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HF2797 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Definitions and benefits in the public safety officer death benefit law expanded, and retroactive benefit awards provided.

Related bill: SF2821

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to expand the definitions and benefits under the Minnesota public safety officer death benefit law. It aims to provide retroactive benefits to families of public safety officers who pass away under specific circumstances while performing their duties.

Main Provisions

  • Expanded Definition of "Killed in the Line of Duty": The bill broadens this definition to include deaths resulting from accidental means while on duty. It covers cases of heart attacks, strokes, or vascular ruptures that occur during or shortly after engaging in specific strenuous physical activities related to their public safety roles.

  • Inclusion of Suicide: The bill includes deaths by suicide as "killed in the line of duty" under certain conditions. It covers cases where the suicide is related to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or occurs within 45 days of exposure to a traumatic event while on duty.

  • Infectious Disease Exposure: The bill also considers death due to complications from infectious diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, and other specified diseases, as "killed in the line of duty" if these diseases are a contributing factor to the death and were contracted in the line of duty.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • The bill provides a presumption that certain health-related deaths (like heart attacks) during or after specific duty activities are work-related, unless there is medical evidence to prove otherwise.

  • It introduces the concept that suicides related to PTSD or significant traumatic events recently experienced during duty are considered line-of-duty deaths for the purposes of awarding benefits.

  • It acknowledges and provides benefits for deaths due to certain infectious diseases acquired in the line of duty.

Relevant Terms

public safety officer, death benefit, line of duty, accidental means, heart attack, stroke, vascular rupture, PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, traumatic event, infectious diseases, COVID-19, retroactive benefits

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 25, 2025HouseFloorActionIntroduction and first reading, referred toPublic Safety Finance and Policy

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Includes deaths from accidental means in the line of duty definition.",
        "Specifies presumption rules for heart attack, stroke, or vascular rupture if occurred while on duty.",
        "Includes suicide secondary to PTSD or within 45 days of traumatic event as in the line of duty."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "Deaths from natural causes are generally excluded except as provided in this amendment."
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends definitions within the public safety officer death benefit law under section 299A.41, subdivision 3.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies conditions under which infectious diseases' complications are considered line of duty death."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "299A.41",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3"
  }
]

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