(1) Every member of the Florida National Guard who is injured or disabled while on state active duty must be furnished medical attention and necessary hospitalization at the expense of the state, and must be continued in a pay status on state active duty until a board of inquiry, appointed by the Adjutant General, determines that the disability no longer justifies such pay, hospitalization, or medical attention. However, such pay, hospitalization, or medical attention may not be provided for more than 1 year after the date that the injury or disability was incurred; and the injury or disability must have been incurred in the line of duty, may not have been due to the misconduct of the individual who was injured or disabled, and may not be a preexisting condition.
(2) The pay such individual is entitled to receive up to 1 year after the date of injury or disability shall be either the full military pay and allowances to which the individual would be entitled if on full-time state active duty or the amount of compensation provided under ss. 440.14 and 440.15, based on the individual’s average weekly wages in his or her civilian occupation or employment at the time of entry into state active duty during which such injury arose, whichever amount is greater. If a person receiving pay under this subsection obtains gainful employment, whether part time or full time, the pay that he or she is entitled to under this subsection shall be reduced during the duration of that gainful employment by an amount equal to the amount earned from that gainful employment. (3) After the expiration of 1 year following the date of injury or disability, such individual shall be provided hospitalization, medical services and supplies, and compensation for wages and compensation for disability based on the average weekly wages of such injured individual on pay status in state active duty or in his or her civilian occupation or employment, whichever is greater, in amounts provided under chapter 440, as if such individual were covered under the Workers’ Compensation Law, except that payments made during the first year after the injury may not be duplicated after the expiration of that year. The Division of Risk Management of the Department of Financial Services shall process benefits under this subsection. The Division of Risk Management shall forward each January, to the Department of Military Affairs, an invoice of the payments and associated legal costs made under this subsection during the prior calendar year. The Department of Military Affairs shall incorporate the amount of the invoice in its annual legislative budget request that begins the following July. The Department of Military Affairs shall reimburse the Division of Risk Management for the invoiced amount upon receipt of the funds.
(4) Each member of the Florida National Guard who is killed, or who dies as the result of injuries incurred, while on state active duty under competent orders and while engaged in the performance of the member’s official duties qualifies for benefits as a law enforcement officer under ss. 112.19 and 112.1912 or any successor statute providing for death benefits for law enforcement officers, and the decedent’s survivors or estate are entitled to the death benefits provided in ss. 112.19 and 112.1912. However, this section does not prohibit survivors or the estate of the decedent from presenting a claim bill for approval by the Legislature in addition to the death benefits provided in this section. Each member of the Florida National Guard who is killed, or who dies as the result of injuries incurred, while on active duty qualifies for benefits as a member of the United States Armed Forces under s. 295.061, and the decedent’s survivors or estate are entitled to the death benefits provided in s. 295.061. (5) Benefits may not be provided under this section for any injury or disability incurred by a member of the Florida National Guard during the period when the member was continued in a pay status on state active duty pursuant to subsection (1).
