00                      CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 218(L&C)                                                                    
01 "An Act relating to coverage for disability from diseases for certain firefighters; and                                 
02 providing for an effective date."                                                                                       
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 23.30.121(b) is amended to read:                                                                   
05            (b)  For a firefighter covered under AS 23.30.243,                                                           
06                 (1)  there is a presumption that a claim for compensation for disability                                
07       as a result of the following diseases is within the provisions of this chapter:                                   
08                      (A)  respiratory disease;                                                                          
09                      (B)  cardiovascular events that are experienced within 72 hours                                    
10            after exposure to smoke, fumes, or toxic substances; and                                                     
11                      (C)  the following cancers:                                                                        
12                           (i)  primary brain cancer;                                                                    
13                           (ii)  malignant melanoma;                                                                     
14                           (iii)  leukemia;                                                                              

01                           (iv)  non-Hodgkin's lymphoma;                                                                 
02                           (v)  bladder cancer;                                                                          
03                           (vi)  ureter cancer;                                                                          
04                           (vii)  kidney cancer;                                                                         
05                           (viii)  prostate cancer; and                                                                  
06                           (ix)  breast cancer;                                                                          
07 (2)  notwithstanding AS 23.30.100(a), following termination of service,                                                 
08 the presumption established in (1) of this subsection extends to the firefighter for a                                  
09 period of three calendar months for each year of requisite service but may not extend                                   
10       more than 60 calendar months following the last date of employment;                                               
11 (3)  the presumption established in (1) of this subsection applies only to                                              
12 an active or former firefighter who has a disease described in (1) of this subsection                                   
13 that develops or manifests itself after the firefighter has served in the state for at least                            
14       six [SEVEN] years and who                                                                                     
15 (A)  underwent [WAS GIVEN] a qualifying medical                                                                     
16            examination                                                                                                  
17 (i)  upon the first employment as [BECOMING] a                                                                  
18                 firefighter that did not show evidence of the disease;                                                  
19 (ii)  at least once every two years [(B) WAS GIVEN                                                                  
20 AN ANNUAL MEDICAL EXAM] during [EACH OF] the first six                                                              
21 [SEVEN] years of employment as a firefighter that did not show                                                      
22                 evidence of the disease; and                                                                            
23 (B) [(C)]  with regard to diseases described in (1)(C) of this                                                      
24 subsection, demonstrates that, while in the course of employment as a                                                   
25 firefighter, the firefighter was exposed to a known carcinogen, as defined by                                           
26 the International Agency for Research on Cancer or the National Toxicology                                              
27            Program, and the carcinogen is associated with a disabling cancer.                                           
28    * Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).