HB 247

HB247 ENROLLED
1 HB247
2 SLZPE77-2
3 By Representatives Pettus, Bedsole, Treadaway, Hurst, Wilcox,
4 Shaw
5 RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
6 First Read: 14-Jan-26
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1 Enrolled, An Act,
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3Relating to volunteer firefighters; to provide
4 compensation to beneficiaries or dependents of active
5 volunteer firefighters who die of cancer through the existing
6 line of duty death benefit under Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
7 36, Code of Alabama 1975; and to provide for circumstances
8 qualifying for the claim and a standard of proof.
9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
10Section 1. (a) For the purposes of this section, the
11 following terms have the following meanings:
12(1) CANCER. Includes bladder, blood, brain, breast,
13 cervical, esophageal, intestinal, kidney, lymphatic, lung,
14 prostate, rectum, respiratory tract, skin, testicular, and
15 thyroid cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's
16 lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
17(2) VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. An individual who has been
18 certified as a volunteer fire fighter through the Alabama
19 Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission or
20 who has received an equivalent certification to qualify as a
21 volunteer firefighter before residing in this state.
22(b) The death of a volunteer firefighter resulting from
23 cancer may be compensable as a death in the line of duty under
24 Article 1, Chapter 30, Title 36, Code of Alabama 1975, if all
25 of the following facts and circumstances are presented with a
26 claim for compensation made by or on behalf of a beneficiary
27 or dependent in the manner prescribed by the State Board of
28 Adjustment:
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29(1) The firefighter passed a physical examination
30 before initial certification as a volunteer firefighter which
31 failed to reveal any evidence of cancer.
32(2) The firefighter had no less than six years of
33 service as a firefighter before receiving a diagnosis of
34 cancer.
35(3) The firefighter was an active member of a volunteer
36 fire department as recognized by the Alabama Forestry
37 Commission or was an active volunteer member of a combination
38 paid and volunteer fire department in this state at the time
39 of the onset of the symptoms that led to a diagnosis of
40 cancer.
41(4) The department for which the firefighter
42 volunteered maintains a record indicating that the fire
43 suppression events in which the firefighter participated
44 exposed the firefighter to a known carcinogen.
45(c)(1) The provisions of Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
46 36, Code of Alabama 1975, shall govern any claim for
47 compensation arising from this section.
48(2) If a known carcinogen to which a volunteer
49 firefighter was exposed while in the line of duty is
50 reasonably linked to the type of cancer that resulted in the
51 death of the firefighter, the cancer shall be presumed to
52 arise out of and in the course of the firefighter's volunteer
53 service, unless the state demonstrates by a preponderance of
54 the evidence that the cancer was caused by some other means.
55(d) Where any provision of this section may be in
56 conflict with any provision of Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
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57 36, Code of Alabama 1975, the provision of this section will
58 be given effect.
59Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
60 1, 2026.
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69________________________________________________
70Speaker of the House of Representatives
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74________________________________________________
75President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
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78House of Representatives
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80I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
81 was passed by the House 24-Feb-26.
82
83John Treadwell
84Clerk
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90 Senate  08-Apr-26  Passed
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