128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 848		LR 1943(02)
	An Act To Support Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Potential State Mandate - Unfunded Potential current biennium cost increase - All Funds
State Mandates
	Required Activity				Unit Affected	Local Cost
	Shifting the burden of proof that a law enforcement officer, firefighter or emergency medical services worker diagnosed as having post-traumatic stress disorder by a psychiatrist or psychologist developed that condition as a result of work stress from the claimant to the employer and/or the employer's insurer may represent a modification or expansion of a municipal and/or county activity.				Municipality County	Significant statewide
	The required local activities in this bill may represent a state mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine. If the bill does require a local unit of government to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenue, the state mandate provisions of the Constitution of Maine require either: (1) General Fund appropriations be provided to fund at least 90% of any additional necessitated local costs of the mandate; or (2) a Mandate Preamble be added to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt the mandate from the funding requirement. If the bill does represent a state mandate and neither one of these actions occurs, the local units of government will not be required to implement the mandated activities.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This legislation will result in additional costs to the State as a direct reimbursement employer and to the Department of Public Safety associated with increased payments of workers' compensation benefits and legal and administrative expenses.  The impact will depend on actual experience.
	This legislation will also increase costs to local governments in the form of both higher premiums for workers' compensation insurance and increased legal and administrative costs.  The impact to individual units of government will depend on actual experience.