TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s chief financial officer is urging lawmakers to support a bill that would require cancer coverage for firefighters across the state.
CFO Jimmy Patronis said Thursday he couldn’t believe the Florida League of Cities “had the audacity” to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto Senate Bill 426 in a letter sent earlier this week.
“It’s not just wrong, it’s shameful,” Patronis said. “I’m calling on each city, each city across our state to stand up and not stand with the League of Cities, but to stand up with our firefighters.”
The League of Cities believes it isn’t fair for local governments to pay for medical coverage. Counties would be responsible for most of the costs, which comes out to about $3 million collectively statewide. The state would pay about $920,000.
The Florida Senate passed SB 426 unanimously with a 38-0 vote. The state house also passed the bill unanimously with a 116-0 vote.
DeSantis has until Friday to sign or veto the bill. Since the Florida bill officially passed both the House and Senate on April 26, DeSantis could also decide to allow it to become law without his signature after the seven-day period.
If DeSantis decides to veto, it would go back to the Senate, where the bill originated. It would be available for consideration until the end of the session. If two-thirds of the members of each house vote to override a governor's veto, the bill becomes law.
If it becomes law, the bill would take effect on July 1.
Patronis said 70 percent of the firefighters’ deaths in the line of duty are cancer-related.
“This is a number that is simply unacceptable,” Patronis said. “These brave men and woman that serve our state 24-7-365, serve our communities, deserve a benefit that this Legislature passed unanimously just last week.”
Patronis called the cancer rates among Florida firefighters “shocking.” He called the legislation “long overdue.”
“I would urge just like CFO Patronis, let your city know that this is not the right time, the right issue to express that opinion they [the League of Cities] have taken,” said State Sen. Ed Hooper.
Hooper, R-Clearwater, called his vote supporting SB 426 the most important he's made in his political career.
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