Presumption, PTSD Bills Hit Wall, but Death Benefits Could Double

Amid the seeming groundswell of support for first responders around the country this year, North Carolina firefighters hoped they would soon join the ranks of those protected by a cancer presumption law. The Tarheel State is one of the last in the country to go without some type of presumption or defined-benefit plan for firefighters and other safety officers, and supporters mounted a lobbying effort this year, replete with extensive local news coverage and support from key lawmakers. The North Carolina House in early May, in fact, unanimously approved HB 520, a cancer presumption bill that ...