HB466--WORKERSCOMPENSATIONFORPTSD
SPONSOR: Gregory
ThisbillrecognizesPosttraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)asa
compensableoccupationaldiseaseforpurposesoftheWorkers'
CompensationLaw,ifdiagnosedinafirstresponderasspecifiedin
thebill.Benefitsarepayabletoafirstresponderwithoutthe
needforaphysicalinjuryandarenotsubjecttoanypreexisting
PTSD.
NoticeoftheinjuryordeathincasesofcompensablePTSDare
measuredfromexposuretooneofthequalifyingstressorslistedin
theDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalHealthDisorders,
FifthEdition(DSM-5),ordiagnosisofthedisorder. Anyclaimfor
compensationmustbemadetotheDivisionofWorkers'Compensation
withintheDepartmentofLaborandIndustrialRelationswithin52
weeksoftheexposuretothestessororfromdiagnosis,whichever
islater.