Bill > HB3096

This bill, titled the "Missouri Firefighter Occupational Disease Protection Act," modifies workers' compensation provisions for certain first responders, specifically establishing a rebuttable presumption for cancer and other occupational diseases contracted by firefighters and fire investigators. This means that if a firefighter or fire investigator develops cancer or certain heart, perivascular, or pulmonary diseases, it will be presumed to be work-related unless the employer can prove otherwise with clear and convincing evidence that a non-occupational cause was the sole and primary reason for the condition. To qualify for this presumption, firefighters and fire investigators must have passed a pre-employment physical that showed no signs of the condition, have served in hazardous duty for at least five years, and in the case of cancer, have been exposed to known carcinogens. The bill also defines "cancer" broadly to include various types of cancer and specifies conditions for heart-related, perivascular, or pulmonary injuries, requiring a documented work-related incident within 24 hours of the injury for those conditions. Furthermore, it mandates that insurance carriers and self-insured employers report detailed claim information for cancer-related cases involving firefighters and fire investigators to the state division, which will then compile and publish annual reports on these claims. The bill also introduces penalties for employers or their insurance carriers who unreasonably delay or reject claims that qualify for presumptive coverage under this new act, and it clarifies that this presumption applies to claims filed on or after its effective date.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB3096&year=2026&code=R