AN ACT CONCERNING WORKERS' COMPENSATION COVERAGE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS INJURIES.

This bill amends Connecticut's workers' compensation law to expand coverage for post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSD) among specific first responders. It directly affects police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, correctional employees, parole officers, and telecommunicators. The key change adds coverage when these workers witness a serious bodily injury (without death or loss of vital body function) to their job-related PTSD claims. This expands existing coverage to include PTSD resulting from such witnessed incidents, rather than only direct exposure to traumatic events. The policy change clarifies that these specific PTSD cases qualify for workers' compensation benefits under the amended statute.