House Bill hb0649

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 649

        By Representative Bilirakis






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to law enforcement officers'

  3         disabilities; amending s. 112.18, F.S.;

  4         including county law enforcement officers

  5         within special provisions creating a

  6         presumption relating to causes of certain

  7         disabilities; providing an effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Section 112.18, Florida Statutes, is

12  amended to read:

13         112.18  Firefighters and state or county law

14  enforcement officers; special provisions relative to

15  disability.--

16         (1)  Any condition or impairment of health of any

17  Florida state, municipal, county, port authority, special tax

18  district, or fire control district firefighter or state or

19  county law enforcement officer caused by tuberculosis, heart

20  disease, or hypertension resulting in total or partial

21  disability or death shall be presumed to have been accidental

22  and to have been suffered in the line of duty unless the

23  contrary be shown by competent evidence. However, any such

24  firefighter or state or county law enforcement officer shall

25  have successfully passed a physical examination upon entering

26  into any such service as a firefighter or state or county law

27  enforcement officer, which examination failed to reveal any

28  evidence of any such condition.  Such presumption shall not

29  apply to benefits payable under or granted in a policy of life

30  insurance or disability insurance, unless the insurer and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 649

    715-138-01






  1  insured have negotiated for such additional benefits to be

  2  included in the policy contract.

  3         (2)  This section shall be construed to authorize the

  4  above governmental entities to negotiate policy contracts for

  5  life and disability insurance to include accidental death

  6  benefits or double indemnity coverage which shall include the

  7  presumption that any condition or impairment of health of any

  8  firefighter caused by tuberculosis, heart disease, or

  9  hypertension resulting in total or partial disability or death

10  was accidental and suffered in the line of duty, unless the

11  contrary be shown by competent evidence.

12         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

13  law.

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16                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Includes county law enforcement officers within special
18    provisions creating a presumption relating to causes of
      disabilities.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.