H.F. No. 4515 Summary

• Adds pandemic-related communicable disease presumption for firefighters exposed during employment, with compensation available if exposure is employment-related and disease is designated as pandemic by WHO or CDC.

• Establishes occupational disease presumption for post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses in firefighters, police officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, nurses, dispatchers, corrections officers, and state patrol members when diagnosed without prior history.

• Defines "mental impairment" as post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed by licensed psychiatrist or psychologist using the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

• Creates new line of duty benefit provisions allowing firefighters who qualify for workers' compensation under occupational disease rules to receive additional injury-on-duty benefits under collective bargaining agreements, civil service rules, or employer policies.

• Makes all provisions effective retroactively to March 10, 2020.