ENROLLED
       2026 Legislature             CS for CS for SB 984, 1st Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2026984er
    1  
    2         An act relating to firefighter cancer benefits;
    3         amending s. 112.1816, F.S.; requiring a former
    4         employer to provide death benefits to certain
    5         beneficiaries for a specified time period under
    6         certain circumstances; providing a finding and
    7         declaration of important state interest; providing an
    8         effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section
   13  112.1816, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         112.1816 Firefighters; cancer diagnosis.—
   15         (4)
   16         (c) Firefighters who die as a result of cancer or
   17  circumstances that arise out of the treatment of cancer are
   18  considered to have died in the manner as described in s.
   19  112.191(2)(a), and all of the benefits arising out of such death
   20  are available to the deceased firefighter’s beneficiary. Such
   21  death benefits must be made available by the former employer of
   22  the firefighter for 1 year after the date on which the
   23  firefighter terminated employment so long as the firefighter
   24  otherwise met the criteria specified in this subsection when he
   25  or she terminated employment and was not employed as a
   26  firefighter after that date.
   27         Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares that this act
   28  fulfills an important state interest.
   29         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.