AR HB1322

Expands the definition of "disease" under the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System to explicitly include occupational cancers diagnosed while firefighters are in the line of duty, covering specific cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, and cancers of the brain, urinary tract, liver, skin, breast, cervix, thyroid, prostate, testicle, colon, and digestive tract.

Allows additional cancers to qualify if research shows higher occurrence rates in firefighters than the general population, provided the firefighter was exposed to a known carcinogen while on duty and diagnosed while in the line of duty.

Permits the presumption that cancer was work-related to be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence.

Adjusts spouse annuities with effective dates between November 1, 2019 and March 1, 2020 to provide benefits based on the greater of 25 years of credited service or actual years served, with retroactive effect but without requiring retroactive benefit payments.

Effective date of July 1, 2025; approved March 25, 2025.