An Act To Improve Insurance Coverage for Volunteer First Responders
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 39-A MRSA §201, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7. Injury to volunteer firefighter or volunteer emergency medical services person. A personal injury to a volunteer firefighter or volunteer emergency medical services person considered an employee within the meaning of this Act pursuant to section 102, subsection 11, paragraph A, subparagraph (2) is considered to arise out of and in the course of employment and is compensable under this Act if the personal injury occurs at any time after the volunteer firefighter or volunteer emergency medical services person receives notice of a fire or emergency and is in the process of responding. An employer providing self-insurance or an insurer providing workers' compensation insurance may not seek to limit benefits under this Act to a personal injury to a volunteer firefighter or volunteer emergency medical services person that occurs only after the firefighter or emergency medical services person begins traveling on a public way.
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies that an injury suffered by a volunteer firefighter or volunteer emergency medical services person that occurs at any time after the firefighter or emergency medical services person receives notice of a fire or emergency and is in the process of responding is compensable under the Maine Workers' Compensation Act of 1992.