits under s. 440.15(3). 158
(5) The time for notice of injury or death in cases of 159
compensable posttraumatic stress disorder under this section is 160
the same as in s. 440.151(6) and is measured from one of the 161
qualifying events listed in paragraph (2)(b) or the diagnosis of 162
the disorder, whichever is later. A claim under this section 163
must be properly noticed within 52 weeks after the qualifying 164
event or the diagnosis of the disorder, whichever is later. 165
(6) The employing agency of a crime scene investigator 166
must provide educational training related to mental health 167
awareness, prevention, mitigation, a nd treatment. 168
(7) The Department of Financial Services shall adopt rules 169
specifying injuries qualifying as grievous bodily harm of a 170
nature that shocks the conscience for the purposes of this 171
section. 172
Section 4. The Legislature determines and declare s that 173
this act fulfills an important state interest. 174
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 175