Includes police officers to fire fighters who are unable to perform duties as a result of heart disease, stroke or hypertension to be presumed to have suffered an in-the-line-of-duty disability, unless contrary evidence is presented.
Summary
H5372 amends Rhode Island’s laws governing relief for injured and deceased firefighters and police officers by extending an existing presumption of line-of-duty disability to police officers who are unable to perform their duties because of heart disease, stroke, or hypertension. Under the bill, these conditions are presumed to be work-related unless rebutted by clear and convincing evidence, which makes affected officers eligible for the benefits available under the state’s related relief and disability chapters.
The bill also limits the presumption for certain officers hired after July 1, 2025. The presumption would not apply if a pre-employment physical showed heart disease or hypertension at the time of hire, or if the officer had regularly used tobacco products during the five years before a diagnosis of heart disease, hypertension, or stroke. The act takes effect upon passage.
Impact
The bill expands Rhode Island General Laws § 45-19-16.1 by expressly including police officers alongside firefighters in the statutory presumption for heart disease, stroke, and hypertension-related disability claims. This affects the administration of line-of-duty disability and related benefit provisions in chapters 19, 21, 21.2, and 21.3 of title 45, and it may increase the number of officers eligible for presumptive benefits unless employers or the state can rebut the presumption with clear and convincing evidence. It also creates a prospective limitation for officers hired after July 1, 2025, tied to pre-employment medical findings and tobacco use history.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received and advanced with strong bipartisan support. It passed the House 70-2 and the Senate 29-6, indicating broad agreement with the policy of extending presumptive disability protections to police officers. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the vote margins point to overall favorable sentiment.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely the cost and scope of extending a rebuttable presumption of occupational disease to police officers, since such presumptions can increase disability and benefit claims for public employers and retirement systems. The bill also draws a line for officers hired after July 1, 2025, by excluding those with certain pre-existing conditions or tobacco histories, which may reflect concern about limiting liability and preventing claims unrelated to service. The recorded no votes in both chambers suggest some legislators remained concerned about fiscal exposure, evidentiary standards, or the breadth of the presumption.