BILL NUMBER: S5619
SPONSOR: ASHBY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to allowing first
responders who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder to
request line of duty sick leave
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide line of duty sick leave to first responders whit) are diag-
nosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends general municipal law by adding a new section 92-e to
require that first responders who are diagnosed with post-traumatic
stress disorder by a licensed psychiatrist as a result of the perform-
ance of their duties are granted line of duty sick leave per their writ-
ten request; to ensure that employers do not take adverse personnel
action against a first responder who requests line of duty sick leave
due to post-traumatic stress disorder; to define "adverse political
action" as any discipline against an employee utilizing line of duty
sick leave as a result of being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress
disorder.
Section 2 declares that the state will reimburse any public authority or
municipal corporation of less than one million people for the cost of
any line of duty sick leave granted pursuant to this act.
Section 3 asserts that the bill will take effect immediately, and any
employee of the state, public authority, or municipal corporation who is
utilizing line of duty sick leave due to being diagnosed with post-trau-
matic stress disorder shall receive a restoration of such sick leave
retroactive to the date such employee was diagnosed with post-traumatic
stress disorder.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a serious and debilitating
mental health condition. First responders, including firefighters,
police officers, and emergency medical personnel, who are diagnosed with
post-traumatic stress disorder should be entitled to line of duty sick
leave. This legislation aims to support and protect New York State's
first responders who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress
disorder as a result of the performance of their duties by granting them
line of duty sick leave without the loss of their accrued sick leave or
vacation leave.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S.4255 - Referred to Gov Ops.
2021-22: A.4646- Referred to governmental employees.
 
FISCAL /IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, and any employee of the state,
public authority, or municipal corporation who is utilizing line of duty
sick leave due to being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
shall receive a restoration of such sick leave retroactive to the date
such employee was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.