HB247 • 2026

State Board of Adjustment, provide death benefit to survivors of volunteer firefighters who die of cancer

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Pettus
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: Enacted
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

The summary is based strictly on the information provided in the official bill text, which does not include additional details or implications beyond what is explicitly stated.

Death Benefit for Volunteer Firefighters Who Die of Cancer

This law provides death benefits to the survivors of volunteer firefighters who die from cancer if certain conditions are met.

What This Bill Does

Defines which types of cancer qualify under this act, including bladder, blood, brain, breast, cervical, esophageal, intestinal, kidney, lymphatic, lung, prostate, rectum, respiratory tract, skin, testicular, and thyroid cancers, leukemia, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Requires that the firefighter passed a physical exam before certification showing no evidence of cancer.
Requires at least six years of service as a volunteer or combination paid-volunteer firefighter.
Specifies that the firefighter must have been exposed to carcinogens during fire suppression events, and these exposures are recorded by their department.
Establishes that if a known carcinogen is reasonably linked to the type of cancer resulting in death, it will be presumed to arise from volunteer service unless proven otherwise.

Who It Names or Affects

Survivors of volunteer firefighters who die of cancer and meet the conditions set by this act.
Volunteer firefighters and combination paid-volunteer firefighters who are certified through recognized state commissions or equivalents.
The State Board of Adjustment, which will handle claims for compensation.

Terms To Know

Cancer: A disease involving the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in any part of the body. The act specifies certain types that qualify under this law.
Volunteer Firefighter: An individual certified as a volunteer firefighter through the Alabama Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission or an equivalent certification before residing in the state.

Limits and Unknowns

The act only applies to survivors of volunteer firefighters who meet specific conditions, such as having at least six years of service.
It does not cover all types of cancer or other causes of death for firefighters.
The effectiveness and reach of the law depend on proper documentation and evidence provided by departments.

Bill History

2026-04-17 House
Enacted
2026-04-09 House
Delivered to Governor
2026-04-09 Senate
Signature Requested
2026-04-09 House
Enrolled
2026-04-09 House
Ready to Enroll
2026-04-08 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1278 (Yeas 30, Nays 0)
2026-03-19 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-03-18 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-25 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-25 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund
2026-02-24 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 548 (Yeas 102, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 100, Nays 0)
2026-02-05 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-04 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-01-14 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-14 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means General Fund

Official Summary Text

"This act provides that the death of a volunteer firefighter from cancer may be compensable to beneficiaries and dependents as a death in the line of duty if: (1) a physical prior to firefighter certification revealed no evidence of cancer; (2) the firefighter served no less than six years for a combination paid and volunteer department or one recognized by the Alabama Forestry Commission; and (3) records indicate exposure to carcinogens reasonable linked to the type of cancer resulting in death during fire suppression events.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB247 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB247
SLZPE77-2
By Representatives Pettus, Bedsole, Treadaway, Hurst, Wilcox,
Shaw
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 14-Jan-26
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HB247 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 14-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to volunteer firefighters; to provide
compensation to beneficiaries or dependents of active
volunteer firefighters who die of cancer through the existing
line of duty death benefit under Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
36, Code of Alabama 1975; and to provide for circumstances
qualifying for the claim and a standard of proof.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) For the purposes of this section, the
following terms have the following meanings:
(1) CANCER. Includes bladder, blood, brain, breast,
cervical, esophageal, intestinal, kidney, lymphatic, lung,
prostate, rectum, respiratory tract, skin, testicular, and
thyroid cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's
lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
(2) VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. An individual who has been
certified as a volunteer fire fighter through the Alabama
Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission or
who has received an equivalent certification to qualify as a
volunteer firefighter before residing in this state.
(b) The death of a volunteer firefighter resulting from
cancer may be compensable as a death in the line of duty under
Article 1, Chapter 30, Title 36, Code of Alabama 1975, if all
of the following facts and circumstances are presented with a
claim for compensation made by or on behalf of a beneficiary
or dependent in the manner prescribed by the State Board of
Adjustment:
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HB247 Enrolled
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Adjustment:
(1) The firefighter passed a physical examination
before initial certification as a volunteer firefighter which
failed to reveal any evidence of cancer.
(2) The firefighter had no less than six years of
service as a firefighter before receiving a diagnosis of
cancer.
(3) The firefighter was an active member of a volunteer
fire department as recognized by the Alabama Forestry
Commission or was an active volunteer member of a combination
paid and volunteer fire department in this state at the time
of the onset of the symptoms that led to a diagnosis of
cancer.
(4) The department for which the firefighter
volunteered maintains a record indicating that the fire
suppression events in which the firefighter participated
exposed the firefighter to a known carcinogen.
(c)(1) The provisions of Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
36, Code of Alabama 1975, shall govern any claim for
compensation arising from this section.
(2) If a known carcinogen to which a volunteer
firefighter was exposed while in the line of duty is
reasonably linked to the type of cancer that resulted in the
death of the firefighter, the cancer shall be presumed to
arise out of and in the course of the firefighter's volunteer
service, unless the state demonstrates by a preponderance of
the evidence that the cancer was caused by some other means.
(d) Where any provision of this section may be in
conflict with any provision of Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
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HB247 Enrolled
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conflict with any provision of Article 1, Chapter 30, Title
36, Code of Alabama 1975, the provision of this section will
be given effect.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 24-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 08-Apr-26 Passed
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