HB212 Alabama 2021 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Matt SimpsonRepresentative
Republican
Co-Sponsors: Mike Ball Russell Bedsole Chip Brown Terri Collins Tracy Estes Mike Jones Wes Kitchens Nathaniel Ledbetter Craig Lipscomb Joe Lovvorn Rhett Marques Mac McCutcheon Steve McMillan Parker Moore Ed Oliver Phillip Pettus Rex Reynolds Proncey Robertson Ginny Shaver Jeff Sorrells Scott Stadthagen Shane Stringer Allen Treadaway
Session: Regular Session 2021
Title: Workers' compensation, firefighters, law enforcement officers, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses, co's and municipalities required to maintain certain disability insurance coverage
Summary: HB212 would require local governments to reimburse PTSD treatment co-pays for police and firefighters and provide disability benefits when PTSD prevents them from working.
What This Bill Does
Currently PTSD isn’t treated as an occupational disease unless there’s a physical injury. The bill would allow police officers and firefighters diagnosed with PTSD to be reimbursed for treatment co-pays (including counseling) or have local governments cover those costs. It also requires counties, municipalities, and fire districts to provide disability payments or insurance coverage for those unable to return to work due to PTSD, with specific eligibility and medical certification requirements. Payments would be tax-favored, and the act would take effect January 1, 2022, with no coverage for PTSD from events before that date.

Who It Affects
Law enforcement officers and firefighters employed by counties, municipalities, or fire districts who are diagnosed with PTSD (eligible for co-pay reimbursements and disability benefits).
Counties, municipalities, fire districts, and self-insurance groups that employ these workers (required to provide reimbursements/coverage and administer disability benefits).

Key Provisions
Reimbursement of co-payments for PTSD treatment and/or maintenance of coverage to reimburse co-payments for treatment (including counseling), available to officers and firefighters diagnosed with PTSD related to a specific event in the line of duty.
Eligibility criteria for reimbursement require: agreement that the employer is not liable under certain state laws; participation in peer support; diagnosis by a licensed clinical psychologist or board-certified psychiatrist with appropriate testing to rule out malingering; and medical necessity of treatment.
Disability benefits for eligible personnel: 66 2/3% of base pay, paid monthly for up to 24 months per incident; eligibility limited to those unable to continue work due to PTSD from a specific event and who stay in treatment with monthly attendance confirmations; return-to-work authorization required from the treating clinician; self-insurance groups may provide these payments.
Tax treatment: reimbursements/benefits are excluded from state income tax, and premiums for the provided coverage are not subject to premium taxes.
Specific events (defined) include on-scene or immediate-after-event actions causing severe injuries or death, with eligibility tied to PTSD arising from those events and occurring during employment.
Effective date and applicability: provisions do not apply to PTSD from events before the act’s effective date; the act becomes effective January 1, 2022.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Workers' Compensation