Senate Passes Firefighter Presumption

The Montana Senate passed a bill that would create a presumption that certain diseases developed by firefighters are occupational in nature. The Senate on Wednesday voted 35-15 to pass SB 160, by Sen. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula. The bill lists a dozen conditions including certain types of cancers and pulmonary disease that are presumed compensable when diagnosed after a specific period of employment. For example, bladder cancer would be presumed compensable after 12 years of employment, while leukemia would be compensable after five years. Conditions would also have to be diagnosed with...