A Florida House committee wasted little time Thursday approving a cancer-presumption bill that firefighters have been working on for at least a decade.

Jimmy Patronis

Emotions ran high as firefighters and some state officials crowded into the room and watched the State Affairs Committee unanimously approve House Bill 857, which takes cancer benefits out of the workers' compensation system completely, according to a Florida news report.

A similar bill passed three Senate committees this spring, but the measure saw no action in the House, and just two weeks remain in the session. News reports said House Speaker Jose Oliva may have been holding a political grudge against some firefighters and did not assign the bill to committee. Oliva, a Republican, denied that but said he was concerned about the cost of the benefits plan to cities and counties.

After intense public pressure and news reports, Oliva earlier this week changed course and sent the measure to the committee for a Thursday meeting, where it was quickly approved.

HB 857 would presume that 21 cancers are work-related for firefighters, but instead of workers' compensation benefits, it would grant a one-time payment of $25,000 to the stricken firefighter. The city or county must also provide group health insurance, and enhanced retirement and death benefits.

The measure must be approved by the full House, and be reconciled with the Senate version and signed by the governor before it becomes law.

Jimmy Patronis, the state's chief financial officer who is also the state fire marshal, joined firefighters and their supporters in celebration outside the committee room Thursday.