Senator Sam Rasheed (patron of Senate Bill 920) told a Virginia Senate committee that SB 920 is a technical fix to clarify the definition of “throat cancer” in the Commonwealth’s workers’ compensation presumptions so firefighters and their families do not face denials for coverage. The bill was presented at a committee hearing where firefighter advocates, a widow of a fallen firefighter and fire chiefs testified in support.

The bill’s sponsor said the current code lists “throat cancer” among 12 cancers that create a presumption of occupational origin for first responders but that doctors sometimes code certain cancers (for example, esophageal cancer) differently, producing denials by the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. “This legislation is a technical fix to go and define throat cancer to eliminate unnecessary denials and appeals for those firefighters and their families seeking presumptive coverage,” Senator Rasheed said.

Jennifer Pike of the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters told the committee the association asked Senator Rasheed to carry the bill because “we're having an astronomical number of workers’ compensation insurance claims denied and they're having to go through the appeal process.” Michelle Galena, widow of Virginia Beach firefighter Matt Galena, described her husband’s diagnosis and treatment for stage 4 esophageal cancer and urged passage. “The original bill with the vague language, it forced us to work and battle hard against workers comp, and also battle cancer at the same time. That shouldn't be the case,” Galena said.

Vance Cooper, president of the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association and a 35-year Virginia Beach deputy chief, said the state’s fire service is seeing many cancer cases and urged lawmakers to support the bill. Representatives of the Virginia Association of Rescue Squads and Virginia Governmental EMS Administrators also voiced support.

Committee members asked procedural questions and whether anyone opposed the bill; none raised hands. The chair indicated the bill will need to be referred to the Senate finance committee for further consideration rather than being reported out of this committee at the hearing. No committee vote on SB 920 was recorded at this session.

The measure is presented as narrowly defining “throat cancer” in the workers’ compensation presumptions to reduce administrative denials and appeals; proponents said it would expedite access to benefits for firefighters diagnosed with qualifying cancers.

Supporters requested the committee advance the bill to the finance committee for fiscal review and further consideration.