SB 288 - HB 482
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
March 1, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Laura Moore | Email: laura.moore@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 288 - HB 482
SUMMARY OF BILL: Establishes a rebuttable presumption that any condition or
impairment of health caused by prostate cancer, breast cancer, or pancreatic cancer and results in
loss of life or personal injury to a full-time firefighter occurred in the line of duty, if certain
conditions are met. Requires any firefighter wishing to utilize this rebuttable presumption to obtain a
medical examination after July 1, 2025, that includes a cancer screening that fails to reveal any
evidence of prostate cancer, breast cancer, or pancreatic cancer.
FISCAL IMPACT:
STATE GOVERNMENT
EXPENDITURES General Fund Claims Commission
FY25-26 & Subsequent Years $50,000 >$10,000
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
EXPENDITURES Mandatory
FY25-26 & Subsequent Years >$20,000
Article II, Section 24 of the Tennessee Constitution provides that: no law of general application shall impose increased expenditure
requirements on cities or counties unless the General Assembly shall provide that the state share in the cost.
Assumptions:
• The proposed legislation:
o Applies only to full-time firefighters of a fire department of the state, local
government, or a political subdivision of the state.
o Presumes that any condition or impairment of health that results in loss of life or
personal injury caused by prostate cancer, breast cancer, or pancreatic cancer
occurred in the line of duty.
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 7-51-201(d)(1), the list of covered cancers includes all forms
of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, leukemia, testicular cancer,
and multiple myeloma cancer.
• If the disabling health condition is determined to be caused by prostate cancer, breast
cancer, or pancreatic cancer, and judged to be contracted in the line-of-duty by way of the
rebuttable presumption, and the firefighter subsequently dies of cancer, the estate of the
firefighter will be entitled to receive a death benefit of $50,000 per year, paid from the state
General Fund, for a period of five years, pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 7-51-210(b).
• It is assumed that at least the estate of one full-time firefighter claim will be awarded the
state death benefit every five years; resulting in an increase in state expenditures from the
General Fund of $50,000 in FY25-26 and subsequent years.
SB 288 - HB 482 2
• It is assumed that one state-employed firefighter will apply for and receive benefit coverage
under state benefits annually as a direct result of this legislation. While a precise impact to
the Claims Commission cannot be determined, the increase in state expenditures to the
Commission is reasonably estimated to exceed $10,000 in FY25-26 and subsequent years.
• The extent of benefits which are currently provided to full-time firefighters by each local
government is unknown; therefore, a precise recurring mandatory increase in local
government expenditures for providing additional benefit coverage cannot be determined,
but is reasonably estimated to exceed $20,000 statewide in FY25-26 and subsequent years.
IMPACT TO COMMERCE:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumption:
• The proposed language will not result in a significant impact to jobs or commerce in
Tennessee.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director