House Engrossed Senate Bill

 

firefighters; peace officers; PTSD; therapy

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2024

 

 

 

SENATE BILL 1677

 

 

 

 

An Act

 

amending title 23, chapter 6, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 23-972; relating to workers' compensation.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 23, chapter 6, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 23-972, to read:

START_STATUTE23-972. Coverage; firefighters; peace officers; post-traumatic stress disorder; annual report; definitions

A. Employers shall provide workers' compensation coverage to firefighters and certified peace officers who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by a licensed mental health professional and who have an accepted workers' compensation claim for post-traumatic stress disorder under this title.  If an independent medical examination reveals a treatment protocol of Midomafetamine is deemed a reasonable and necessary treatment and FOLLOWS THE TREATMENT GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION OF aRIZONA, workers' compensation coverage may include one complete course of a treatment protocol of Midomafetamine as prescribed by a psychiatrist.

B. Midomafetamine prescribed under this section shall meet the requirements under title 36, chapter 27 for a controlled substance.

C. On or before January 1, 2026 the commission shall submit a report of the costs of treatment for Midomafetamine under this section for firefighters and certified peace officers to the joint legislative budget committee annually.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Certified peace officer" has the same meaning prescribed in section 38-842.

2. "Firefighter" means a professional firefighter who is a member of a city, town, county or fire district fire department.

3. "Licensed mental health professional" means a licensed individual who specializes in trauma and crisis, who uses evidence-based treatment options and who is one of the following:

(a) A psychiatrist who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

(b) A psychologist who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 19.1.

4. "Psychiatrist" means a physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

5. "Treatment protocol of Midomafetamine" means a process of treatment that has received approval from the United States Food and Drug ADMINISTRATION for post-traumatic stress disorder and that uses Midomafetamine in conjunction with therapy sessions. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Conditional enactment; notice

A. Section 23-972, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, does not become effective unless on or before December 31, 2025 the United States food and drug administration approves the use of midomafetamine for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

B. The department of health services shall notify the director of the Arizona legislative council and the director of the industrial commission of Arizona in writing on or before February 2, 2026 either:

1. The date on which the condition was met.

2. That the condition was not met.

Sec. 3. Industrial commission of Arizona report

On notification from the department of health services, the industrial commission of Arizona shall assign reimbursement values in its schedule of fees and publish guidelines on billing and reimbursement practices for midomafetamine.