Section 4800.5.

(a) Whenever any sworn member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol is disabled by a single injury, excluding disabilities that are the result of cumulative trauma or cumulative injuries, arising out of and in the course of his or her duties, he or she shall become entitled, regardless of his or her period of service with the patrol, to leave of absence while so disabled without loss of salary, in lieu of disability payments under this chapter, for a period of not exceeding one year. This section shall apply only to members of the Department of the California Highway Patrol whose principal duties consist of active law enforcement and shall not apply to persons employed in the Department of the California Highway Patrol whose principal duties are those of telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise clearly not falling within the scope of active law enforcement service, even though this person is subject to occasional call or is occasionally called upon to perform the duties of active law enforcement service.

(b) Benefits payable for eligible sworn members of the Department of the California Highway Patrol whose disability is solely the result of cumulative trauma or injury shall be limited to the actual period of temporary disability or entitlement to maintenance allowance, or for one year, whichever is less.

(c) This section shall not apply to periods of disability that occur subsequent to termination of employment by resignation, retirement, or dismissal. When this section does not apply, the employee shall be eligible for those benefits that would apply had this section not been enacted.

(d) The appeals board may determine, upon request of any party, whether or not the disability referred to in this section arose out of and in the course of duty. In any action in which a dispute exists regarding the nature of the injury or the period of temporary disability or entitlement to maintenance allowance, or both, and upon the request of any party thereto, the appeals board shall determine when the disability commenced and ceased, and the amount of benefits provided by this division to which the employee is entitled during the period of this disability. The appeals board shall have the jurisdiction to award and enforce payment of these benefits, subject to subdivision (a) or (b), pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 5300). A decision issued by the appeals board under this section is final and binding upon the parties subject to the rights of appeal contained in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 5900) of Part 4.

(e) Except as provided in subdivision (g), this section shall apply for periods of disability commencing on or after January 1, 1995.

(f) This section does not apply to peace officers designated under subdivision (a) of Section 2250.1 of the Vehicle Code.

(g) Peace officers of the California State Police Division who become sworn members of the Department of the California Highway Patrol as a result of the Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1995, other than those officers described in subdivision (f), shall be eligible for injury benefits accruing to sworn members of the Department of the California Highway Patrol under this division only for injuries occurring on or after July 12, 1995.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 305, Sec. 42. Effective January 1, 1997.)