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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2805 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2533
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Adam J. Scanlon
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the safety of fire, police, and emergency medical technicians from contagious
diseases.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Adam J. Scanlon14th Bristol1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2805 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2533
By Representative Scanlon of North Attleborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
2533) of Adam J. Scanlon relative to presumptive disability retirement of certain fire, police, and
emergency medical technicians. Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to the safety of fire, police, and emergency medical technicians from contagious
diseases.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the
2contrary, and for the purposes of any death, disability or medical services claim including claims
3under Chapter 32, Chapter 41 and Chapter 152 of the General Laws, any contagious disease,
4resulting in disability or death to a full-time uniformed member of a paid police department, fire
5department, municipal emergency medical service, correction officers, or court officers shall, if
6he or she successfully passed a physical examination on entry into such service or subsequent to
7such entry, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition, be presumed to
8have been suffered in the line of duty, unless it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that
9non-service connected risk factors or non-service connected accidents or hazards undergone, or
10any combination thereof, caused such incapacity. The provisions of this section shall only apply
11if the disabling or fatal condition is a type of contagious disease which may, in general, result
12from exposure to blood and other body fluids of the sick, excluding the common cold. 2 of 2
13 SECTION 2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person serving in such
14positions for fewer than five years at the time that such condition is first discovered, or should
15have been discovered. Any person first discovering any such condition within five years of the
16last date on which such person actively so served shall be eligible to apply for benefits
17hereunder, and such benefits, if granted, shall be payable as of the date on which the employee
18last received regular compensation. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person
19serving in such position unless such person shall first establish that he has regularly responded to
20calls for police, fire or emergency medical service during some portion of the period of his
21service in such position.
22 SECTION 3. The provisions of this section shall also apply to any condition of Hepatitis
23A, B, or C, Tuberculosis, HIV, and any other contagious disease which is found by regulation by
24the commissioner of the department of public health to have a statistically significant correlation
25with police, fire or emergency medical service.
26 SECTION 4. Nothing herein shall preclude a member from applying for and receiving
27benefits under section seven or section nine, subject to the provisions of said sections.