HB5 Alabama 2012 1st Special Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Laura HallRepresentative

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Jim PattersonEd HenryDan WilliamsLynn GreerTerri CollinsPhil WilliamsHoward SanderfordMike BallMac McCutcheonRandy DavisAlan HarperWayne Johnson

Session

First Special Session 2012

Title

Economic Development, tax increment district, Major 21st Century Manufacturing Zone authorized in Class 3 municipalities, development of distressed areas, tax credit required, Secs. 11-99-1, 11-99-2, 11-99-4, 11-99-5, 11-99-6, 11-99-8, 11-99-10 am'd

Summary

The bill would provide death and disability benefits for state firefighters with occupational diseases, set when those benefits apply, and establish rules to determine if the disease is work-related.

What This Bill Does

It creates death and disability benefits for state-employed firefighters who develop certain occupational diseases. It presumes diseases like cancer, HIV, and hepatitis are work-related unless the state proves otherwise by a preponderance of the evidence, and it requires the state to show non-occupational causes to disqualify benefits. It sets eligibility rules for new firefighters (three years of service and a qualifying physical exam, with a deadline for those not examined at entry). It makes benefits comparable to other service-connected benefits and treats death from occupational disease as a line-of-duty death for related purposes.

Who It Affects

• State firefighters who develop specified occupational diseases and their dependents who may receive benefits
• Firefighters entering state service who meet the three-year service and exam requirements (or who qualify by the January 1, 2013 deadline if no exam was required)

Key Provisions

• Provides death and disability benefits for state firefighters due to defined occupational diseases
• Diseases covered include hypertension, heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer linked to exposure, HIV, and hepatitis
• Cancer and HIV/hepatitis have presumptions of work-relatedness unless the state proves non-occupational causes by a preponderance of the evidence
• Eligibility requirements: entering firefighters must have at least three years of service and pass a physical exam (or be deemed eligible if an exam was not required and a qualifying exam is completed by Jan 1, 2013)
• Benefits are treated as service-connected for disability, and death benefits are paid as if the firefighter died in the line of duty
• The state bears the burden to show non-occupational causes to disqualify a claim
• Effective date is the first day of the third month after passage/approval

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Economic Development