HB 2191 — An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, in liability and compensation, further providing for compensation for cancer in the occupation of firefighter.

PRINTER'S NO.   2853

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2191
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY McNEILL, HILL-EVANS, PROBST, HOHENSTEIN, BRENNAN,
        NEILSON, HOWARD, RIVERA, SANCHEZ, PIELLI, HANBIDGE, FREEMAN,
        McANDREW, HARKINS, GALLAGHER, BOYD, DOUGHERTY, D. WILLIAMS
        AND KAZEEM, FEBRUARY 2, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), entitled "An
 2      act defining the liability of an employer to pay damages for
 3      injuries received by an employe in the course of employment;
 4      establishing an elective schedule of compensation; providing
 5      procedure for the determination of liability and compensation
 6      thereunder; and prescribing penalties," in liability and
 7      compensation, further providing for compensation for cancer
 8      in the occupation of firefighter.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.    Section 301(f) of the act of June 2, 1915
12   (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, is
13   amended to read:
14      Section 301.    * * *
15      (f)   Compensation pursuant to cancer suffered by a
16   firefighter shall only be to those firefighters who [have served
17   four or more years in continuous firefighting duties, who] can
18   establish direct exposure to a carcinogen referred to in section
19   108(r) relating to cancer by a firefighter and have successfully
20   passed a physical examination prior to asserting a claim under
 1   this subsection or prior to engaging in firefighting duties and
 2   the examination failed to reveal any evidence of the condition
 3   of cancer. The presumption of this subsection may be rebutted by
 4   substantial competent evidence that shows that the firefighter's
 5   cancer was not caused by the occupation of firefighting. Any
 6   claim made by a member of a volunteer fire company shall be
 7   based on evidence of direct exposure to a carcinogen referred to
 8   in section 108(r) as documented by reports filed pursuant to the
 9   Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting System and provided that
10   the member's claim is based on direct exposure to a carcinogen
11   referred to in section 108(r). Notwithstanding the limitation
12   under subsection (c)(2) with respect to disability or death
13   resulting from an occupational disease having to occur within
14   three hundred weeks after the last date of employment in an
15   occupation or industry to which a claimant was exposed to the
16   hazards of disease, claims filed pursuant to cancer suffered by
17   the firefighter under section 108(r) may be made within six
18   hundred weeks after the last date of employment in an occupation
19   or industry to which a claimant was exposed to the hazards of
20   disease. The presumption provided for under this subsection
21   shall only apply to claims made within the first three hundred
22   weeks.
23      * * *
24      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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