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117th Congress · House

Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022

Subjects: Congressional oversight · Disability assistance · Employee benefits and pensions · Fires · First responders and emergency personnel · Government studies and investigations · Law enforcement officers · Mental health

In plain language

  • House bill in the 117th Congress.
  • Extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program to certain public safety officers.
  • House passed it on May 19, 2022 (substantive).
Official summary (Congressional Research Service)

Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022 This act extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program to certain public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who suffer or suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, or trauma and stress-related disorders following an exposure to one or more traumatic events while on duty. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who die or become disabled as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury in the line of duty. The act specifies that post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, or trauma and stress-related disorders suffered by a public safety officer following an exposure to a traumatic event while on duty constitutes a personal injury in the line of duty if exposure to the traumatic event was a substantial factor in the disorder. Further, for the purposes of death and disability benefits, the act creates a presumption that an officer's death or permanent disability was directly caused by a personal injury in the line of duty if the officer took an action intended to bring about his or her death and exposure to a traumatic event was a substantial factor in that action or that action occurred within 45 days of an exposure and was consistent with a psychiatric disorder. Finally, the act requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the details of benefits issued pursuant to this act, including recommendations to improve the PSOB program.

View this measure on congress.gov

Roll-call votes on this measure