Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday signed legislation that provides first responders with supplemental compensation if they are diagnosed with work-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
House Bill 451 requires that all statewide public entities offer supplemental, illness-specific insurance benefits, either through an insurer or self-insured, for emergency responders who suffer from PTSD due to line-of-duty traumatic events that prevent them from continuing to work.
The law provides first responders with a lump sum $3,000 payment and up to 36 months of disability and income replacement benefits over the course of their lifetime if they are unable to return to work as a first responder. It covers both professional and volunteer first responders.