1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public safety; revising posttraumatic stress syndrome benefits that law
1.3 enforcement agencies must provide peace officers; amending Minnesota Statutes
1.4 2024, section 299A.475.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299A.475, is amended to read:
1.7 299A.475 POSTTRAUMA TIC STRESS SYNDROME BENEFIT.
1.8 (a) A law enforcement agency shall provide benefits to any peace officer, as defined in
1.9section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), employed by the agency who:
1.10 (1) suffers a debilitating psychological reaction to a traumatic event;
1.11 (2) is diagnosed by a psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist mental health professional
1.12as suffering from posttraumatic stress syndrome; and
1.13 (3) is determined by a psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist mental health professional
1.14to be unable to perform other peace officer job duties offered by the employer through
1.15reassignment.
1.16A peace officer who meets all of the conditions of this paragraph is entitled to the benefits
1.17described in paragraph (b). A peace officer who meets the conditions in clauses (1) and (2)
1.18is entitled to the benefits in paragraph (b), clause (2). The availability of benefits does not
1.19depend on whether there is also an accompanying physical injury or physical cause of the
1.20condition.
1.21 (b) The benefits provided by the law enforcement agency shall include:
1Section 1.
REVISOR KLL/VJ 25-0273701/29/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 1118
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION 2.1 (1) payment by the employer for unreimbursed loss of wages during the time period the
2.2officer is disabled, but not to exceed one year; and
2.3 (2) payment by the employer for unreimbursed expenses for medical treatment, including
2.4psychiatric or psychological counseling, to cure and relieve the effects of the posttraumatic
2.5stress syndrome during the time period the officer is disabled, but not to exceed one year
2.6to aid in treatment, management, and alleviation of posttraumatic stress disorder for the
2.7duration it takes the officer to return to active duty not to exceed one year.
2.8 (c) The employer may request a peace officer to undergo an examination by a psychiatrist
2.9or licensed psychologist selected by the employer mental health professional.
2.10 (d) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings given:
2.11 (1) "debilitating psychological reaction" is defined as: the disturbance causes clinically
2.12significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of
2.13functioning;
2.14 (2) "mental health professional" has the meaning given in section 245.462, subdivision
2.1518; and
2.16 (3) "traumatic event" means an event involving the employee lawfully taking the life of
2.17or causing great bodily harm, as defined in section 609.02, subdivision 8, to another by
2.18force or violence. "Debilitating psychological reaction" means that, following the traumatic
2.19event, the peace officer is unable to perform the essential functions of the peace officer's
2.20job without reassignment. exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual
2.21violence in one or more of the following ways:
2.22 (i) directly experiencing the traumatic event;
2.23 (ii) witnessing, in person, the event as it occurred to others;
2.24 (iii) learning that the traumatic event occurred to a close family member or close friend.
2.25In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event must have
2.26been violent or accidental; or
2.27 (iv) experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event.
2.28Exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures does not constitute a
2.29traumatic event unless the exposure is work-related.
2Section 1.
REVISOR KLL/VJ 25-0273701/29/25