Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
CS for SB 774
By
the Committee on Fiscal Policy; and Senators Pizzo,
Arrington, DiCeglie, Berman, Bernard, Rodriguez, and Massullo
594-02983-26 2026774c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to 911 public safety telecommunicator
3 employment-related mental or nervous injuries;
4 amending s. 112.1815, F.S.; defining the term “911
5 public safety telecommunicator”; providing that
6 specified provisions relating to certain medical
7 benefits for mental or nervous injuries for first
8 responders also apply to 911 public safety
9 telecommunicators; providing construction; providing a
10 declaration of important state interest; providing an
11 effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection
16 (2) of section 112.1815, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
17 112.1815 Firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical
18 technicians,
and
law enforcement officers
, and 911 public safety
19
telecommunicators
; special provisions for employment-related
20 accidents and injuries.—
21 (1)
As used in this section,
the term
:
22
(a)
“911 public safety telecommunicator” has the same
23
meaning as in s. 401.465(1).
24
(b)
“First responder”
as used in this section
means a law
25 enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as
26 defined in s. 633.102, or an emergency medical technician or
27 paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 employed by state or local
28 government. A volunteer law enforcement officer, firefighter, or
29 emergency medical technician or paramedic engaged by the state
30 or a local government is also considered a first responder of
31 the state or local government for purposes of this section.
32 (2)(a) For the purpose of determining benefits under this
33 section relating to employment-related accidents and injuries of
34 first responders
and 911 public safety telecommunicators
, the
35 following shall apply:
36 1. An injury or disease caused by the exposure to a toxic
37 substance is not an injury by accident arising out of employment
38 unless there is a preponderance of the evidence establishing
39 that exposure to the specific substance involved, at the levels
40 to which the first responder was exposed, can cause the injury
41 or disease sustained by the employee.
42 2. Any adverse result or complication caused by a smallpox
43 vaccination of a first responder is deemed to be an injury by
44 accident arising out of work performed in the course and scope
45 of employment.
46 3. A mental or nervous injury involving a first responder
47
or a 911 public safety telecommunicator
and occurring as a
48 manifestation of a compensable injury must be demonstrated by
49 clear and convincing evidence. For a mental or nervous injury
50 arising out of the employment unaccompanied by a physical injury
51 involving a first responder
or a 911 public safety
52
telecommunicator
, only medical benefits under s. 440.13 shall be
53 payable for the mental or nervous injury. However, payment of
54 indemnity as provided in s. 440.15 may not be made unless a
55 physical injury arising out of injury as a first responder
56 accompanies the mental or nervous injury. Benefits for a first
57 responder are not subject to any limitation on temporary
58 benefits under s. 440.093 or the 1-percent limitation on
59 permanent psychiatric impairment benefits under s. 440.15(3)(c).
60
Benefits for a 911 public safety telecommunicator are not
61
subject to any limitation on temporary benefits under s.
62
440.093.
63 Section 2.
The Legislature finds and declares that this act
64
fulfills an important state interest.
65 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.