ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

Senate: FIN DPA 6-1-0-0 | Third Read 27-2-1-0-0

SB 1215: firefighters; occupational disease; cancers

Sponsor: Senator Payne, LD 27

Committee on Public Safety & Law Enforcement

Overview

Makes clarifying changes regarding the occupational disease classification for peace officers and firefighters.

History

A peace officer may be presumed to have an occupational disease if any disease, infirmity or impairment of a peace officer's health is caused by brain, bladder, rectal or colon cancer, lymphoma, leukemia or adenocarcinoma, or mesothelioma of the respiratory tract and results in disability or death. A peace officer is then granted the presumption if both of the following also apply: 1) the peace officer passed a physical examination before employment that did not indicate evidence of cancer; and 2) the peace officer was assigned to hazardous duty for at least five years (A.R.S. § 23-091.01).

Firefighters and fire investigators may also receive the occupational disease presumption if their disease, infirmity or impairment is caused by buccal cavity, pharynx, esophagus, large intestine, lung, kidney, prostate, skin, stomach, ovarian, breast or testicular cancer or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma or malignant melanoma, in addition to any of the cancers listed for peace officers, and has resulted in the firefighter or fire investigator's disability or death. Similarly to peace officers, the presumption is then granted if all of the following also apply: 1) the firefighter or fire investigator passed a physical examination before employment that did not indicate evidence of cancer; 2) the firefighter or fire investigator was assigned to hazardous duty for at least 5 years; and 3) the firefighter received a physical examination that reasonably aligned with the national fire protection association standard on comprehensive occupational medical program for fire departments if the presumption arose from certain diseases (A.R.S. § 23-901.09).

Provisions

1. Makes clarifying changes relating to the list of cancers that lead to the presumed occupational disease of a peace officer or firefighter. (Sec. 1, 2)

2. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)

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6. Initials NM/AI SB 1215

7. 3/18/2026 Page 0 Public Safety & Law Enforcement

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