HB 97 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Support Firefighters Fighting Cancer.

HB 97 adds stomach cancer (gastric cancer) to the list of occupationally related cancers that qualify firefighters for "killed in the line of duty" benefits under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act. This means firefighters who die from stomach cancer directly linked to their firefighting duties will automatically be eligible for death benefits, easing the process for families seeking compensation. The bill appropriates $500,000 annually from 2025-2027 to cover these benefits. It takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to qualifying deaths occurring on or after that date.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Last action May 5, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 2 → Edition 3 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was updated to expand the list of cancers that qualify a firefighter's death as 'in the line of duty' under the state's death benefits act. The revision adds prostate cancer and colon cancer to the existing list, which previously included stomach cancer and other specific types.

Scope change

The scope of the bill was broadened to include additional cancer types, thereby increasing the number of deaths eligible for line-of-duty status and associated benefits.

ELIGIBILITY

Added prostate cancer to the list of qualifying cancers for firefighter death benefits.

Added colon cancer to the list of qualifying cancers for firefighter death benefits.

Updated the bill title and introductory text to reflect the inclusion of 'certain cancers' rather than just stomach cancer, acknowledging the expanded list.

Floor votes · House May 1, 2025

How they voted

108–0

Passed · 13 other

Total votes 121

May 1, 2025

D Democratic46

40 Yea 6

86% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican73

66 Yea 7

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 5, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

May 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

lower

May 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amend Adopted A2

lower

May 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amend Adopted A1

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Appropriations

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on Pensions and Retirement, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Serial Referral To Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Stricken

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Pensions and Retirement, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

3 primary · 69 co-sponsors