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Paying First Responders Injured in the Line of Duty
Status
Signed into Law
An Act relative to disability pensions and critical incident stress management for violent crimes
This legislation 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.
Highlights
- The legislation allows first responders who cannot perform the essential functions of their job due to a violent act injury to receive a disability pension equal to 100 percent of their regular compensation. This amount will be reduced to 80 percent when they reach the mandatory retirement age.
- Provides access to education about critical incident stress management debriefing programs, included mental health supports, to impacted first responders.
- Local retirement boards are now empowered to decide whether a first responder’s injuries have permanently impacted their ability to perform their duty.
- Impacted first responders include; police officers, firefighters, public EMTs, municipal EMTs, public licensed health care professionals, and municipal licensed health care professionals.
"I have fought to authorize full disability pensions for first responders violently injured on duty dating back to my time working with and for my predecessor, Senator Ken Donnelly. As a former firefighter, there was no bigger advocate of honoring the service and sacrifice of first responders of Massachusetts than Ken, and I am honored to have been able to play a role in getting this bill signed by the Governor, further cementing Ken’s incredible legacy. This legislation will change the lives of first responders and their families who have had to suffer through tremendous hardship."
- Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington)
- Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington)
