Senate committee backs expanding presumptive list for firefighter occupational cancers

The committee moved House Bill 128 forward after sponsors described the measure to expand the presumptive-causation list for firefighters and adjust timeframes for worker- compensation eligibility.

Sponsor testimony emphasized that firefighters inhale a "toxic cocktail" of carcinogens during and after fire response and that federal action (recent expansion of the public safety officer benefits list) supports adding cancers such as lung, bladder, cervical, ovarian, stomach, thyroid, malignant melanoma and mesothelioma to the state presumptive list. Public testimony included multiple personal accounts from career firefighters and union leaders who described diagnoses of lung and bladder cancer and urged removing the burden of proving causation for covered illnesses.

Union and labor witnesses told the committee that presumptive coverage reduces administrative barriers for severely ill workers. The committee recorded a do-pass recommendation (noted as recorded out of six present) and sponsors signaled the bill had broad public-safety and workforce-support rationale.