Firefighter death benefits bill advances
SRep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, advocated for first responders and House Bill 34 during Tuesday’s House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee meeting. A high-res version can be found here.
FRANKFORT — A bill to expand death benefits for Kentucky’s paid and volunteer firefighters cleared its first hurdle on Tuesday.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 34, which would add nine additional cancers to the list recognized as occupational cancers for firefighters.
Banta told the House Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee it is the general assembly’s responsibility to help first responders when they ask for it.
“These guys run into fires, and I think it’s our responsibility to help them when something drastic happens to them because of their job,” she said.
Deaths from mesothelioma, esophageal, lung, rectal, thyroid, intestinal, multiple myeloma, buccal and pharyngeal cancer would be considered line-of-duty deaths under HB 34.
Bladder, brain, colon, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, kidney, liver, lymphatic or hematopoietic, prostate, testicular, skin, cervical and breast cancer are already covered in current statute.
Banta was joined by Jeff Taylor, the legislative and political affairs director for Kentucky Professional Fire Fighters. He told the committee cancer is the now the leading cause of line-of-duty death for firefighters.
Taylor said exposure to toxins and other carcinogens while on duty, especially during a fire, is causing the rise in cancer-related deaths for firefighters. Synthetic materials, diesel, chemicals used in turnout gear, chronic exposure to benzene, formaldehyde, heavy metals and more are to blame.
“Here in Kentucky, since 2002, we’ve lost more firefighters to occupational cancer than to fires, cardiac events, or other on-scene incidents combined,” Taylor said.
Taylor said expanding presumptive cancer coverage is supported by modern science and medical evidence.
“(It will) provide fairness for those who risk their lives daily, reduce long term costs by enabling early detection and treatment, and ensure families receive the benefits they’ve earned and they deserve,” he added.
Rep. DJ Johnson, R-Owensboro, said he supports the legislation.
“This question I’m going to ask is not going to impact my ‘yes’ vote at all, but it’s a question I think we have to ask,” he said. “And that is, do you have any idea what the fiscal impact is going to be from the bill?”
Banta said the fiscal reports always come back as “indeterminable” each time she’s requested one.
“Because we don’t know how many are going to pass away with these cancers or these new cancers that are added,” she said.
The committee unanimously voted to approve the bipartisan legislation. HB 34 is now before the full House for consideration.
