Georgia lawmakers push for benefits to families of first responders who take their own life
Georgia bill would benefit families of first responders who take their own life
The bill's primary sponsor said families of first responders who take their own life should be treated like those who die in the line of duty.
ATLANTA - Georgia Sen. Kim Jackson used to be an emergency medical technician. She said it was her years of work in that field that inspired her to file legislation to help first responders and their families receive death benefits if they die by suicide within 30 days of their last shift.
"I've worked alongside firefighters and law enforcements officers and this is a huge issue," said Sen. Jackson. "People die by suicide because they've seen incredible trauma and they show up when we need them most, which is oftentimes when we're at our worst. So, I just want to make that sure families are taken care of in the event that a public safety officer does die by suicide."
The Georgia State Indemnification Program pays financial benefits to first responders, or their surviving family members, after they are disabled or killed in the line of duty. Though, under current state law, public safety officers who die by suicide are not entitled to benefits.
WOUTH FULTON BRINGS ON COUNSELORS TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, state highway employees and prison guards all qualify as public safety officers.
The Georgia Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation last week by a vote of 48 to 3, but some members of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Subcommittee expressed doubts.
"You know, I'm all for helping people, but I just think suicide for 30 days after his last day of work is kind of expanding it," said state Rep. Bill Hitchens, R-Rincon.
Rep. Hitchens retired from the Georgia State Patrol for 28 years and served on the State Indemnification Commission for several years.
"I think that we have a lot of stigma around suicide and people are often nervous that if we say that you're going to be able to get a death benefit, that it'll cause someone to die by suicide and that's just not true," said Sen. Jackson. "We need some more education around that. We need to understand that the reasons for which somebody dies by suicide can be really complex, but that fundamentally, our responsibility here — our goal here is to just make sure that we treat public safety officers who die in the line of duty in the same way we do any others who might die in a car accident or by being shot."
The subcommittee did not vote on the bill and plans to hold another hearing.
WATCH: FOX 5 NEWS LIVE COVERAGE