Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-1924
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2007-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: AIDS (Disease)
Animals
Blood diseases
Brain diseases
Breast cancer
Cancer
Cardiovascular diseases
Colon cancer
Communicable diseases
Digestive diseases
Diphtheria
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Environmental Protection
Evidence (Law)
Families
Federal employees
Fire fighters
Health
Hepatitis
Human immunodeficiency viruses
Kidney diseases
Labor and Employment
Law
Leukemia
Liver diseases
Lung cancer
Lung diseases
Medical personnel
Paramedical personnel
Prostate cancer
Rabies
Rescue work
Skin cancer
Survivors' benefits
Tuberculosis
Women
Workers' compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: 
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2007 - Amends federal law to provide that, in the case of an employee in fire protection activities: (1) heart disease, lung disease, specified cancers and infectious diseases shall be presumed to be proximately caused by the employee's employment; (2) the disability or death of an employee in fire protection activities due to such a disease shall be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance of such employee's duty; and (3) such presumptions may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. 

action_date: 2008-10-01
text: 
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2008 - Provides that: (1) specified diseases, including heart disease, lung disease, tuberculosis, hepatatis, human immunodeficiency virus, and specified cancers, of federal employees in fire protection activities shall be presumed to be proximately caused by such employment; (2) the disability or death of such an employee due to such a disease shall be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance of duty; and (3) such presumptions may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. 

Defines an &quot;employee in fire protection activities&quot; as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who: (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility of his or her job.

Directs the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to examine the implementation of this Act and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks associated with firefighting and to report to Congress on: (1) an analysis of the injury claims made under this Act; (2) an analysis of the available research related to the health risks associated with firefighting; and (3) recommendations for any administrative or legislative actions necessary to ensure that those diseases most associated with firefighting are included in the presumption created by this Act.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-11-17
text: By Senator Lieberman from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report. Report No. 110-520.
action_date: 2008-11-17
text: By Senator Lieberman from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report. Report No. 110-520.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1102.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-06-25
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-08-22
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate