Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to broaden the definitions under the Minnesota public safety officer death benefit law. It seeks to ensure that more situations are covered where public safety officers are killed while performing their duties.

Main Provisions

• Expanded Definition of "Killed in the Line of Duty": The bill broadens the existing definition to include:

  • Deaths caused by accidental means while the officer is performing duties.
  • Deaths from heart attack, stroke, or vascular rupture presumed to result from personal injury sustained in the line of duty under stressful or strenuous conditions.
  • Death by suicide linked to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or occurring within 45 days of a traumatic event while on duty.
  • Deaths due to complications from infectious diseases acquired while on duty.

• Presumption Clauses: For deaths from heart attacks, strokes, or vascular ruptures, the bill outlines specific activities and timing after which these are presumed to be job-related unless there's strong medical evidence to the contrary. This includes engaging in nonroutine physical or stressful activities or training.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill significantly expands circumstances under which an officer's death is considered "in the line of duty." Previously, the definition did not explicitly include deaths from heart attacks, strokes, suicides linked to PTSD, or infectious diseases.
• It also introduces new procedural requirements like the 45-day post-exposure clause for deaths by suicide related to a traumatic event.

Relevant Terms

public safety officer, death benefit, line of duty, heart attack, stroke, vascular rupture, posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD, suicide, infectious disease, presumption, strenuous activity, traumatic event, accidental death.