House Bill No. 6954 seeks to broaden the criteria for post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) workers' compensation coverage by introducing "witnessing a serious physical injury" as a new qualifying event. This amendment modifies the definition of "qualifying event" in section 31-294k of the general statutes, allowing eligible individuals, such as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, to receive benefits if they witness serious physical injuries that do not lead to death or permanent disfigurement. The bill also clarifies the definition of "serious physical injury" to align with section 53a-3. The new provision is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

In addition to the new insertion, the bill removes previous criteria related to witnessing traumatic physical injuries that result in permanent disfigurement, replacing it with the new criteria for serious physical injuries. The legislation establishes specific limitations and procedures for PTSI benefits, including a cap on benefits duration at 52 weeks and a prohibition on claims being awarded more than four years after the qualifying event. Employers are required to contest claims through a process similar to that used for other workers' compensation claims. The anticipated increase in claims may lead to potential costs for the Department of Administrative Services and self-insured municipalities.