HB 87 expands Florida’s firefighter cancer benefits law by adding acute myeloid leukemia to the list of cancers covered under section 112.1816, Florida Statutes. The bill preserves the existing framework that gives eligible firefighters access to cancer-related benefits as an alternative to workers’ compensation, including employer-covered treatment, reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical costs, a one-time $25,000 payment upon diagnosis, and leave and retention benefits comparable to other line-of-duty injuries or illnesses.
The bill also extends and clarifies disability and death protections tied to cancer. If a firefighter is covered by an employer retirement plan, the plan must treat qualifying cancer-related disability or death as line-of-duty. If no such retirement plan exists, the employer must provide a disability retirement benefit or death benefit equal to at least 42 percent of salary, subject to the bill’s conditions. The bill further requires employers to bear the costs of these enhanced benefits and directs the Division of State Fire Marshal to adopt rules establishing employer cancer-prevention best practices related to protective equipment, decontamination, apparatus, and fire stations.
HB 87 would amend section 112.1816, Florida Statutes, by broadening the statutory definition of “cancer” for firefighters to include acute myeloid leukemia and by reinforcing employer obligations for medical, retirement, and death benefits connected to cancer diagnoses and treatment. It would also require the Division of State Fire Marshal to develop rules on cancer-prevention best practices, affecting fire departments, public safety departments, retirement systems, and group health coverage arrangements for firefighters. The bill declares an important state interest and would take effect July 1, 2025.
The available context suggests generally favorable treatment of the bill’s subject matter, as it is framed as a benefits expansion for firefighters and a workplace health protection measure. However, the bill did not advance out of the Government Operations Subcommittee and died there on June 16, 2025, indicating that support was not sufficient to move it forward in the legislative process. No committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, so the broader debate cannot be assessed from the available materials.
The main policy issue is the cost and scope of expanded firefighter cancer benefits. The bill places the financial burden on employers and, for retirement-related benefits, on participating employers or retirement systems, while prohibiting increased employee contributions to fund the enhanced benefits. Potential points of contention include the addition of acute myeloid leukemia to the covered cancer list, the mandatory reimbursement and lump-sum payment structure, the required disability and death benefit presumptions, and the new rulemaking mandate on cancer-prevention practices. Because no transcripts are available, the specific arguments for or against these provisions are not documented here.