HB5532 Summary

• Removes bloodborne pathogens and tuberculosis from the general rebuttable presumption for firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics under the Workers' Compensation Act and Workers' Occupational Diseases Act.

• Creates a separate rebuttable presumption specifically for bloodborne pathogens and tuberculosis conditions affecting firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics, with the same 5-year employment requirement.

• Limits the EMT and paramedic presumptions to only those cross-trained as firefighters (rather than all EMTs and paramedics).

• Maintains existing rebuttable presumptions for lung/respiratory disease, heart/vascular disease, hypertension, cancer, hernia, and hearing loss affecting firefighters and cross-trained EMTs/paramedics with 5+ years of employment.

• Specifies that workers' compensation findings under these rebuttable presumptions cannot be used as evidence in Illinois Pension Code disability claims for the same medical condition.