This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299A.41, to expand eligibility for survivor benefits for public safety officers who die in the line of duty, particularly due to exposure-related cancers. New definitions are introduced, including "carcinogen" and "exposure-related cancer," which lists specific types of cancer linked to such exposures. The bill also clarifies that a public safety officer's death from exposure-related cancer will be presumed to be in the line of duty if certain conditions are met, such as the timing of the diagnosis relative to their service and the nature of their exposure.

Additionally, the bill modifies the definition of "killed in the line of duty" to include deaths resulting from complications of infectious diseases and establishes criteria for what constitutes "nonroutine strenuous physical activity." It also expands the definition of "public safety officer" to include individuals who have separated from service due to duty-related disabilities. The bill includes provisions for filing claims related to exposure-related cancer deaths, allowing individuals to file claims retroactively for deaths occurring after January 1, 2020. The effective date for these changes is set for the day following final enactment, with retroactive application from February 1, 2020.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 299A.41
1st Engrossment: 299A.41