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Committee recommends expansion of presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters
Summary
House Bill 128, which would add cancer types and set a five-year employment baseline for presumptive workers'comp coverage for firefighters, received strong testimony from medical experts, union leaders and affected firefighters and was given a committee 'do pass' recommendation. Witnesses cited modern research and federal action in support.
A sponsor presented House Bill 128 to update New Mexico's Occupational Disease Disablement Act so firefighters with specified cancers would receive presumptive coverage for workers' compensation. The presenter said the update aligns state timelines and covered conditions with recent federal action and modern research.
Dr. Dan Wu, a physician, epidemiologist and former firefighter, told the committee that occupational cancer in firefighters has reached epidemic proportions and cited the International Agency for Research on Cancer's review classifying firefighting…
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