HB223--OCCUPATIONALDISEASESDIAGNOSEDINFIRSTRESPONDERS
SPONSOR:Crossley
Thebilldefinescertaintermssuchas"Firstresponder","Mentalimpairment",and"Posttraumatic
stressdisorder",alongwithspecificjobclassificationsincluding"Emergencymedicaltechnician",
"Emergencyservicestelecommunicator",and"Paramedic".
Thisbillprovidesthatif,precedingthedateofinjuryordeath,anemployeewhowasemployedon
activedutyasafirstresponderisdiagnosedwithamentalimpairmentandsuchpersonwasnot
previouslydiagnosedwithsuchanimpairment,theimpairmentshallpresumptivelybeconsidered
anoccupationaldiseaseandshallbepresumedtohavearisenoutofandinthecourseof
employment.Thispresumptionmayberebuttedbytheemployerorinsurer.
Oneormorecompensablementalimpairmentclaimsarisingoutofasingleaccidentshall
constituteasingleinjury.Amentalimpairmentarisingoutofandinthecourseofemployment
causedbyasingleaccidentorcumulativetraumashallalsoconstituteacompensablemental
impairmentclaim.
Furthermore,amentalimpairmentshallnotbeconsideredanoccupationaldiseaseifitresults
fromadisciplinaryaction,workevaluation,jobtransfer,layoff,demotion,promotion,termination,
retirement,orsimilaractiontakeningoodfaithbytheemployer.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1965(2020).