CHAPTER 261
SB 553-FN - FINAL VERSION
03/15/2018 1116s
19Apr2018... 1347h
05/10/2018 1960EBA
2018 SESSION
18-2880
01/10
SENATE BILL 553-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Rep. Shurtleff, Merr. 11; Rep. Proulx, Hills. 44; Rep. M. McCarthy, Hills. 29; Rep. Elliott, Rock. 8
COMMITTEE: Commerce
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a commission to study the incidence of post traumatic stress disorder in first responders and whether such disorder should be covered under workers' compensation.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/15/2018 1116s
19Apr2018... 1347h
05/10/2018 1960EBA 18-2880
01/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
261:1 New Section; Commission to Study the Incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders and Whether Such Disorder Should be Covered Under Workers' Compensation. Amend RSA 281-A by inserting after section 17 the following new section:
281-A:17-a Commission Established.
I.(a) There is established a commission to study the incidence of post traumatic stress disorder in first responders and whether such disorder should be covered under workers' compensation. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(1) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(2) Three members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be from the labor, industrial and rehabilitative services committee, one of whom shall be from the executive departments and administration committee, and one of whom shall be from the state-federal relations and veterans affairs committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(3) The labor commissioner, or designee.
(4) The commissioner of safety, or designee.
(5) The insurance commissioner, or designee.
(6) A representative of the New Hampshire Municipal Association, appointed by the association.
(7) A representative of the New Hampshire Association of Counties, appointed by the association.
(8) A representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire, appointed by the alliance.
(9) A fire chief, appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs.
(10) One member appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police.
(11) One member appointed by the New Hampshire Police Association.
(12) A representative of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, appointed by that organization.
(13) A representative of the New Hampshire Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, appointed by the association.
(14) A representative of the New Hampshire Public Risk Management Exchange, appointed by that organization.
(15) An attorney, appointed by the New Hampshire Association for Justice.
(b) Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
II.(a) The commissions shall study:
(1) The prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among first responders.
(2) The prevalence of PTSD, or factors contributing to PTSD, among first responders at the time of hiring.
(3) The extent to which first responders’ employment benefits provide health insurance coverage for treatment of PTSD.
(4) The degree to which employers who hire first responders are capable of reassigning affected workers to less stressful positions that would allow employees to continue working while receiving mental health treatment.
(5) The degree to which employers currently provide peer-to-peer counseling programs for first responders, the effectiveness of such programs, and the degree to which such programs should be expanded and funded.
(6) The degree to which workplace culture prevents first responders from seeking assistance for mental health issues that may be caused or exacerbated by workplace stress.
(7) The extent to which prior military service may contribute to the rate of PTSD among first responders.
(8) The difficulty first responders currently have establishing that a PTSD diagnosis is causally related to employment.
(9) The difficulty employers would have establishing that a pre-employment condition or experience caused PTSD, rather than a first responders' current employment.
(10) The cost that creating a rebuttal presumption that PTSD was caused uncured during service in the line of duty would impose on public employers, private employers, and taxpayers, and funding solutions to mitigate such cost.
(11) Other issues the commission deems relevant to its study.
(b) The commission may solicit input from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.
III. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the senate member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Nine members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
IV. On or before November 1, 2018, the commission shall submit a report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library.
261:2 Repeal. RSA 281-A:17-a, relative to a commission to study the incidence of post traumatic stress disorder in first responders and whether such disorder should be covered under workers' compensation, is repealed.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2018.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved: June 12, 2018
Effective Date:
I. Section 2 shall take effect November 1, 2018.
II. Remainder shall take effect June 12, 2018.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 23, 2018 | Senate | Hearing |
| March 8, 2018 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| March 14, 2018 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| March 28, 2018 | House | Hearing |
| April 4, 2018 | House | Exec Session |
| April 4, 2018 | House | Exec Session |
| House | Floor Vote | |
| April 19, 2018 | House | Floor Vote |
June 12, 2018: II. Remainder shall take effect 06/12/2018
Nov. 1, 2018: I. Section 2 Effective 11/01/2018
June 12, 2018: Signed by the Governor on 06/12/2018; Chapter 0261
May 10, 2018: Enrolled (In recess 05/10/2018); SJ 18
May 10, 2018: Enrolled 05/10/2018
May 10, 2018: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2018-1960e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 05/10/2018); SJ 18
May 10, 2018: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2018-1960e: AA VV 05/10/2018
May 2, 2018: Sen. Innis Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/02/2018; SJ 15
May 2, 2018: Reconsideration will be taken up at the appropriate time; 05/02/2018; SJ 15
May 2, 2018: Sen. Soucy Moved to Reconsider the vote on Nonconcur with the House Amendment and Request a C of C, MA, VV; 05/02/2018; SJ 15
April 26, 2018: President Appoints: Senators Innis, French, Soucy; 04/26/2018; SJ 14
April 26, 2018: Sen. French Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of C, MA, VV; 04/26/2018; SJ 14
April 19, 2018: Ought to Pass with Amendment 1347h: MA RC 214-125 04/19/2018 HJ 13 P. 23
April 19, 2018: Amendment # 2018-1347h: AA VV 04/19/2018 HJ 13 P. 23
: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2018-1347h (Vote 11-9; RC)
April 19, 2018: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2018-1347h for 04/19/2018 (Vote 11-9; RC) HC 15 P. 13
April 4, 2018: ==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 04/04/2018 10:30 AM LOB 307
April 4, 2018: ==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 04/04/2018 10:00 AM LOB 307
March 28, 2018: Public Hearing: 03/28/2018 01:00 PM LOB 307
March 15, 2018: Introduced 03/15/2018 and referred to Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services HJ 8 P. 71
March 8, 2018: OT3rdg; 03/08/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Ordered to Third Reading; 03/15/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Sen. Daniels Waived Referral to Finance; 03/15/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2018-1116s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/15/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Sen. Bradley Floor Amendment # 2018-1116s, AA, VV; 03/15/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Sen. Bradley Moved Ought to Pass; 03/15/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Refer to Interim Study, MF, VV; 03/15/2018; SJ 8
March 15, 2018: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 03/15/2018;
March 15, 2018: Special Order to 03/15/2018, Without Objection, MA; 03/14/2018 SJ 7
March 14, 2018: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 03/14/2018; SC 11
March 15, 2018: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 03/15/2018; SC 11
March 14, 2018: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 03/14/2018; SC 11
March 8, 2018: Special Order to the next session, Without Objection, MA; 03/08/2018; SJ 6
March 8, 2018: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 03/08/2018; SC 10A
Jan. 23, 2018: Hearing: 01/23/2018, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 4
Jan. 3, 2018: Introduced 01/03/2018 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 2
Jan. 18, 2018: Introduced 01/18/2018 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 2