1142E 95th Legislative Session 906
AMENDMENT
1142E FOR THE INTRODUCED BILL
Introduced by: Representative Cwach
This bill has been extensively amended (hoghoused) and may no longer be consistent with the original intention of the sponsor.
An Act to provide for a study of post-traumatic stress disorder among first responders.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:
Section 1. That a NEW SECTION be added:
Post-traumatic stress disorder—Study committee.
A
study committee is created for the purpose of examining issues
related to post-traumatic stress disorder among first responders,
during the period beginning July 1, 2020, and ending December 31,
2020. The committee must consist of:
(1) Three
members of the Legislature, appointed by the Executive Board of the
Legislative Research Council, provided two of the members are from
the majority party and one member is from the minority party;
(2) The
secretary of the department of public safety, or the secretary's
designee;
(3) The
secretary of the department of health, or the secretary's designee;
(4) One
first responder appointed by the Governor from a list of three
nominees submitted by the South Dakota Fire Chiefs Association;
(5) One
first responder appointed by the Governor from a list of three
nominees submitted by the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association;
(6) One
first responder appointed by the Governor from a list of three
nominees submitted by the South Dakota Sheriffs Association;
(7) One
individual appointed by the Governor from a list of three nominees
submitted by the South Dakota Municipal League;
(8) One
licensed psychologist appointed by the Governor from a list of three
nominees submitted by the South Dakota Psychological Association,
provided the individual has a specialty in post-traumatic stress
disorder, has experience in law enforcement psychology, or has a
background in law, criminology, or any other relevant specialty; and
(9) One
individual appointed by the Governor from a list of three nominees
submitted by the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners.
Any
vacancy on the committee is to be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment.
Section 2. That a NEW SECTION be added:
Post-traumatic stress disorder study—Content—Report--Funding.
The
committee created in section 1 of this Act shall examine:
(1) The
prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among first responders;
(2) The
extent to which first responders' employment benefits provide health
insurance coverage for the treatment of post-traumatic stress
disorder;
(3) The
extent to which the state, political subdivisions, and private sector
employers provide services to first responders to address
post-traumatic stress disorder, and the sufficiency of any existing
services;
(4) The
degree to which employers of first responders are able to reassign
employees affected by post-traumatic stress disorder to less
stressful positions, in order that they may continue employment while
receiving mental health services;
(5) The
difficulty in establishing that post-traumatic stress disorder is
causally related to the line of employment;
(6) The
cost to employers and taxpayers from creating a rebuttal presumption
that post-traumatic stress disorder occurred as a result of service
in the line of duty, and ways to mitigate such cost;
(7) The
high rates of suicide among emergency responders and linkages of
those rates to:
(a) Occupational
stress;
(b) Exposure
to emotional trauma;
(c) Medication;
(d) Substance
abuse;
(e) Disciplinary
action; and
(f) Interaction
with the criminal and civil court system;
(8) State
policies that increase the stress levels for or suicide rates of
emergency responders; and
(9) Any
other issues deemed relevant to the study.
The
committee shall report any findings and recommendations, including
any legislation necessary to implement the recommendations, to the
Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council and the Governor,
on or before December 1, 2020.
The committee shall be funded and staffed as an interim legislative committee.
Catchlines are not law. (§ 2-16-13.1) Underscores indicate new language.
Overstrikes
indicate deleted language.