STAND. COM. REP. NO. 473

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 827

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 827 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand workers' compensation coverage to include firefighters who develop cancer or diseases in the discharge of their firefighting duties.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Hawaii Fire Fighters Association; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that firefighters have a 9 percent greater chance of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14 percent greater chance of dying from cancer than the general United States population. Your Committee also finds that firefighters are constantly inhaling and ingesting carcinogens from fire combustion which put them at high risk for developing diseases later in life. Your Committee believes that this measure ensures support for firefighters by providing workers' compensation benefits to those who develop cancer or diseases resulting from firefighting duties.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 827, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 827, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair