Bill > HB203

This bill establishes a state program to provide financial support for extraordinary medical and dental expenses for full-time law enforcement officers and firefighters who are injured in the line of duty. The bill defines "extraordinary medical and dental expenses" as medical or dental costs not covered by workers' compensation or employer-provided health insurance. The program will be administered by the Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen's Survivor Benefit Review Board, which will review claims and make unanimous decisions within 60 days of receiving documentation. Eligible officers include full-time sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, state police, municipal police officers, and university/college police officers. The state risk director will pay up to $50,000 per injury per officer, with certain restrictions: benefits will not be paid if the injury was caused by the officer's intentional misconduct, voluntary intoxication, or gross negligence. Officers who are denied benefits have one year to file a lawsuit. The program will apply to medical expenses incurred due to line-of-duty injuries on or after January 1, 2023, and the bill itself will become effective on July 1, 2025.

Budget and Finance

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=25rs&b=HB203&sbi=y