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Firefighters' fight for cancer coverage likely won't be considered by lawmakers

The Florida Speaker of the House said it's more of a county-by-county issue. Florida Professional Firefighters now are more frustrated than ever.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For the fourth time in as many years, there is a bill in the Florida House and Senate looking to cover firefighters who develop one of 21 different cancers. 

And each time, it has failed to reach the floor. Despite a bill having more than 60 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House, this year looks no different.

This is concerning to Florida Professional Firefighters president, Jim Tolley. House Bill 857 currently sits in the Oversight, Transparency and Public Management Subcommittee, and there are no meetings scheduled to hear it.

"Because it was not heard in that substantive community, it is pretty much dead," Tolley said. 

RELATED: Battle after the blaze: State officials weigh in on firefighter cancer bill

If it doesn't advance in the House, it puts the Senate bill in a tough position as well. 

As Tolley explains, "The Senate may not spend a lot of time on a bill that is dead in the House."

After repeated request for comment, 10News received the following statement from Speaker of the House Jose Oliva, who decides which bills are heard on the House floor:

"The Florida House has overwhelmingly supported tax breaks for surviving spouses of first responders who died in the line of duty, as well as property tax exemptions for totally and permanently disabled first responders and surviving spouses. We take a backseat to no one in our appreciation for our firefighters and police. 

"However, this is an issue best dealt with at the county level as each department faces varying levels of danger and exposure and counties are best equipped to tailor benefits to need within available resources."

RELATED: Firefighters frustrated over lack of movement with firefighter cancer bill

RELATED: Widow of a firefighter is devastated that newest cancer bill might not make it to the floor

The response 10News received was the first time Florida Professional Firefighters said they've heard anything from the Oliva regarding the bill.

"We have told him we would love to hear about his concerns, and see if we can find some compromise that was in early February," Tolley said. "We have reached out several times to confirm -- Can we get a meeting? -- We are willing to meet any time and have not been granted a meeting or not even heard anything back for that matter. 

"Until we got the speakers comments the other day."

Now, the group is more frustrated than ever.

"The political process is flawed here," Tolley said. "The democratic process is not working if bills don't get a hearing, and continue onto the floor where each representative gets their say."  

Once the bill officially dies, the group may explore alternative routes, like a referendum. However, pursuing a referendum is not necessarily easier.

There are three key steps.

First, the initiative's sponsors have to get enough signatures. They need the equivalent of 8 percent number amount of voters who went to the polls in the last presidential election. 

That would be just over 766,000 signatures. Those signatures also need to be from all across the state, representing 14 of the 27 congressional districts. 

Once organizers have collected the signatures, the attorney general petitions the check Supreme Court and checks that the way the referendum is written complies with the state constitution.

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