Senate Bill 14-172 Summary

• Establishes employer-paid benefits for firefighters who suffer cardiac illnesses (coronary thrombosis, cerebral vascular accident, myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest) resulting from strenuous work events.

• Requires employers (municipalities, special districts, fire authorities, or county improvement districts) to maintain accident insurance, self-insurance, or participate in a self-insurance pool to provide minimum benefits ranging from $4,000 lump-sum payments up to $250,000 maximum per incident.

• Benefits include hospitalization payments ($1,500-$2,000 per week), rehabilitative employment services (up to $25,000), and cosmetic disfigurement payments ($10,000), with benefits reduced 25% if firefighter smoked tobacco within 5 years before the work event.

• Requires firefighters to have at least 5 years continuous full-time employment, a pre-employment medical examination showing no prior cardiac conditions, and cardiac event occurring during or within 48 hours of a work event to qualify.

• Creates Firefighter Benefits Cash Fund with $850,350 appropriated for fiscal year 2014-2015 and authorizes the Department of Local Affairs to reimburse employers for insurance costs; bill becomes effective January 1, 2015.