The newly enacted "Military Leave for First Responders Act" mandates that certain employers, specifically organized fire departments and law enforcement agencies, provide paid military leave to their full-time members who are enlisted in the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Each qualified member is entitled to a minimum of 26 days of paid military leave annually, which must be compensated at their regular pay rate along with any contractually required fringe benefits if they are part of a bargaining unit. The act specifies that unused paid military leave cannot be carried over to the next year and will lapse at the end of the calendar year in which it is provided.

Additionally, the act outlines the procedures for requesting military leave, including the requirement for members to present military orders to their employer. It also stipulates that if a member is not a qualified member but needs to attend a preinduction physical examination, they are entitled to paid military leave for that purpose. The act ensures that it does not diminish any existing wages or benefits for members covered by collective bargaining agreements, establishing a minimum benefit level for military leave. The provisions of this act take effect immediately upon its passage.