PREFILED JAN 03 2024
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REFERENCE TITLE: workers' compensation; occupational disease; presumption |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session 2024
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HB 2117 |
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Introduced by Representative Payne
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An Act
amending section 23-901.09, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to workers' compensation.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 23-901.09, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
23-901.09. Presumption; cancers; firefighters and fire investigators; applicability; definitions
A. Notwithstanding section 23-901.01, subsection A and section 23-1043.01:
1. Any disease, infirmity or impairment of a firefighter's or fire investigator's health that is caused by brain, bladder, rectal or colon cancer, lymphoma, leukemia or adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory tract and that results in disability or death is presumed to be an occupational disease as defined in section 23-901, paragraph 13, subdivision (c) and is deemed to arise out of employment.
2. Any disease, infirmity or impairment of a firefighter's or fire investigator's health that is caused by buccal cavity, pharynx, esophagus, large intestine, lung, kidney, prostate, skin, stomach, ovarian, breast or testicular cancer or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma or malignant melanoma and that results in disability or death is presumed to be an occupational disease as defined in section 23-901, paragraph 13, subdivision (c) and is deemed to arise out of employment.
B. The presumptions provided in subsection A of this section are granted if all of the following apply:
1. The firefighter or fire investigator passed a physical examination before employment and the examination did not indicate evidence of result in a cancer diagnosis.
2. The firefighter or fire investigator was assigned to hazardous duty for at least five years.
3. For the presumption provided in subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section and for firefighters only, the firefighter received a physical examination that is reasonably aligned with the national fire protection association standard on comprehensive occupational medical program for fire departments (NFPA 1582).
C. Subsection A of this section applies to both of the following:
1. Firefighters or fire investigators currently in service.
2. Former firefighters or fire investigators who are sixty-five years of age or younger and who are diagnosed with a cancer that is listed in subsection A of this section not more than fifteen years after the firefighter's or fire investigator's last date of employment as a firefighter or fire investigator.
D. Subsection A of this section does not apply to cancers of the respiratory tract if there is evidence that the firefighter's or fire investigator's exposure to cigarettes or tobacco products outside of the scope of the firefighter's or fire investigator's official duties is a substantial contributing cause in the development of the cancer.
E. The presumption provided in subsection A of this section may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence that there is a specific cause of the cancer other than an occupational exposure to a carcinogen as defined by the international agency for research on cancer.
F. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Firefighter" means a full-time firefighter who was regularly assigned to hazardous duty.
2. "Fire investigator" means a person who is employed full time by a municipality or fire district and who is trained in the process of and responsible for determining the origin, cause and development of a fire or explosion.
Sec. 2. Legislative intent
The legislature intends that reoccurring cancers are eligible for coverage under section 23-901.09, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by this act.