NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7272

Senate Bill S7272

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to benefits for police officers, correction officers, firefighters, and other emergency personnel diagnosed with PTSD

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Local Government Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 07, 2025	referred to local government

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2025-S7272 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8037
Current Committee:: Senate Local Government
Law Section:: General Municipal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§207-a & 207-c, Gen Muni L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: A11294
2019-2020: S5292, A1979
2021-2022: S4234, A4939
2023-2024: S3367, A2302

2025-S7272 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to benefits for police officers, correction officers, firefighters, and other emergency personnel diagnosed with PTSD by making their injury compensable if it cannot be shown, by a preponderance of evidence, that the PTSD was caused by factors unrelated to their occupation.

2025-S7272 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7272

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to benefits for
police officers, correction officers, firefighters, and other emergency
personnel diagnosed with PTSD

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To ensure that New York's first responders are rightfully compensated
for their service, specifically when they suffer from post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their duty to the people of New
York, this bill adds PTSD to the list of eligible medical conditions for
§ 207-a and 207-c benefits.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill amends subdivision 1 of Section 207-a of General
Municipal Law (GML) to provide that a diagnosis of PTSD from a psychol-
ogist or psychiatrist for certain firefighter titles outlined in this

section shall be compensable for the workplace injury benefits provided
in GML § 207-a unless it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence
that the PTSD was caused by non-service connected risk factors/exposure.

Sections two and three of this bill creates this same PTSD presumption
for certain police titles who receive the same workplace injury benefits
under § 207-c of General Municipal Law.

Section four of this bill provides that this act shall take effect imme-
diately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to a publication in May 2018 by the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, more than 50 percent of firefighter
deaths are from stress or exhaustion in the United States and about 30
percent of firefighters report having depression or PTSD compared to 20
percent of the general population.

In addition, countless studies and research have been conducted and
published regarding the increase in reported PTSD by police officers
following the 9/11 attacks in NYC.

This bill justly adds the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder to
the list of eligible medical conditions eligible for workplace injury
benefits provided to firefighters and police officers under Sections
207-a and 207-c of General Municipal Law (GML). These 207-a/207-c bene-
fits are similar to workers compensation in that they are meant to cover
wages and medical care for workplace-related injuries.

This bill builds upon Ch. 79 of 2025, which made it vastly easier for a
range of first responders to access workers compensation for PTSD inju-
ries by prohibiting the Workers Compensation Board from rejecting PTSD
workers comp claims so long as the first responder could point to a
specific work-related event that led to the PTSD and was able to submit
an accompanying diagnosis with sufficient medical evidence. As many
firefighters and police officers receive GML § 207-a or 207-c benefits
in lieu of workers comp, this bill aims to extend this same ability to
access workers comp-like benefits for PTSD injuries to these valuable
first responders.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

TBD

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S7272 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7272
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. GOUNARDES, JACKSON -- read twice and ordered print-
   ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Govern-
   ment
 
 AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to  benefits  for
   police officers, correction officers, firefighters, and other emergen-
   cy personnel diagnosed with PTSD

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 207-a  of  the  general  municipal
 law, as amended by chapter 27 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as
 follows:
   1.  Any paid firefighter which term as used in this section shall mean
 any paid officer or member of an organized fire company or fire  depart-
 ment  of a city of less than one million population, or town, village or
 fire district, or any paid firefighter of a  county  airport  or  county
 aviation  department which performs fire response or fire rescue duties,
 who is injured in the performance of [his or her] THEIR duties or who is
 taken sick as a result of the performance of [his or her]  THEIR  duties
 so  as  to necessitate medical or other lawful remedial treatment, shall
 be paid by the municipality or fire district by which  [he  or  she  is]
 THEY  ARE  employed the full amount of [his or her] THEIR regular salary
 or wages until [his or  her]  THEIR  disability  arising  therefrom  has
 ceased,  and,  in  addition, such municipality or fire district shall be
 liable for all medical treatment and hospital care furnished during such
 disability. FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS  SECTION,  SUCH  DISABILITY  SHALL
 INCLUDE  POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS DISORDER, AS DIAGNOSED BY A PSYCHIATRIST
 OR PSYCHOLOGIST, AND SHALL BE PRESUMED  TO  HAVE  BEEN  INCURRED  DURING
 SERVICE IN THE LINE OF DUTY AND SHALL BE COMPENSABLE UNDER THIS SECTION,
 UNLESS  IT  IS  SHOWN BY A PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE THAT THAT POST-
 TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER WAS CAUSED SOLELY BY NONSERVICE-CONNECTED RISK
 FACTORS  OR  NONSERVICE-CONNECTED  EXPOSURE.  Provided,   however,   and
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07842-02-5

 S. 7272                             2
 
 notwithstanding  the foregoing provisions of this section, the municipal
 health authorities or any physician appointed for  the  purpose  by  the
 municipality or fire district, may attend any such injured or sick fire-
 fighter, from time to time, for the purpose of providing medical, surgi-
 cal,  or other treatment, or for making inspections and the municipality
 or fire district shall not be liable for salary or wages payable to such
 a firefighter, or for the cost of medical or hospital care or  treatment
 furnished,  after  such date as the health authorities or such physician
 shall certify that such injured or sick firefighter has recovered and is
 physically able to perform [his or her]  THEIR  regular  duties  in  the
 company  or department. Any injured or sick firefighter who shall refuse
 to accept such medical treatment or hospital care  or  shall  refuse  to
 permit  medical inspections as herein authorized, including examinations
 resulting from the application  of  subdivision  two  hereof,  shall  be
 deemed  to  have  waived [his or her] THEIR rights under this section in
 respect to expenses incurred for medical treatment or hospital  care  or
 salary or wages payable after such refusal.
   Notwithstanding  any  provision  of law to the contrary, a provider of
 medical treatment or hospital care furnished pursuant to the  provisions
 of  this  section  shall not collect or attempt to collect reimbursement
 for such treatment or care from any such member of the  fire  department
 of any such city.
   §  2.  Subdivision 1 of section 207-c of the general municipal law, as
 amended by section 55 of chapter 476 of the laws of 2018, is amended  to
 read as follows:
   1. Any sheriff, undersheriff, deputy sheriff or corrections officer of
 the  sheriff's  department of any county or any member of a police force
 of any county, city  of  less  than  one  million  population,  town  or
 village,  or of any district, agency, board, body or commission thereof,
 or any LIRR police officer as defined in paragraph two of subdivision  a
 of  section three hundred eighty-nine of the retirement and social secu-
 rity law whose benefits are provided in and  pursuant  to  such  section
 three  hundred  eighty-nine,  or  a  detective-investigator or any other
 investigator who is a police officer pursuant to the provisions  of  the
 criminal  procedure law employed in the office of a district attorney of
 any county, or any corrections officer of the county of Erie  department
 of  corrections, or an advanced ambulance medical technician employed by
 the county of Nassau, or any detention officer employed by the  city  of
 Yonkers,  or  any  supervising  fire  inspector,  fire  inspector,  fire
 marshal, or assistant fire marshal employed full-time in the  county  of
 Nassau  fire marshal's office, or at the option of the county of Nassau,
 any probation officer of the county of Nassau  who  is  injured  in  the
 performance  of  [his  or  her]  THEIR  duties or who is taken sick as a
 result of the performance of [his or her] THEIR duties so as to necessi-
 tate medical or other lawful remedial treatment shall  be  paid  by  the
 municipality  or  The  Long Island Rail Road Company by which [he or she
 is] THEY ARE employed the full amount of  [his  or  her]  THEIR  regular
 salary  or  wages from such employer until [his or her] THEIR disability
 arising therefrom has ceased, and, in addition such municipality or  The
 Long  Island Rail Road Company shall be liable for all medical treatment
 and hospital care necessitated by reason of such injury or illness.  FOR
 THE  PURPOSES  OF THIS SECTION, SUCH DISABILITY SHALL INCLUDE POST-TRAU-
 MATIC STRESS DISORDER, AS DIAGNOSED BY A PSYCHIATRIST  OR  PSYCHOLOGIST,
 AND  SHALL  BE PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN INCURRED DURING SERVICE IN THE LINE
 OF DUTY AND SHALL BE COMPENSABLE UNDER THIS SECTION, UNLESS IT IS  SHOWN
 BY  A  PREPONDERANCE  OF  THE  EVIDENCE  THAT THAT POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
 S. 7272                             3
 
 DISORDER WAS CAUSED  SOLELY  BY  NONSERVICE-CONNECTED  RISK  FACTORS  OR
 NONSERVICE-CONNECTED  EXPOSURE.  Provided,  however, and notwithstanding
 the foregoing provisions of this section,  the  municipal  or  The  Long
 Island  Rail  Road Company health authorities or any physician appointed
 for the purpose by the municipality or The Long Island Rail Road  Compa-
 ny,  as  relevant,  after  a determination has first been made that such
 injury or sickness was incurred during, or resulted from, such  perform-
 ance  of  duty, may attend any such injured or sick police officer, from
 time to time, for the purpose of providing medical,  surgical  or  other
 treatment,  or  for making inspections, and the municipality or The Long
 Island Rail Road Company, as the case may be, shall not  be  liable  for
 salary  or  wages  payable  to  such  police officer, or for the cost of
 medical treatment or hospital care furnished after  such  date  as  such
 health  authorities or physician shall certify that such injured or sick
 police officer has recovered and is physically able to perform  [his  or
 her]  THEIR regular duties. Any injured or sick police officer who shall
 refuse to accept medical treatment or hospital care or shall  refuse  to
 permit  medical inspections as herein authorized, including examinations
 pursuant to subdivision two of this section, shall  be  deemed  to  have
 waived  [his  or  her]  THEIR  rights  under  this section in respect to
 expenses for medical treatment or hospital care rendered and for  salary
 or wages payable after such refusal.
   Notwithstanding  any  provision  of law to the contrary, a provider of
 medical treatment or hospital care furnished pursuant to the  provisions
 of  this  section  shall not collect or attempt to collect reimbursement
 for such treatment or care  from  any  such  police  officer,  any  such
 advanced ambulance medical technician or any such detention officer.
   §  3.  Subdivision 1 of section 207-c of the general municipal law, as
 amended by section 56 of chapter 476 of the laws of 2018, is amended  to
 read as follows:
   1. Any sheriff, undersheriff, deputy sheriff or corrections officer of
 the  sheriff's  department  of  any county (hereinafter referred to as a
 "police officer") or any member of a police force of any county, city of
 less than one million population, town or village, or of  any  district,
 agency,  board,  body or commission thereof, or a detective-investigator
 or any other investigator who  is  a  police  officer  pursuant  to  the
 provisions  of  the  criminal  procedure law employed in the office of a
 district attorney of any county, or any corrections officer of the coun-
 ty of Erie department of corrections, or an advanced  ambulance  medical
 technician  employed  by  the county of Nassau, or any detention officer
 employed by the city of Yonkers, or any supervising fire inspector, fire
 inspector, fire marshal or assistant fire marshal employed full-time  in
 the  county  of  Nassau  fire  marshal's office, or at the option of the
 county of Nassau, any probation officer of the county of Nassau  who  is
 injured  in the performance of [his or her] THEIR duties or who is taken
 sick as a result of the performance of [his or her] THEIR duties  so  as
 to  necessitate medical or other lawful remedial treatment shall be paid
 by the municipality by which [he or she is] THEY ARE employed  the  full
 amount  of [his or her] THEIR regular salary or wages until [his or her]
 THEIR disability arising therefrom has ceased,  and,  in  addition  such
 municipality shall be liable for all medical treatment and hospital care
 necessitated  by  reason  of such injury or illness. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS SECTION, SUCH DISABILITY SHALL INCLUDE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISOR-
 DER, AS DIAGNOSED BY  A  PSYCHIATRIST  OR  PSYCHOLOGIST,  AND  SHALL  BE
 PRESUMED  TO  HAVE  BEEN INCURRED DURING SERVICE IN THE LINE OF DUTY AND
 SHALL BE COMPENSABLE UNDER THIS SECTION, UNLESS IT IS SHOWN BY A PREPON-
 S. 7272                             4
 
 DERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE THAT THAT  POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS  DISORDER  WAS
 CAUSED  SOLELY  BY  NONSERVICE-CONNECTED RISK FACTORS OR NONSERVICE-CON-
 NECTED EXPOSURE. Provided, however, and  notwithstanding  the  foregoing
 provisions  of  this  section,  the  municipal health authorities or any
 physician appointed for the purpose by the municipality, after a  deter-
 mination  has  first been made that such injury or sickness was incurred
 during, or resulted from, such performance of duty, may attend any  such
 injured  or  sick  police officer, from time to time, for the purpose of
 providing  medical,  surgical  or  other  treatment,   or   for   making
 inspections and the municipality shall not be liable for salary or wages
 payable  to such police officer, or for the cost of medical treatment or
 hospital care furnished after such date as such  health  authorities  or
 physician  shall  certify  that  such injured or sick police officer has
 recovered and is physically able to perform [his or her]  THEIR  regular
 duties.    Any injured or sick police officer who shall refuse to accept
 medical treatment or hospital care or shall  refuse  to  permit  medical
 inspections  as  herein  authorized,  including examinations pursuant to
 subdivision two of this section, shall be deemed to have waived [his  or
 her]  THEIR rights under this section in respect to expenses for medical
 treatment or hospital care rendered and  for  salary  or  wages  payable
 after such refusal.
   Notwithstanding  any  provision  of law to the contrary, a provider of
 medical treatment or hospital care furnished pursuant to the  provisions
 of  this  section  shall not collect or attempt to collect reimbursement
 for such treatment or care from any such police officer, a member  of  a
 police  force  of  any county, city, any such advanced ambulance medical
 technician, any such detention officer or any such  detective-investiga-
 tor  or  any other such investigator who is a police officer pursuant to
 the provisions of the criminal procedure law.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
 the  amendments to subdivision 1 of section 207-c of the general munici-
 pal law made by section three of this act shall take effect on the  same
 date  and  in  the same manner as chapter 628 of the laws of 1991, takes
 effect.

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Senate Bill S7272

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Sponsored By

Andrew Gounardes