NE LB400

Classifies cancer causing temporary/permanent disability or death as a compensable occupational disease for firefighters who were exposed to known carcinogens during employment

Applies to both professional and volunteer firefighters with 5 or more years of service in Nebraska, including fire investigators and training instructors

Establishes specific carcinogen-cancer associations for 25 cancer types, linking substances like benzene, formaldehyde, diesel exhaust, asbestos, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to cancers including lung, bladder, leukemia, and lymphoma

Creates rebuttable presumptions that cancer arose from employment if diagnosed during active service, or for retirees within a period calculated as 3 months per year of service (up to 60 months maximum)

Professional firefighters retiring on or after January 1, 2026 with 20+ years of service receive lifetime cancer presumption coverage, though retired firefighters filing claims are limited to medical benefits only