Presumption Removed from Firefighter Benefit Bill

A bill that would have created a rebuttable presumption of compensability for Hawaii firefighters who contract certain diseases was amended to eliminate the presumption and instead allow firefighters to collectively bargain for benefits to cover the long-term health effects of exposure to hazardous materials. House Bill 435, by Rep. Ryan I. Yamane, D-Mililani, cites a University of Cincinnati study reportedly published in 2005 finding that firefighters have an increased risk of testicular cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, skin cancer, malignant melanoma and leukemia. The b...