SB166 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Will BarfootSenator

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Gerald H. AllenClyde ChamblissDonnie ChesteenGarlan GudgerAndrew JonesSteve LivingstonDel MarshTim MelsonGreg J. ReedDan RobertsClay ScofieldShay ShelnuttRodger SmithermanLarry StuttsJ.T. WaggonerTom Whatley

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

SB166 would provide PTSD-related benefits to on-duty police, sheriff, and firefighter personnel, including co-pay reimbursements, disability payments, and tax relief when PTSD is linked to a specific incident at work.

What This Bill Does

It requires local governments to reimburse PTSD treatment co-payments or maintain coverage to cover them. It also mandates disability payments or coverage for officers and firefighters who cannot return to work due to PTSD, with benefits of 66 2/3 percent of base pay for up to 24 months, contingent on medical authorization and ongoing treatment. Eligibility hinges on a PTSD diagnosis tied to a specific on-duty event, participation in peer support, and a formal medical determination, with clear distinctions about liability and retroactivity. It also provides tax relief by excluding these reimbursements from state income tax and clarifies that premiums for the coverage are not subject to premium taxes, with an effective date of January 1, 2022.

Who It Affects

• Officers and firefighters employed by counties, municipalities, or fire districts who are diagnosed with PTSD linked to a specific on-duty event, making them eligible for co-pay reimbursements and/or disability payments.
• Counties, municipalities, and fire districts (including self-insurance groups) that must provide reimbursement or coverage for PTSD treatment and fund disability payments, subject to medical eligibility and ongoing treatment requirements.

Key Provisions

• Defines who is an officer or firefighter and what PTSD means, plus what constitutes a 'specific event' connected to on-duty actions.
• Requires reimbursement of PTSD treatment co-payments or maintains coverage to reimburse those co-pays for eligible officers or firefighters.
• Requires disability payments or coverage for eligible personnel who cannot return to work due to PTSD, at 66 2/3 percent of base pay, for up to 24 months, with monthly payments contingent on ongoing treatment.
• Requires eligibility criteria: on-duty PTSD caused by a specific event, peer-support participation, professional diagnosis by a licensed psychologist or board-certified psychiatrist, and medical necessity of treatment.
• Authorizes return-to-work only with written authorization from the treating clinician, and allows for alternate clinicians if the original provider is unavailable.
• Allows self-insurance groups to provide the required disability payments and makes payments non-taxable at the state level; premiums for the coverage are not subject to premium taxes.
• Excludes PTSD resulting 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 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Workers' Compensation