FloridaStarting July 2026, former employers cover eligible cancer deaths
Starting July 1, 2026, a former employer must make death benefits available to an eligible firefighter’s beneficiary if the firefighter dies from cancer within one year of leaving.
What it does
A former employer must make death benefits available to a firefighter’s beneficiary if the firefighter dies from cancer, or from cancer treatment, within one year after leaving the job and meets the stated conditions.
Argument forEligible beneficiaries could receive death benefits if a firefighter dies from cancer within a year of leaving the job.
Argument againstFormer employers could face responsibility for death benefits after a firefighter leaves, even when the firefighter has not worked for them during that time.
More detail
A former employer must make death benefits available to the firefighter’s beneficiary. This applies when a firefighter dies from cancer or from circumstances arising from cancer treatment. The firefighter must have met the criteria in this subsection when employment ended and must not have worked as a firefighter afterward. The employer’s duty applies for one year after the firefighter’s employment ends. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 26Chapter No. 2026-99Latest
- May 22Approved by Governor Ron DeSantisBecame Law
- May 21Signed by Officers and presented to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 11Ordered engrossed, then enrolledMinor
- Vote recorded Returning Messages. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11CS passed as amended; YEAS 37 NAYS 0Major
- Mar 11Concurred in 1 amendment(s) (761459)
- Mar 9In returning messages
- Vote recorded Passage, Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9CS passed as amended; YEAS 109, NAYS 0Passed House
- Mar 9Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 9Added to Third Reading Calendar
- Mar 9Amendment 761459 adopted
- Mar 9Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 51st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)Minor
- Mar 5Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/9/2026)
- Mar 5Bill referred to House Calendar
- Feb 26In Messages
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 26Immediately certified
- Feb 26CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0Passed Senate
- Feb 26Read 3rd timeMinor
- Feb 26Read 2nd timeMinor
- Feb 24CS/CS by Appropriations read 1st time
- Feb 23Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/26/26
- Feb 20Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
- Feb 20Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
- Feb 18CS/CS by- Appropriations; YEAS 18 NAYS 0
- Vote recorded Favorable with Committee Substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 18CS by Governmental Oversight and Accountability read 1st time
- Feb 13On Committee agenda-- Appropriations, 02/18/26, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building
- Feb 12Now in Appropriations
- Feb 12Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
- Feb 11CS by Governmental Oversight and Accountability; YEAS 9 NAYS 0
- Vote recorded Favorable with Committee Substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 6On Committee agenda-- Governmental Oversight and Accountability, 02/11/26, 3:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
- Jan 28Now in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
- Jan 27Favorable by Community Affairs; YEAS 8 NAYS 0Minor
- Vote recorded Favorable. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 22On Committee agenda-- Community Affairs, 01/27/26, 3:30 pm, 37 Senate Building
- Jan 13IntroducedMinor
- Jan 7Referred to Community Affairs; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; AppropriationsMinor
- 2025
- Dec 19FiledIntroduced
Public Safety