Revision: March 3, 2021, 1:35 p.m.
Senate Executive Departments and Administration
March 3, 2021
2021-0603s
11/08
Amendment to SB 142-FN
Amend Part I of the bill by replacing section 1 with the following:
1 New Section; Commission to Study the Incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders Reestablished. Amend RSA 281-A by inserting after section 17-c the following new section:
281-A:17-d Commission to Study the Incidence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders Reestablished.
I.(a) There is reestablished the 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) The commissioner of the department of corrections, or designee.
(7) A representative of the New Hampshire Municipal Association, appointed by the association.
(8) A representative of the New Hampshire Association of Counties, appointed by the association.
(9) A representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire, appointed by the alliance.
(10) A fire chief, appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs.
(11) One member appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police.
(12) One member appointed by the New Hampshire Police Association.
(13) A representative of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, appointed by that organization.
(14) A representative of the New Hampshire Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, appointed by the association.
(15) A representative of the New Hampshire Public Risk Management Exchange, appointed by that organization.
(16) 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 commission shall study:
(1) Costs associated with training and resources, application of training, and operation of the presumption that post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders is occupationally caused.
(2) Whether a first responder's death from suicide is a line of duty death.
(3) Life insurance payouts for first responders who die of suicide.
(4) Life insurance payouts for retired first responders who die of suicide.
(5) Federal line of duty deaths by suicide.
(6) Cost and administration of resiliency training.
(7) The need for culture change to enable first responders to openly address PTSD issues without impacting their careers.
(8) Discuss the intersection of benefits provided by Workers' Compensation and the New Hampshire Retirement System when a first responder retires because of PTSD and whether additional benefits are warranted, including a retirement insurance subsidy.
(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, 2021, the commission shall submit an interim 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 and shall submit a final report on or before November 1, 2022.