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A bill that would require local Tennessee governments to give professional firefighters state workers’ compensation benefits if they are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) failed in the state legislature.
House Bill 1356, sponsored by Representative Bob Ramsey (R-Maryville-District 20), was named in honor of Cleveland city firefighter James “Dustin” Samples, who suffered from PTSD related to his work. That, combined with the fact that he and his wife Jennifer were unable to afford to continue paying for the treatment he was receiving, led him to take his life just before Christmas 2020.
The bill sank after several lawmakers and local officials spoke out with concern that requiring local entities to provide the benefits would be too expensive, costing over $4.68 million each year.
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While Ramsey was disappointed that the bill did not progress, he says he understands the concerns of the government officials.
“I think it just came to a point, maybe a general discussion between the budget committee and the administration, that they didn’t feel that – I don’t want to put them in an unpleasant situation – but they just didn’t feel like it was something they could burden local communities, local governments with,” Ramsey told the Chattanooga Times Free Press. “Many people looked at it as an ‘unfunded mandate.’ That seemed to be the word that popped up most often. I think the initiating organization, the firefighters’ association, has an intent to approach it in a little different manner [next year], which might mitigate some of the fiscal note. How they’re going to do that, I’m not aware.”
Jennifer Samples says that the resources are just not available for firefighters like her husband, and the family exhausted thousands of dollars trying to get him the help he needed.
“He knew his very life depended on it,” she said. “However, the help was short-lived, the financial burden costly. The stigma was present, and the resources were not easily accessible.”
Ramsey also noted the need for the legislation in an effort to help more firefighters be able to continue to work.
“This is not to take employees away from their jobs, this is to keep them active and to keep them effective,” Ramsey said. “I think in the long run, it would actually be maybe a break-even situation where morale and effectiveness would actually be enhanced at none or little cost.”
After being placed on a special calendar of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee, it was returned to the clerk’s desk.
Ramsey is hopeful that the Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters’ Association and the local Cleveland 3748 are going to push forward with a new version of the bill in 2023.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
