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2023 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 6 <br />Legislation Recognizing PTSD as a Treatable Illness <br />Related to the expenses of health insurance for public safety officers, the City of New Brighton supports <br />legislation that recognizes PTSD as the treatable illness that it is and requires treatment for personnel that <br />claim PTSD as a line of duty disability. <br />The number of public safety employees seeking duty disability determinations through the Public Employees <br />Retirement Association (PERA) and making workers’ compensation claims for line-of-duty injuries has tripled <br />in the last year alone due primarily to PTSD claims. At its core, PTSD claims have caused an unsustainable <br />financial situation for local governments and their taxpayers and it is imperative that it is addressed at the <br />legislature. <br />The City Council formally passed Resolution No. 2022-029 in April that supports statewide policies and <br />resources for public safety mental and physical injury education, prevention, and treatment. <br />Funding for Recruitment and Retention of Public Safety Personnel <br />Hiring for police officers is as difficult as it has ever been. The City of New Brighton supports legislation that <br />would fund enhancements for recruitment and retention of police officers. Additionally, we recognize that our <br />first responders have been asked to address issues that are increasingly the result of inadequate social services <br />and programs. We fully support state funding for adequate resources for social service and mental health <br />services and programs to reduce the need for our first responders to perform these services. <br />Clarity on Governance and Administration of THC Law <br />The City of New Brighton supports legislation that provides more clarity and resources on licensing and <br />enforcement of recent cannabinoids laws. Additionally, after the less than ideal rollout of last session’s <br />legislation, we support having cities included fully in discussions around the regulatory framework of any new <br />recreational marijuana laws. <br />State Law on Catalytic Converter Theft <br />The City of New Brighton recently passed Ordinance No. 894 <br />that makes it illegal to be in possession of a catalytic converter <br />without proper receipt of purchase. It was our hope that this <br />type of law would be passed at the state level and it still is. This <br />is a critical issue to our residents. As noted in the chart, we have <br />seen significant increases in these thefts and support the State <br />assisting in deterring such crime.