BILL REQ. #:  H-4571.1 

Read first time 01/22/08.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to occupational diseases affecting public employee fire investigators; and amending RCW 51.32.185.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 51.32.185 and 2007 c 490 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) In the case of the following, there shall exist a prima facie presumption as provided in (b) of this subsection:
     (i) Firefighters as defined in RCW 41.26.030(4) (a), (b), and (c) who are covered under Title 51 RCW ((and));
     (ii) Firefighters, including supervisors, employed on a full-time, fully compensated basis as a firefighter of a private sector employer's fire department that includes over fifty such firefighters((,)); and
     (iii) Public employee fire investigators.
     (b) There shall exist a prima facie presumption for those occupations listed in (a) of this subsection that: (((a))) (i) Respiratory disease; (((b))) (ii) any heart problems, experienced within seventy-two hours of exposure to smoke, fumes, or toxic substances, or experienced within twenty-four hours of strenuous physical exertion due to firefighting activities; (((c))) (iii) cancer; and (((d))) (iv) infectious diseases are occupational diseases under RCW 51.08.140. This presumption of occupational disease may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to, use of tobacco products, physical fitness and weight, lifestyle, hereditary factors, and exposure from other employment or nonemployment activities.
     (2) The presumptions established in subsection (1)(b) of this section shall be extended to an applicable member following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each year of requisite service, but may not extend more than sixty months following the last date of employment.
     (3) The presumption established in subsection (1)(((c))) (b)(iii) of this section shall only apply to any active or former firefighter or fire investigator who has cancer that develops or manifests itself after the firefighter or fire investigator has served at least ten years and who was given a qualifying medical examination upon becoming a firefighter or fire investigator that showed no evidence of cancer. The presumption within subsection (1)(((c))) (b)(iii) of this section shall only apply to prostate cancer diagnosed prior to the age of fifty, primary brain cancer, malignant melanoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, bladder cancer, ureter cancer, colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma, testicular cancer, and kidney cancer.
     (4) The presumption established in subsection (1)(((d))) (b)(iv) of this section shall be extended to any firefighter or fire investigator who has contracted any of the following infectious diseases: Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, all strains of hepatitis, meningococcal meningitis, or mycobacterium tuberculosis.
     (5) Beginning July 1, 2003, this section does not apply to a firefighter or fire investigator who develops a heart or lung condition and who is a regular user of tobacco products or who has a history of tobacco use. The department, using existing medical research, shall define in rule the extent of tobacco use that shall exclude a firefighter or fire investigator from the provisions of this section.
     (6) For purposes of this section, "firefighting activities" means fire suppression, fire prevention, fire investigation, emergency medical services, rescue operations, hazardous materials response, aircraft rescue, and training and other assigned duties related to emergency response.
     (7)(a) When a determination involving the presumption established in this section is appealed to the board of industrial insurance appeals and the final decision allows the claim for benefits, the board of industrial insurance appeals shall order that all reasonable costs of the appeal, including attorney fees and witness fees, be paid to the firefighter or fire investigator, or his or her beneficiary, by the opposing party.
     (b) When a determination involving the presumption established in this section is appealed to any court and the final decision allows the claim for benefits, the court shall order that all reasonable costs of the appeal, including attorney fees and witness fees, be paid to the firefighter or fire investigator, or his or her beneficiary, by the opposing party.
     (c) When reasonable costs of the appeal must be paid by the department under this section in a state fund case, the costs shall be paid from the accident fund and charged to the costs of the claim.