| 12 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
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| 13 | 14 | | AN ACT INCLUDING DEATH DUE TO STOMACH CANCER IN THE LIST OF 2 |
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| 14 | 15 | | FIREFIGHTER DEATHS MEETING THE DEFINITION OF KILLED IN THE LINE OF 3 |
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| 15 | 16 | | DUTY UNDER THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ' DEATH BENEFITS ACT. 4 |
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| 16 | 17 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5 |
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| 17 | 18 | | SECTION 1. G.S. 143-166.2(6) reads as rewritten: 6 |
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| 18 | 19 | | "(6) Killed in the line of duty. – This term shall apply to all of the following deaths: 7 |
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| 19 | 20 | | … 8 |
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| 20 | 21 | | e. When the death of a firefighter occurs as a direct and proximate result 9 |
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| 21 | 22 | | of any of the following cancers that are occupationally related to 10 |
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| 22 | 23 | | firefighting, that firefighter is presumed to have been killed in the line 11 |
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| 23 | 24 | | of duty: 12 |
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| 24 | 25 | | 1. Mesothelioma. 13 |
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| 25 | 26 | | 2. Testicular cancer. 14 |
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| 26 | 27 | | 3. Cancer of the small intestine. 15 |
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| 27 | 28 | | 4. Esophageal cancer. 16 |
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| 28 | 29 | | 5. Oral cavity cancer. 17 |
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| 29 | 30 | | 6. Pharynx cancer. 18 |
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| 30 | 31 | | 7. Cancer of the stomach, also known as gastric cancer." 19 |
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| 31 | 32 | | SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 20 |
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| 32 | 33 | | State Treasurer the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in recurring funds for each 21 |
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| 33 | 34 | | year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be used for benefits payable under the Public Safety 22 |
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| 34 | 35 | | Employees' Death Benefits Act related to the implementation of this act. 23 |
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| 35 | 36 | | SECTION 3. This act is effective July 1, 2025, and applies to qualifying deaths 24 |
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| 36 | 37 | | occurring on or after that date. 25 |
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