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House Bill 65 funds firefighter cancer screening; Royce City to submit roster for eligibility screening starting July 1
Summary
Council heard that House Bill 65 passed at the state level to fund cancer screening for eligible firefighters; Royce City submitted employee data to the Utah Fire Academy and will be notified on screening eligibility. After three years state funding ends and municipalities may need to assume screening costs.
Royce City’s fire chief briefed council on House Bill 65 and its implications for local firefighters on April 1, explaining the law will provide state‑funded cancer screening for eligible firefighters beginning July 1.
The chief said the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recognizes increased cancer risk among firefighters and that state fire chiefs advocated for presumptive screening coverage. Under the adopted law, the Utah Fire Academy will coordinate funding and screening logistics. The city submitted firefighter rosters, years of service and employer records to the academy for eligibility determination.
Chiefs in the meeting noted that the bill covers the screening period for three years, after which municipalities could be responsible for ongoing screening costs. The chief said questions remain about how workers’ compensation premiums and local employer costs might be affected; local fire leaders are working with state officials and workers’‑comp stakeholders to understand long‑term fiscal impacts.
Council members asked about eligibility thresholds and whether retirees or firefighters who change departments will be covered. The chief said the screening program as implemented will generally allocate eligibility based on years of service and that detailed rules are being developed; some interviewees in meeting suggested eight years of service is a relevant threshold, though the city will await final guidance.
“This is a huge win for our industry,” the chief said, describing the screening as an important preventive step. Council asked staff to convene a short working group to map local steps — record keeping, communication to current and retired personnel, and budget implications if the city must fund screenings after the initial state period.
What’s next: Staff will meet with the chief and other council members to develop an implementation and record‑keeping plan and will report back as the Utah Fire Academy issues eligibility rules and a screening schedule.
