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SB 1702

WORKERS COMP-PTSD PRESUMPTION

104th Regular Session Introduced by Bill Cunningham

Implements a rebuttable PTSD presumption in Illinois workers’ comp for firefighters and EMS personnel (firefighter, EMT/EMT-I/A-EMT, paramedic), easing claims but allowing rebuttal.

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Bill Summary · SB 1702

SB 1702 — Workers’ Compensation: PTSD Presumption (2025) — Summary

Status: Re‑referred to Assignments (Rule 3‑9(a)).
Introduced: Early February 2025 (LRB print shows introduced 2/5/2025).
Sponsor: Sen. Bill Cunningham.
Statutory change: Amends Section 6 of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305/6).

Purpose

To make post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presumptively compensable under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act for specified first‑responder occupations, easing the claimant’s burden to show the condition “arose out of and in the course of” employment.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a rebuttable presumption that PTSD “arises out of and is causally connected to the hazards of employment” for employees in the following classifications:
    • Firefighter
    • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
    • Emergency Medical Technician‑Intermediate (EMT‑I)
    • Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (A‑EMT)
    • Paramedic
  • The presumption is rebuttable, meaning an employer or insurer may present evidence to show the PTSD did not arise from workplace hazards.
  • The amendment is incorporated into Section 6 of the Workers’ Compensation Act (procedural and reporting language in that section remains the statutory location for the change).

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: firefighters and emergency medical services personnel listed above who develop PTSD.
  • Employers of those workers and their workers’ compensation insurers, who may see changes in claims adjudication and potential increases in compensable PTSD findings (subject to rebuttal).
  • Medical and claims professionals involved in diagnosing and evaluating PTSD in the workers’ compensation context.

Procedural / Timeline notes

  • Introduced in the 2025 legislative session (LRB record: introduced 2/5/2025).
  • Current procedural status: Re‑referred to Assignments under Rule 3‑9(a) (reflecting movement through chamber rules/assignment process as of March 2025).
  • If enacted, the amendment would modify the statutory standard for certain PTSD claims immediately as of its effective date (dependent on final bill language and enacted effective date).

Potential impacts (summary)

  • Lowers the evidentiary hurdle for covered first responders seeking workers’ compensation for PTSD by shifting to a rebuttable presumption.
  • Could increase compensable PTSD claims for covered occupations; actual fiscal impacts (on employers, insurers, and state funds) would depend on claim rates and any administrative or legislative fiscal analyses not included here.

For further details, see the LRB bill text amending 820 ILCS 305/6 and subsequent committee reports and fiscal analyses as the bill moves through the legislative process.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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