34-9-26. Required notice regarding injured peace officers.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “eligible peace officer” means any individual who is employed on a full-time or part-time basis by the state or any municipality, county, or other political subdivision thereof; who is required by the terms of such employment, whether by election or appointment, to maintain public order or to make arrests for all criminal offenses; who is required by the terms of such employment to comply with the requirements of the “Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Act” contained in Chapter 8 of Title 35; and who suffers permanent or temporary disability in the line of duty due to a direct interaction with a criminal suspect, arrestee, or inmate. (b) In the event that the State Board of Workers’ Compensation has reasonable cause to believe that an injured employee is an eligible peace officer, the board shall notify the Department of Administrative Services. Additionally, the board shall notify the injured employee of such belief and such notification shall include such appropriate contact information of the Georgia State Indemnification Fund and the temporary disability compensation program of Parts 1 and 2, respectively, of Article 5 of Chapter 9 of Title 45 and other information as shall be determined necessary by the Department of Administrative Services through the promulgation of rules and regulations.