Substitute Senate Bill No. 141
Special Act No. 21-35
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY CANCER
RELIEF BENEFITS FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force
to study cancer relief benefits for firefighters. Such study shall include,
but need not be limited to, an examination of (1) the adequacy of the
firefighters cancer relief program established pursuant to section 7-313j
of the general statutes, and (2) the feasibility and implications of
providing workers' compensation and other benefits, including death
benefits, to firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer acquired as a
result of occupational exposure to noxious fumes or poisonous gases.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to labor;
(2) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
one of whom has expertise in the state's workers' compensation
program and one of whom has expertise in cancer research;
(3) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of Substitute Senate Bill No. 141
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whom shall be a representative of a firefighters' labor organization;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of
Representatives;
(5) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of
Representatives, one of whom shall be a representative of a municipality
with a paid fire department; and
(7) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom
shall be a representative of a municipality with a volunteer fire
department.
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (2),
(3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member
of the General Assembly.
(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall
be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from
among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule
the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty
days after the effective date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to labor shall
serve as administrative staff of the task force.
(g) Not later than January 1, 2022, the task force shall submit a report
on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to labor, in Substitute Senate Bill No. 141
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accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.
The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or
January 1, 2022, whichever is later.