Bill > HB2679

This bill amends Arizona law to strengthen the presumption that heart-related, perivascular (around blood vessels), or pulmonary (lung-related) injuries, illnesses, or deaths experienced by firefighters are occupational diseases, meaning they are directly linked to their job and therefore compensable under workers' compensation. Previously, this presumption could be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not, that there was a specific cause other than employment. Now, the presumption can only be overcome by clear and convincing evidence that the condition was solely caused by a non-occupational issue that was diagnosed and documented before employment or a qualifying event, and that this non-occupational condition was independently sufficient to cause the outcome without any contribution from job-related factors like exertion, heat, toxic exposure, or emergency response. The bill also clarifies that certain factors like age, family history, fitness level, lifestyle, speculation, statistical risks, and post-event medical findings are not sufficient to rebut the presumption, and it defines "heart-related" to include specific conditions like myocardial infarction (heart attack) and various arrhythmias.

Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84525