SB 439 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

LOCAL EMPLOYEES: Provides for cancer screenings for firefighters and fire service employees. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE LF EX See Note)

This bill requires Louisiana municipal and parish fire departments, along with contracted nonprofit fire service employees, to provide free cancer and precancer screenings for their staff. The screenings must begin no later than three years after employment starts, with precancer tests for esophageal cancer available every ten years and continuing until age sixty. Employers must cover all costs without requiring copayments, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket expenses from the firefighters or employees. Retired firefighters and those who leave due to disability are also entitled to these screenings under the same schedule, while those who resign or are terminated are excluded. Participation in the screenings remains voluntary for all eligible employees.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Mar 30, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 6 comparisons

What changed between versions

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2562, Boudreaux, Gerald, Adopted → SB439 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized into an enacted Act, changing its status from a proposed amendment to permanent law. The core policy changes include establishing a mandatory cancer screening schedule for firefighters based on age and tenure, adding specific esophageal cancer screenings for employees over 50, and ensuring retired firefighters retain access to these benefits.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include precancer screenings for esophageal cancer and clarified that retired firefighters remain eligible for screenings under the same schedule as active employees.

TIMELINE

Set a new start date of January 1, 2027, for the mandatory precancer screenings for esophageal cancer.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a specific provision ensuring that firefighters who retire, including those retiring due to disability, continue to receive cancer and precancer screenings from their former employers.

REQUIREMENT

Established a mandatory screening schedule where initial exams occur no later than three years after employment, with subsequent exams every five, four, or three years depending on the employee's age.

SCOPE

Expanded the list of covered screenings to explicitly include precancer screenings for esophageal cancer for employees aged 50 and older.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 22, 2026 · House May 18, 2026

How they voted

38–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Apr 22, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

28 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 11, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (14-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays; ordered re-reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Read by title. Ordered engrossed and recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Introduced

Rules suspended. Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor