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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 956 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 608
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Brendan P. Crighton
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act mandating access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care benefits plans
or programs provided by the public employer.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Brendan P. CrightonThird EssexVanna Howard17th Middlesex1/27/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/27/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/27/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/30/2023Marc R. PachecoThird Bristol and Plymouth1/30/2023Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/8/2023Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth2/8/2023Pavel M. PayanoFirst Essex2/8/2023Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk3/2/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 956 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 608
By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 608) of Brendan P. Crighton,
Vanna Howard, Susannah M. Whipps, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and other members of the General
Court for legislation to mandate access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care
benefits plans or programs provided by the public employer. Financial Services.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act mandating access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care benefits plans
or programs provided by the public employer.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 A firefighter employed as a full-time paid employee of a fire department of the state or a
2city, town, fire or water district, shall be provided a cancer screening examination conducted by a
3physician not less than three years after the start of the firefighter’s employment as a firefighter
4and every three years thereafter during the course of the firefighter’s employment.
5 This section shall also apply to members of the Massachusetts military reservation fire
6department, members of the 104th fighter wing fire department, and members of the Devens fire
7department established pursuant to chapter 498 of the acts of 1993 and, for the purposes of this
8section, the Massachusetts Port Authority, the Massachusetts Military Reservation, the Barnes
9Air National Guard Base and the Devens Regional Enterprise Zone established pursuant to said
10chapter 498 shall be fire districts. 2 of 2
11 The examination shall include screening for, at a minimum and when applicable, the
12following cancers: colon; lung; bladder; oral; thyroid; skin; blood; breast; cervical; testicular; and
13prostate.
14 All costs associated with screenings provided under this section shall be borne by the
15firefighter’s health care benefits plan or program provided by the firefighter’s employer. No co-
16payment, deductible, coinsurance, or any out-of-pocket expense shall be required for such
17examinations.
18 This act shall take effect immediately upon passage.