LAS VEGAS (KNTV) — Gov. Joe Lombardo has signed a bill that would expand health care for lung diseases faced by first responders that was passed by the Nevada Legislature during the special session last month.
Sources had told Channel 13 that Lombardo was considering vetoing the measure, Senate Bill 7, which did not appear on the governor's original special session proclamation or on a superseding proclamation signed by two-thirds of the Legislature's membership.
WATCH Steve Sebelius's previous coverage when the veto seemed likely:
Behind-the-scenes lobbying on the measure was intense, one source told Channel 13.
The Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada, whose representatives had lobbied hard for the bill, thanked the governor in a news release issued Monday.
"SB7 is not political; it is about protection. It’s about the firefighter who can’t breathe after decades of service," the news release reads. "It’s about the retiree who served fearlessly and retired knowing we have his/her back. It’s about families who shouldn’t have to fight for coverage after their loved one who served Nevada."
“This is a monumental win,” said the Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada Executive Board. “Governor Lombardo’s signature sends a clear message: Nevada stands with its protectors not just in words, but in action. The job causes illness. The state must stand behind its heroes.”
The bill, introduced by state Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Clark County, creates a presumption in law that certain lung diseases faced by firefighters, police officers, arson investigators, and others were caused by their jobs.
The bill overrides a recent Nevada Supreme Court ruling that held first responders must prove they were exposed to "...heat, smoke, fumes, tear gas or other noxious gases" in order to collect benefits for health care related to treating those ailments.
Proponents said linking an illness to a specific exposure would be nearly impossible, while opponents, including local governments, said the bill would create enormous additional costs.
And senators raised the issue of legality. Under the state constitution, in a special session, the Legislature may only consider those matters listed on the proclamation. This bill wasn't specifically listed.
But state Sen. Melanie Scheible, D-Clark County, said related items on the governor's proclamation could be construed to cover SB 7.
Because the governor prescribes the agenda for a special session, vetoes of bills passed during such meetings are rare. There have only been three such vetoes in state history, the most recent in 2010.
