Florida SB 774: Dependency Proceedings

Bill Text

774 
911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Employment-related Mental or Nervous Injuries 
2026-02-18T12:06:32Z 
Defining the term “911 public safety telecommunicator”; providing that specified provisions relating to certain medical benefits for mental or nervous injuries for first responders also apply to 911 public safety telecommunicators, etc. 
Committee Substitute 1 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
c1 

 Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 774 

 By the Committee on Fiscal Policy; and Senators Pizzo, 
 Arrington, DiCeglie, Berman, Bernard, Rodriguez, and Massullo 

 594-02983-26 2026774c1 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to 911 public safety telecommunicator 
 3 employment-related mental or nervous injuries; 
 4 amending s. 112.1815, F.S.; defining the term “911 
 5 public safety telecommunicator”; providing that 
 6 specified provisions relating to certain medical 
 7 benefits for mental or nervous injuries for first 
 8 responders also apply to 911 public safety 
 9 telecommunicators; providing construction; providing a 
 10 declaration of important state interest; providing an 
 11 effective date. 
 12 
 13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 14 
 15 Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection 
 16 (2) of section 112.1815, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 
 17 112.1815 Firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical 
 18 technicians, and law enforcement officers, and 911 public safety 
 19 telecommunicators; special provisions for employment-related 
 20 accidents and injuries.— 
 21 (1) As used in this section, the term: 
 22 (a) “911 public safety telecommunicator” has the same 
 23 meaning as in s. 401.465(1). 
 24 (b) “First responder” as used in this section means a law 
 25 enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as 
 26 defined in s. 633.102, or an emergency medical technician or 
 27 paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 employed by state or local 
 28 government. A volunteer law enforcement officer, firefighter, or 
 29 emergency medical technician or paramedic engaged by the state 
 30 or a local government is also considered a first responder of 
 31 the state or local government for purposes of this section. 
 32 (2)(a) For the purpose of determining benefits under this 
 33 section relating to employment-related accidents and injuries of 
 34 first responders and 911 public safety telecommunicators, the 
 35 following shall apply: 
 36 1. An injury or disease caused by the exposure to a toxic 
 37 substance is not an injury by accident arising out of employment 
 38 unless there is a preponderance of the evidence establishing 
 39 that exposure to the specific substance involved, at the levels 
 40 to which the first responder was exposed, can cause the injury 
 41 or disease sustained by the employee. 
 42 2. Any adverse result or complication caused by a smallpox 
 43 vaccination of a first responder is deemed to be an injury by 
 44 accident arising out of work performed in the course and scope 
 45 of employment. 
 46 3. A mental or nervous injury involving a first responder 
 47 or a 911 public safety telecommunicator and occurring as a 
 48 manifestation of a compensable injury must be demonstrated by 
 49 clear and convincing evidence. For a mental or nervous injury 
 50 arising out of the employment unaccompanied by a physical injury 
 51 involving a first responder or a 911 public safety 
 52 telecommunicator, only medical benefits under s. 440.13 shall be 
 53 payable for the mental or nervous injury. However, payment of 
 54 indemnity as provided in s. 440.15 may not be made unless a 
 55 physical injury arising out of injury as a first responder 
 56 accompanies the mental or nervous injury. Benefits for a first 
 57 responder are not subject to any limitation on temporary 
 58 benefits under s. 440.093 or the 1-percent limitation on 
 59 permanent psychiatric impairment benefits under s. 440.15(3)(c). 
 60 Benefits for a 911 public safety telecommunicator are not 
 61 subject to any limitation on temporary benefits under s. 
 62 440.093. 
 63 Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares that this act 
 64 fulfills an important state interest. 
 65 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.