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Panel backs HB35 to extend cancer death benefit to certified volunteer firefighters
Summary
A Senate committee voted to give House Bill 35 a favorable report; the bill would make volunteer firefighters eligible for a cancer death benefit similar to that provided to paid firefighters, subject to certification and service‑activity safeguards.
The Senate committee voted to give a favorable report to House Bill 35, which would extend a cancer death benefit already available to paid firefighters to certified volunteer firefighters who meet activity requirements.
Representative Bridal, the House sponsor, told the committee the bill “simply offers a cancer death benefit to volunteer firefighters. We already have this in place for our paid firefighters. This would allow the cancer death benefit to be eligible to volunteers.” The bill attaches certification and activity requirements as safeguards, the sponsor said.
Senator Olbritton asked about cost and whether a physical note was included; the sponsor and committee staff identified a state death benefit amount of $153,858. Committee members and the sponsor noted the number of eligible claims for volunteers is unknown because the state has not previously collected data for volunteers. The sponsor said the group eligible under the bill would be “a pretty narrowly defined group” and highlighted certification and proof of active service as limiting criteria.
A senator asked what would happen if payouts exhausted the funds allocated to the Board of Adjustments; the sponsor and committee staff acknowledged that the fiscal exposure was not yet determinable, saying in effect that payments would be subject to available funds.
The committee recorded a motion for a favorable report, moved by Senator Kelly and seconded by Senator Hovey, and reported the bill favorably.
Why it matters: The bill would extend an existing benefit to volunteers meeting specified qualifications; sponsors said the bill includes safeguards to limit eligibility. The committee record did not include an estimate of how many volunteer firefighters might qualify or a total fiscal projection for the benefit beyond the per‑claim figure the committee cited.
Next steps: HB35 was reported favorably by the committee and will proceed to the next stage of legislative consideration.
Speakers quoted or recorded on the bill are identified in the committee transcript.
