Committee hears bill extending legal presumption for first responders who suffer heart attacks or strokes after duty

House Bill 331 was presented to the Committee on Local Government to create a presumption for workers' compensation that an acute heart attack or stroke occurring within eight hours after a strenuous shift for firefighters, peace officers and emergency medical technicians is job related.

The bill: Under current law, the transcript records that some first responders who experience a heart attack or stroke after completing a shift are not covered by the existing presumption because the event occurred off duty; the proposed bill would create a presumption the condition was job related if the event occurs within eight hours after a shift that involved strenuous or stressful physical activity and would apply only to claims filed after the bill’s effective date (no retroactive claims).

Testimony and background: Alan Craddock, deputy commissioner for hearings at the Division of Workers' Compensation, appeared as a resource witness. Matthew Sapp, representing the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters and the Frisco Fire Fighters Association, testified in favor and described a case in which a firefighter had a heart attack about two hours after completing a 48‑hour shift and had a claim denied because he was off duty. Sapp said the bill language had been negotiated with Texas Mutual and TMLIRP and others.

Committee action: The committee opened public testimony, heard two witnesses and closed public testimony. The bill was left pending subject to call of the chair.