Florida HB 739: Disability Provisions for Firefighters and Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers

Bill Text

HB 739 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb739-00
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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to disability provisions for 2
firefighters and law enforcement and correctional 3
officers; amending s. 112.18, F.S.; providing and 4
revising definitions; providing that a previous 5
medical examination revealing no evidence of 6
tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension will 7
satisfy the preemployment physical examination 8
requirement; providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Section 112.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to 13
read: 14
112.18 Firefighters and law enforcement or correctional 15
officers; special provisions relative to disability.— 16
(1) As used in this section, the term: 17
(a) "Correctional officer" has the same meaning as in s. 18
943.10(2). 19
(b) "Correctional probation officer" has the same meaning 20
as in s. 943.10(3). 21
(c) "Fire service provider" has the same meaning as in s. 22
633.102. 23
(d) "Heart disease" means any organic, mechanical, or 24
functional abnormality of the heart, its structures, or the 25

HB 739 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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coronary arteries. 26
(e) "Law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as in 27
s. 943.10(1). 28
(f) "Medical specialist" means a physician licensed under 29
chapter 458 or chapter 459 who has a board certification in a 30
medical specialty inclusive of care and treatment of 31
tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension. 32
(g) "Prescribed course of treatment" means prescribed 33
medical courses of action and prescribed medicines for the 34
specific disease or diseases claimed, as documented by the 35
prescribing physician in the patient's medical records. 36
(2)(a)(1)(a) Any condition or impairment of health of any 37
Florida state, municipal, county, port authority, special tax 38
district, or fire control district firefighter or any law 39
enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional 40
probation officer as defined in s. 943.10(1), (2), or (3) caused 41
by tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension resulting in 42
total or partial disability or death shall be presumed to have 43
been accidental and to have been suffered in the line of duty 44
unless the contrary be shown by competent evidence. However, any 45
such firefighter, law enforcement officer, correctional officer, 46
or correctional probation officer must have successfully passed 47
a physical examination upon entering into any such service as a 48
firefighter, law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or 49
correctional probation officer, which examination failed to 50

HB 739 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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reveal any evidence of any such condition. Such presumption does 51
not apply to benefits payable under or granted in a policy of 52
life insurance or disability insurance, unless the insurer and 53
insured have negotiated for such additional benefits to be 54
included in the policy contract. 55
(b)1. If a firefighter did not undergo a preemployment 56
physical examination, the medical examination required by s. 57
633.412(5) is shall be deemed to satisfy the physical 58
examination requirement under paragraph (a), if the medical 59
examination completed pursuant to s. 633.412(5) failed to reveal 60
any evidence of tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension. 61
2. If a law enforcement officer did not undergo a 62
preemployment physical examination, the medical examination 63
required by s. 943.13 is deemed to satisfy the physical 64
examination requirement under paragraph (a), if the medical 65
examination completed pursuant to s. 943.13 failed to reveal any 66
evidence of tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension. 67
3.2. If a firefighter underwent a preemployment physical 68
examination, the employing fire service provider, as defined in 69
s. 633.102, must maintain records of the physical examination 70
for at least 5 years after the employee's separation from the 71
employing fire service provider. If the employing fire service 72
provider fails to maintain the records of the physical 73
examination for the 5-year period after the employee's 74
separation, it is presumed that the employee has met the 75

HB 739 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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requirements of paragraph (a). 76
(c)1. For any workers' compensation claim filed under this 77
section and chapter 440 occurring on or after July 1, 2010, a 78
law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional 79
probation officer as defined in s.