SF 2731

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/21/2025 09:49 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; expanding definitions in the public safety officer death
benefit law; requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299A.41,
subdivisions 3, 4; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
299A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299A.41, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Killed in the line of duty.

(a) "Killed in the line of duty" does not include
deaths from natural causes, except as provided in this subdivision. In the case of a public
safety officer, killed in the line of duty includes the death of a public safety officer caused
by accidental means while the public safety officer is acting in the course and scope of
duties as a public safety officer. Killed in the line of duty also means if a public safety officer
dies as the direct and proximate result of a heart attack, stroke, or vascular rupture, that
officer shall be presumed to have died as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury
sustained in the line of duty if:

(1) that officer, while on duty:

(i) engaged in a deleted text begin situation, and that engagement involved nonroutine stressful or strenuous
physical deleted text end law enforcement, fire suppression, rescue, hazardous material response, emergency
medical services, prison security, disaster relief, or other emergency response activity; or

(ii) participated in a training exercise deleted text begin , and that participation involved nonroutine stressful
or strenuous physical activity deleted text end ;

(2) that officer died as a result of a heart attack, stroke, or vascular rupture suffered:

(i) while engaging or participating under clause (1);

(ii) while still on duty after engaging or participating under clause (1); or

(iii) not later than 24 hours after engaging or participating under clause (1); and

(3) the presumption is not overcome by competent medical evidence to the contrary.

(b) "Killed in the line of duty" also means that the officer died due to suicide:

(1) secondary to a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder as described in the most
recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by
the American Psychiatric Association; or

(2) within 45 days of the end of exposure, while on duty, to a traumatic event.

new text begin (c) "Killed in the line of duty" also means that the officer died as a result of complications
caused by exposure sustained in the line of duty to an infectious disease, virus, or bacteria.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE; RETROACTIVE APPLICATION. new text end

new text begin Paragraphs (a) and (b) are
effective the day following final enactment and apply retroactively from November 1, 2022.
Paragraph (c) is effective the day following final enactment and applies retroactively from
February 1, 2020.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299A.41, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Public safety officer.

"Public safety officer" includes:

(1) a peace officer defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c) or (d);

(2) a correction officer employed at a correctional facility and charged with maintaining
the safety, security, discipline, and custody of inmates at the facility;

(3) a corrections staff person working in a public agency and supervising offenders in
the community as defined in sections 243.05, subdivision 6; 244.19, subdivision 1; and
401.01, subdivision 2;

(4) an individual employed on a full-time new text begin or part-time new text end basis by the state or by a fire
department of a governmental subdivision of the state, who is engaged in any of the following
duties:

(i) firefighting;

(ii) emergency motor vehicle operation;

(iii) investigation into the cause and origin of fires;

(iv) the provision of emergency medical services; or

(v) hazardous material responder;

(5) a legally enrolled member of a volunteer fire department or member of an independent
nonprofit firefighting corporation who is engaged in the hazards of firefighting;

(6) a good samaritan while complying with the request or direction of a public safety
officer to assist the officer;

(7) a reserve police officer or a reserve deputy sheriff while acting under the supervision
and authority of a political subdivision;

(8) a driver or attendant with a licensed basic or advanced life-support transportation
service who is engaged in providing emergency care;

(9) a first responder who is certified by the director of the Office of Emergency Medical
Services to perform basic emergency skills before the arrival of a licensed ambulance service
and who is a member of an organized service recognized by a local political subdivision to
respond to medical emergencies to provide initial medical care before the arrival of an
ambulance; and

(10) a person, other than a state trooper, employed by the commissioner of public safety
and assigned to the State Patrol, whose primary employment duty is either Capitol security
or the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle laws and regulations.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE; RETROACTIVE APPLICATION. new text end

new text begin This section is effective
the day following final enactment and applies retroactively from November 1, 2022.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [299A.471] REQUIRED REPORTS ON FEDERAL LAW CHANGES.
new text end

new text begin By February 1 of each odd-numbered year, the commissioner of public safety shall report
to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction
over public safety finance regarding any changes in federal law relating to public safety
officer and survivor benefits made in the preceding two years.
new text end