Massachusetts House Bill H2594

Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/16/23
• Refer: 2/16/23
• Refer: 3/18/24

Caption

Relative to the disability or death caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Impact

With the proposed changes to Chapter 32 of the General Laws, the bill would amend retirement provisions to allow individuals diagnosed with PTSD to be presumed to have incurred their condition in the line of duty, provided they had previously passed a physical examination that did not reveal any signs of the disorder. This presumption aims to facilitate access to benefits for affected service members, acknowledging the serious mental health challenges they face during and after their service.

Summary

House Bill 2594 seeks to establish a presumption of line-of-duty disability or death due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for specific groups of public safety personnel in Massachusetts. The legislation, introduced by Representative McGonagle, applies to full-time uniformed members of police and fire departments, municipal emergency medical service personnel, certain employees involved in corrections, and specific airport and military reservation fire departments. Its intent is to support these professionals who may experience PTSD due to their demanding and often traumatic work environments.

Contention

Notably, the bill specifies that post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed within five years of active service is eligible for benefits under this new presumption. However, it also outlines conditions where this presumption may not apply, such as if the PTSD arises from disciplinary actions or personnel changes rather than from the inherent risks of their duties. This aspect might lead to deliberations regarding the differentiation between service-related and non-service-related PTSD, raising potential points of contention among lawmakers and stakeholders in the public safety fields.