This bill proposes significant updates to the current statutes regarding workers' compensation for peace officers, firefighters, and fire investigators. Under the current law, specific cancers are presumed to arise out of employment for these professionals, but the bill expands the list of conditions that qualify for this presumption. The new language will replace the existing provisions, removing the requirement that certain cancers must be of the respiratory tract and adding a broader range of cancers, including breast, kidney, and skin cancers, among others. The bill also clarifies that the presumption of occupational disease applies if the disease is caused by any of the newly listed cancers.

Additionally, the bill removes certain existing provisions that specify which cancers are covered under the presumption for firefighters and fire investigators, thereby consolidating the language to create a more comprehensive list. The amendments aim to ensure that a wider array of occupational diseases is recognized, thus enhancing the protections available to these workers under the workers' compensation system. Overall, the bill seeks to modernize and clarify the conditions under which occupational diseases are presumed to arise from employment in these high-risk professions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 23-901.01, 23-901.09, 23-901, 23-1043.01