House Bill No. 6954 seeks to amend the current workers' compensation law by introducing "witnessing a serious physical injury" as a new qualifying event for post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) coverage for specific eligible individuals, including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and health care providers. The bill defines "serious physical injury" in accordance with section 53a-3 and clarifies that this event does not involve the death of the individual or the loss of a vital body part or function leading to permanent disfigurement. This new provision will take effect on October 1, 2025.

In addition to the new insertion, the bill removes the previous qualifying event of witnessing a traumatic physical injury that results in the loss of a vital body part or permanent disfigurement. It also updates definitions related to eligible individuals and their roles to align with current standards. The legislation establishes specific limitations and procedures for PTSI benefits, including a 52-week cap on benefits duration and a prohibition on claims being awarded more than four years after the qualifying event. The bill is anticipated to impact the Department of Administrative Services and self-insured municipalities financially starting in FY 26, as the expanded eligibility may lead to an increase in benefit applications.