Legislation for more cancer coverage for firefighters clears the Iowa Senate

DES MOINES — Kelli Stoaks gripped the photo of her late husband, Brian, who died in 2023 from pancreatic cancer shortly after retiring from a 27-year career as a firefighter in Iowa.

Standing Wednesday in the state Capitol rotunda, surrounded by dozens of Iowa firefighters, Stoaks spoke about legislation — which had just passed the Iowa Senate — that would add all forms of cancer to firefighters' disability insurance coverage, rather than only the 14 forms under current law.

Her voice broke as she described how she believed Brian would feel about the legislation that appears headed for Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk. Pancreatic cancer is not among the cancers currently covered by state law.

"I think it would mean a lot to him that so many people fought for him and that fought for what was right, and they got this done and never gave up," Stoaks said, fighting tears. "And he did, too. He never gave up."

Dozens of firefighters and family members, representing more than two dozen departments from across the state, watched Wednesday from the Senate gallery as the bill was debated and approved. They applauded — and were joined in the applause by lawmakers, a rarity in legislative debate.

Under the proposed legislation, all forms of cancer would be included in disability and death benefits to Iowa firefighters, city, county and state police officers and other first responders. Workers would pay more into the state retirement systems that fund the coverage to help share any added costs that otherwise would fall on local governments.

The latter mechanism was added to create enough support among Republicans in the Senate to pass the bill. Attempts in previous years gained support in the House but failed to advance through the Senate.

"These particular situations are difficult. They're hard to figure out because we have to balance protecting those first responders with (also protecting) the taxpayers that end up paying the tax," Sen. Scott Webster, a Republican from Bettendorf who managed the bill in the Senate this year, said during Senate debate. "This was a difficult bill to get through."

Webster credited stakeholders and his staff with crafting a measure that could pass the Senate. He also credited Sen. Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs who wrote the bill, Webster said.

The bill, House File 969, passed the Senate by a near-unanimous, 46-1 vote. Sen. Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, was the lone dissenting vote. The bill previously passed the House, 96-0.

Because the Senate made a minor amendment to the bill Wednesday, it must first go back to the House for a second approval there before going to Reynolds for her consideration. Reynolds' office did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment.

"When it comes to first responders, there are heroes in our cities, in our counties, in our government," Webster said. "We need to thank those people. We need to know that they go to work every day not knowing if they're going to return. They have spouses that go to work every day not knowing if their spouse is going to return. I believe that today we get to show them that we put them ahead for the work that they do. They save lives every day."

Ryan Hanghian, president of the Iowa Professional Firefighters Association and a Davenport firefighter since 2007, said it was bittersweet finally seeing the bill pass both chambers of the Iowa Legislature. Hanghian said he is pleased for current Iowa firefighters and retirees, but that in the moment his thoughts also recall firefighters like Brian Stoaks, who are no longer alive to see the bill passed.

"It's very emotional, right? This bill, while it is about all of our men and women that are working currently, I'd be remiss not to think about some of the folks that aren't here to enjoy the success of the work that all these people have put in," Hanghian said. "It's a double-edged sword."