Bill > HF2797

This bill expands the definition of "killed in the line of duty" for public safety officers to include several additional scenarios. The bill broadens the circumstances under which a public safety officer's death can be considered line of duty, now including deaths from heart attacks, strokes, or vascular ruptures during or shortly after emergency response activities, even if the physical activity is not explicitly deemed "strenuous." The bill also now recognizes deaths by suicide related to diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder or within 45 days of a traumatic on-duty event. Furthermore, the bill adds a new provision that considers deaths resulting from complications caused by exposure to specific infectious diseases like COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and others as line of duty deaths. The definition of "public safety officer" is also expanded to include part-time employees in addition to full-time employees. The bill is retroactive, applying from February 1, 2020, and allows for the review and potential reopening of previously denied benefit claims. Individuals can file claims for deaths occurring before July 1, 2025, until July 1, 2027, with the commissioner of public safety required to review and potentially award benefits based on the new expanded definitions.

Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2797&ssn=0&y=2025