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Relating to periodic health screenings for firefighters, the official text

Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Texas Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the enrolled version. The official bill page.
H.B. No. 198

AN ACT

relating to periodic health screenings for firefighters.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Wade Cannon Act.

SECTION 2. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 180.011 to read as follows:

Sec. 180.011. OCCUPATIONAL CANCER SCREENING FOR

FIREFIGHTERS. (a) In this section, "firefighter" means an

individual defined as fire protection personnel under Section

419.021, Government Code.

(b) A political subdivision that employs firefighters shall

offer an occupational cancer screening to each firefighter at no

cost to the firefighter in the fifth year of the firefighter's

employment, and once every year following the initial screening.

(c) The occupational cancer screening offered under

Subsection (b) must be confidential, and in addition to testing for

cancer, include:

(1) a urine test;

(2) a pulmonary function test;

(3) an electrocardiogram;

(4) an infectious disease screening;

(5) a breast cancer screening;

(6) a blood test; and

(7) subject to Subsection (d), a chest x-ray.

(d) A firefighter is eligible to receive a chest x-ray

during the screening under this section once every five years.

(e) The Texas Commission on Fire Protection shall adopt

rules establishing minimum standards for the screening under this

section using standards developed by the National Fire Protection

Association.

(f) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a political subdivision

that employs firefighters is not required to offer a screening

under this section if the political subdivision offers an annual

occupational medical examination under a plan submitted to the

Texas Commission on Fire Protection no later than February 1 of each

year. The plan must be endorsed by a physician and be in

substantial compliance with standards developed by the National

Fire Protection Association. The Texas Commission on Fire

Protection shall adopt rules to implement this subsection.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect June 1, 2026.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 198 was passed by the House on May 6,

2025, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 1, 1 present, not

voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 198 was passed by the Senate on May

19, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: _____________________

Date

_____________________

Governor
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