The bill amends Sections 11-43-144, 36-30-40, and 36-30-41 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to enhance disability and death benefits for firefighters, notably by including Parkinson's disease as an occupational disease presumed to arise from employment if exposure to a known toxin is demonstrated. The bill updates definitions, changing "shall" to "following" and "A person" to "An individual," while clarifying eligibility standards for benefits, which now require firefighters to have passed a physical examination upon entering service. It also removes duplicative language and makes technical revisions to streamline the existing code.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that benefits for firefighters suffering from occupational diseases will be compensated similarly to those injured in the line of duty. It specifies that if a firefighter dies from cancer within ten years of their last employment, they will be considered to have been killed in the line of duty. The burden of proof is placed on the city to show that the firefighter's condition was caused by means other than their occupation to disqualify them from benefits. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 11-43-144, 36-30-40, 36-30-41
Engrossed: 11-43-144, 36-30-40, 36-30-41
Enrolled: 11-43-144, 36-30-40, 36-30-41