by
<a href="mailto:loganb@awcnet.org">Logan Bahr</a>, <a href="mailto:brandona@awcnet.org">Brandon Anderson</a> | Feb 11, 2019
<strong><a target="_blank" href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1913&Chamber=House&Year=2019">HB 1913</a></strong>, and its companion <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5849&Chamber=Senate&Year=2019">SB 5849</a></strong>, are scheduled for public hearings in the House and Senate labor committees this week.
HB 1913, and its companion SB 5849, are scheduled for public hearings in the House and Senate labor committees this week. Both bills would create new workers’ compensation presumptions for first responders. The new presumptions include additional cancers and infectious diseases.
The bills would also create an advisory committee on occupational disease presumptions within the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) that would review scientific evidence and make recommendations to the Legislature for any future presumptive diseases or disorders for first responders.
AWC supports these bills. These bills were the product of months-long negotiations among cities, counties, and first responder advocacy groups.
Dates to remember
HB 1913 will be heard in the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Tuesday, February 12 at 3:30 pm.
SB 5849 will be heard in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on Thursday, February 14 at 8 am.