STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3403

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 6

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.R. No. 6, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE ISSUE OF A CANCER PRESUMPTIVE STATUTE RELATING TO FIREFIGHTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the formation of a task force to study the issue of a cancer presumptive statute relating to firefighters.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Fire Council; Honolulu Fire Department; and Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Local 1463, IAFF, AFL-CIO.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Employees' Retirement System, Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu, and University of Hawai‘i System.

     Your Committee finds that University of Cincinnati environmental health researchers have determined that firefighters are significantly more likely to develop various types of cancer than workers in other fields.  A firefighter's cancer diagnosis can have an enormous impact on a spouse, children, and other family members, including a heavy emotional toll, financial costs, and a decreased quality of life.  Your Committee further finds that thirty-four states and nine Canadian provinces have enacted cancer presumptive statutes, which create a presumption that certain types of cancer diagnosed among firefighters result from their employment as firefighters.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 6, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 6, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair