Senate Acts to Protect First Responders Permanently Injured in the Line of Duty
July 24, 2024(BOSTON—7/24/2024) Today the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed legislation to ensure that first responders who are permanently injured by violent acts in the line of duty receive their full regular compensation until they reach retirement age. S.2887, An Act relative to disability pensions and critical incident stress management for violent crimes, enshrines into law financial security for first responders and their families after a critical or life-threatening injury occurs while serving their state, county, city, or town.
“Every day when our first responders leave for work, they do so not knowing what the day will bring,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Today, the Senate has acted to ensure that these first responders and their families have financial security if the unthinkable does happen before they return home. I’m grateful to Senator Friedman for her leadership on this legislation, Chair Rodrigues, and all of my colleagues for their support.”
“I’m pleased that the Senate has closed this loophole in the Commonwealth’s retirement system by installing full accidental disability retirement benefits for injuries sustained by violence upon a first responder,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Our brave first responders deserve this protection, as they put their lives on the line every day and are often subject to violent attacks while performing their jobs. Any member who sustains permanent bodily injury should not have their retirement compensation penalized if they are a victim of a violent attack.”
“The push for authorizing full disability pensions for first responders violently injured on duty dates back to my time working with and for my predecessor, Senator Ken Donnelly,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “As a former firefighter, there was no bigger advocate of honoring the service and sacrifice of Massachusetts’ first responders than Ken, and I am honored to have been able to play a role in getting this bill through the Senate, further cementing Ken’s incredible legacy. This legislation will change the lives of first responders and their families in the Commonwealth who have had to suffer through tremendous hardship.”
The legislation authorizes any employee considered a member-in-service of a retirement board to be eligible for accidental disability retirement if they sustain a catastrophic, life-threatening, or life-altering and permanent bodily injury, and are no longer able to perform their duties. Retirement boards would review evidence deemed appropriate, such as a medical panel finding that the member is physically unable to perform the essential duties of their job due to a violent act injury, and that this inability is likely to be permanent.
The bill also requires that following any incident involving exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, a member must receive notice of critical incident stress management debriefing programs. This provision ensures that first responders have access to the mental health support they need after traumatic events.
Having previously been passed by the House, the bill will need one more enacting vote in each branch before being sent to the Governor for her consideration.
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