Safeguarding America's First Responders Act of 2020

Safeguarding America's First Responders Act of 2020

This bill extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to public safety officers (e.g., law enforcement officers) and survivors of public safety officers who die or become injured as a result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty.

For purposes of death benefits, this bill creates a general presumption that a public safety officer who dies from COVID-19 or related complications sustained a personal injury in the line of duty.

For purposes of disability benefits, the bill creates a general presumption that COVID-19 or related complications suffered by a public safety officer constitutes a personal injury sustained in the line of duty.