MD SB449

Carroll County correctional deputies would be added to the list of public safety employees eligible for a presumption that heart disease or hypertension resulting in partial disability or death is an occupational disease suffered in the line of duty

Deputies must submit to a pre-employment medical examination to establish any existing heart disease or hypertension; the presumption only applies to conditions more severe than those documented prior to employment

Current deputies employed on or before September 30, 2026 must provide a medical report by December 31, 2026 disclosing any existing heart disease or hypertension as a condition of continued employment

Carroll County correctional deputies would be added to the definition of "public safety employee" for purposes of enhanced permanent partial disability benefits

Effective date: October 1, 2026, with provisions applying prospectively only to claims arising after that date