SB 7 — Revises provisions relating to occupational diseases. (BDR 53-36)

S.B.Senate Bill No.

77–Senator SENATECannizzaro BILLCHAPTER.......... NO .

7–SENATOR CANNIZZARO N OVEMBER 15, 2025 ____________ Referred to Select Committee on Health and Wellness SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to occupational diseases.

(BDR 53-36) FISCAL NOTE:

Effect on Local Government:

May have Fiscal Impact.

Effect on the State:

Yes.

CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§§ 1,2) (OT REQUESTED BAFFECTELOCALGOVERNMENT) ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

(NRS 617.455) Section 1 of this bill provides that this conclusive presumption for such firefighters, arson investigators and police officers is not conditioned on whether the disease of the lungs was caused by exposure to heat, smoke, fumes, tear gas or any other noxiousnoxiouse gas.

Section 2 of this bill provides that this conclusive presumption for such filedfirefighters, onarson orinvestigators beforeand thepolice effectiveofficers date of this bill.rs applies retroactively to claims -filed *SB7*on –or 2before –the THEeffective PEOPLEdate OFof THEthis STATEbill. OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

or (c)- Employed36th Special Session (2025) – 2 – officer in athis full-timeState.ull-time salaried occupation as a police officer2. in this State.

2.

(a) A physical examination upon employment and upon commencement of the coverage;

andn employment and upon (b) The making of an X-ray film of the volunteer firefighter’s lungs once every 3 years after the physical examination that is required upon commencement of the coverage,  until the volunteer firefighter reaches the age of 50 years.

- *SB7* – 3 – 5.

[A] Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 or any other provision of this chapter, a disease of the lungs is not required to be caused by exposure to heat, smoke, fumes, tear gas or any other noxious gases and is conclusively presumed to have arisen out of and in the course of the employment of a person who has been employed in a full-time continuous, uninterrupted and salaried occupation as a police officer, firefighter or arson investigator for 2 years or more before the date of disablement if the disease is diagnosed and causes the disablement:

or - 36th Special Session (2025) – 3 – (c) If the person ceases employment after completing 20 years or more of service as a police officer, firefighter or arson investigator, at any time during the person’s life.

 Service credit which is purchased in a retirement system must not be calculated towards the years of service of a person for the purposes of this section.

years of service of a person for the 6.

A person who files a claim for a disease of the lungs specified in this section after he or she retires from employment as a police officer, firefighter or arson investigator is not entitled to receivebenefits.ny any compensation for that disease other than medical benefits.10.

10.The Administrator shall review a claim filed by a claimant pursuant to this section that has been in the appeals process for longer than 6 months to determine the circumstances causing the delay in processing the claim.

The Administrator shall review a claim filed by a claimant pursuant to this section that has been in the appeals process for - *SB7* – 4 – longer than 6 months to determine the circumstances causing the delay in processing the claim.

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if an employer, insurer or third-party administrator denies a claim that was filed pursuant to this section and the claimant ultimately prevails, the Administrator may order the employer, insurer or third-- party36th Special Session (2025) – 4 – third-party administrator, as applicable, to pay to the claimant a benefit penalty of not more than $200 for each day from the date on which an appeal is filed until the date on which the claim is adjudicated to a final decision.

Such benefit penalty is payable in addition to any benefits to which the claimant is entitled under the claim and any fines and penalties imposed by the AdministratorAdministratorer the pursuant to NRS 616D.120.

The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any additional expenses of a local government that are related to the provisionsproSec. of this act.

Sec.

H~~~~~ 25 - *SB7*36th Special Session (2025)