State Rep. Micah Gravley, R-Douglasville, wants to send a message to firefighters across the state.
“Because of the job they do and the sacrifices they make, we recognize that they are at a higher level of exposure to cancer-causing risk factors, and we want to give them some assurance,” said Gravley. “We want a product that is of value to the firefighters.”
Gravely believes HB 146 sends that assurance. The bill passed the House Insurance Committee last week, and is expected to be voted on by the full House Tuesday.
Under HB 146, firefighters diagnosed with one of about a dozen cancers listed in the bill would be eligible for a cash payout up to $25,000 to assist with expenditures related to the diagnosis. The amount would be based on the severity of the cancer, according to Gravley. The bill allows for other cancer types to be added as needed.
After a six-month evaluation, if the firefighter is unable to perform his or her job, they would then be eligible to receive 60 percent of their salary for three years. If the member is a volunteer firefighter, they would be eligible for a monthly benefit of $1,500 for three years.
Under the proposed bill, firefighters who retire would be able to carry the policy with them and pay the premium themselves. The bill would allow a tax credit for these premiums, Gravley said.
This is Gravley’s second attempt to pass legislation that would protect firefighters. Last year, the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill sponsored by Gravley that would allow Georgia firefighters to file for workers’ compensation if by “preponderance of evidence” it could be shown that their cancer was work related.
Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed H.B. 216 last May, expressing concern that the legislation was too broad and could exhaust Georgia’s workers comp board because it required a relatively low standard of proof, no time limit on diagnosis and no restriction on eligible types of cancer, according to a statement released on the governor’s website.
Gravley said while last year’s bill involved a worker’s compensation aspect, this bill removes that.
A report last year, stated that firefighters are 65 percent more likely to get cancer than workers in any other public profession.
