Bill > SB110

This bill, also known as Bryan's Law, amends the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act to expand the definition of line-of-duty death for firefighters, ambulance service or rescue squad members, law enforcement officers, and National Guard members. The bill now includes deaths resulting from mental health conditions directly related to traumatic events experienced while on duty, specifically allowing for death benefits in cases of suicide or death linked to diagnosed or undiagnosed psychiatric disorders stemming from traumatic work experiences. The bill defines "traumatic events" broadly, including incidents involving serious bodily injury, death, threats to life, child abuse, mass casualties, and crime scene responses. It establishes that a mental health professional's diagnosis of post-traumatic stress injury, acute stress disorder, or trauma-related disorder can be grounds for benefits, particularly if the individual sought help through employee assistance programs or mental health services. The bill applies retroactively to January 1, 2019, and provides a more comprehensive approach to recognizing the psychological toll of high-stress emergency and law enforcement work by acknowledging that mental health injuries can be as significant as physical injuries in determining line-of-duty death benefits.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=110