HB0451 • 2026

911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Employment-related Mental or Nervous Injuries

Healthcare Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Holcomb ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Alvarez, D. ; Borrero ; Long
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states this bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, but also lists a last action of 'Died in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee' on March 13, 2026. This creates uncertainty about the current legal status despite the effective date listed as July 1, 2026.

Extending Mental Injury Medical Benefits to 911 Telecommunicators

This bill extends specific rules for medical benefits regarding mental or nervous injuries from first responders to include 911 public safety telecommunicators.

What This Bill Does

Adds the term '911 public safety telecommunicator' to state law covering employment-related accidents and injuries.
Applies special provisions for mental injury benefits to these telecommunicators alongside firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians.
Requires clear and convincing evidence to prove a work-caused mental or nervous injury if it is not accompanied by a physical injury.
Limits payment to only medical benefits for standalone mental injuries without other types of compensation unless a physical injury also occurs.
Removes limits on temporary benefit payments that usually apply under general workers' compensation rules.

Who It Names or Affects

911 public safety telecommunicators employed by state or local government
First responders including law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians

Terms To Know

911 public safety telecommunicator: A person defined in state statute s. 401.465(1) who answers emergency calls.
First responder: Law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians employed by the government or serving as volunteers for them.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not provide compensation for lost wages (indemnity) if a mental injury happens without an accompanying physical injury.
A claim requires clear proof that work exposure caused the specific mental or nervous condition when no physical harm occurred.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-11-24 House
• Referred to Insurance & Banking Subcommittee • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee • Referred to Budget Committee • Referred to Commerce Committee • Now in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
2025-11-18 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Employment-related Mental or Nervous Injuries; Provides that specified provisions relating to certain medical benefits for mental or nervous injuries for first responders also apply to 911 public safety telecommunicators.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 451 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb451-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to 911 public safety telecommunicator 2
employment-related mental or nervous injuries; 3
amending s. 112.1815, F.S.; defining the term "911 4
public safety telecommunicator"; providing that 5
specified provisions relating to certain medical 6
benefits for mental or nervous injuries for first 7
responders also apply to 911 public safety 8
telecommunicators; providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection 13
(2) of section 112.1815, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 14
112.1815 Firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical 15
technicians, and law enforcement officers, and 911 public safety 16
telecommunicators; special provisions for employment-related 17
accidents and injuries.— 18
(1) As used in this section, the term: 19
(a) "First responder" as used in this section means a law 20
enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as 21
defined in s. 633.102, or an emergency medical technician or 22
paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 employed by state or local 23
government. A volunteer law enforcement officer, firefighter, or 24
emergency medical technician or paramedic engaged by the state 25

HB 451 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb451-00
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

or a local government is also considered a first responder of 26
the state or local government for purposes of this section. 27
(b) "911 public safety telecommunicator" has the same 28
meaning as in s. 401.465(1). 29
(2)(a) For the purpose of determining benefits under this 30
section relating to employment-related accidents and injuries of 31
first responders and 911 public safety telecommunicators, the 32
following shall apply: 33
1. An injury or disease caused by the exposure to a toxic 34
substance is not an injury by accident arising out of employment 35
unless there is a preponderance of the evidence establishing 36
that exposure to the specific substance involved, at the levels 37
to which the first responder was exposed, can cause the injury 38
or disease sustained by the employee. 39
2. Any adverse result or complication caused by a smallpox 40
vaccination of a first responder is deemed to be an injury by 41
accident arising out of work performed in the course and scope 42
of employment. 43
3. A mental or nervous injury involving a first responder 44
or a 911 public safety telecommunicator and occurring as a 45
manifestation of a compensable injury must be demonstrated by 46
clear and convincing evidence. For a mental or nervous injury 47
arising out of the employment unaccompanied by a physical injury 48
involving a first responder or a 911 public safety 49
telecommunicator, only medical benefits under s. 440.13 shall be 50

HB 451 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb451-00
Page 3 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

payable for the mental or nervous injury. However, payment of 51
indemnity as provided in s. 440.15 may not be made unless a 52
physical injury arising out of injury as a first responder 53
accompanies the mental or nervous injury. Benefits for a first 54
responder are not subject to any limitation on temporary 55
benefits under s. 440.093 or the 1-percent limitation on 56
permanent psychiatric impairment benefits under s. 440.15(3)(c). 57
Benefits for a 911 public safety telecommunicator are not 58
subject to any limitation on temporary benefits under s. 59
440.093. 60
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 61