This week, President Biden signed into law the “Protecting America’s First Responders Act,” a landmark piece of legislation which enacts significant changes to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program, especially when it comes to law enforcement officers who are disabled in the line of duty.

 

The legislation also amends a key presumption with respect to the PSOB in that it extends until 31 December 2023 the presumption that a law enforcement or other public safety officer who is disabled or dies from COVID-19 or its complications shall be presumed to have contracted the virus in the line of duty if they “engaged in a line of duty action.”

 

The COVID-19 virus and its variant have resulted in the deaths of more law enforcement officers than any other cause and because the pandemic has persisted, it was critical that this presumption be extended.  The FOP is proud to have played a key role in amending the “Protecting America’s First Responders Act,” to include this important provision. To read the FOP press release, please click here.