AL Lawmakers Pass Bill to Help Firefighters with PTSD

The Alabama House of Representatives has passed a bill to help law enforcement and firefighters who need treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The bill would require counties and municipalities to reimburse police and firefighters for insurance co-payments for treatment of PTSD. The bill would also provide disability payments to law enforcement and firefighters who are unable to work because of PTSD.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R- Daphne, passed by a vote of 98-0.

Several legislators who spoke in support of the bill said they wanted to expand it to cover volunteer firefighters.

“PTSD is real folks,” Rep. Tommy Hanes, R- Scottsboro, a retired firefighter, said. Hanes offered an amendment to cover volunteer firefighters.

Simpson said he supported that concept but did not think it fit the purposes of the bill, partly because volunteers do not have insurance coverage. The amendment did not pass. Simpson promised to try to cover volunteers in future legislation.

Simpson’s bill moves to the Senate.

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