Firefighters; to limit the post-retirement qualifying period for benefits for certain occupational diseases

HB 227 extends the qualifying period for certain benefits for firefighters. It changes the eligibility window for benefits related to occupational diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease, from 10 years to 15 years after a firefighter's last date of employment or retirement. The bill also lengthens the post-employment period to 15 years for line-of-duty death benefits if a firefighter dies of cancer. These changes directly affect firefighters and their families seeking these specific benefits.