Comp bills adding presumptive cancer, mental health coverages pass

Wyoming and West Virginia legislators passed bills Wednesday making changes to workers compensation, including adding presumptive cancer and mental health coverages and extending comp to state legislators.

The Wyoming Senate passed S.B. 117 with a 24-6 vote, which would provide workers compensation coverage for first responders who establish with “clear and convincing evidence” that they suffer from a work-related mental injury. The legislation requires the first responder to be diagnosed by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, and also stipulates that mental injuries cannot be attributed to a disciplinary action, work evaluation, job transfer or termination.

If signed into law, the legislation would take effect July 1, 2020. The bill is now in the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Wyoming House passed H.B. 137 in a 55-4 vote, which would extend worker compensation coverage to active legislators. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

West Virginia’s House of Representatives unanimously passed H.B. 4705, which would add bladder cancer, mesothelioma and testicular cancer to the list of cancers that firefighters may acquire that are presumed to have resulted out of and in the course of their employment.

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.