CT HB05279

Grants fire chiefs authority to declare a paid or volunteer firefighter's death as "in the line of duty" if caused by a cardiac event, stroke, or pulmonary embolism occurring within 24 hours of completing a shift or training, effective October 1, 2024

Grants police chiefs the same authority to make line-of-duty death determinations for police officers who die from a cardiac event, stroke, or pulmonary embolism within 24 hours of concluding a shift or training

Extends identical line-of-duty death declaration authority to service chiefs or administrative heads of EMS organizations for emergency medical service personnel under the same 24-hour and medical cause criteria

Preserves existing authority where a local charter or ordinance in effect on October 1, 2024, already assigns line-of-duty determination power to a different individual or entity

Explicitly prohibits any such line-of-duty declaration from being used as evidence in a workers' compensation claim under Chapter 568 of the Connecticut General Statutes