AB 644

Under current law, in a proceeding regarding the benefits for a state, county,

or municipal fire fighter who dies or is disabled as the result of a heart or respiratory

impairment or disease or of cancer, there is a presumption that the impairment or

disease was caused by the employment as a fire fighter if the fire fighter served a

minimum term in that employment (five years for a heart or respiratory impairment

or disease and ten years for cancer) and the qualifying medical examination given

before his or her joining the fire department showed no evidence of the impairment

or disease.

Under this bill, in a proceeding regarding benefits for a state, county, or

municipal fire fighter, emergency medical service provider, law enforcement officer,

or correctional officer who dies or is disabled as a result of certain infectious diseases,

there is a presumption that the disease was caused by the person's employment as

a fire fighter, an emergency medical service provider, a law enforcement officer, or

a correctional officer if the person's qualifying medical examination showed no

evidence of the disease. The bill does not require a minimum term of employment

to qualify for the presumption.

Because this bill relates to public employee retirement or pensions, it may be

referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems for a report to be

printed as an appendix to the bill.