North Station

Proposed state law

Provide cancer screening access for firefighters via health plans

Last activity August 4, 2026 (about 2 months ago)

  1. Filed

    July 31, 2026

  2. In committee

    The committee decides whether to report it out or send the subject to study.

  3. Reported out of committee

  4. Passed the legislature

  5. Signed by the Governor

The bill would require access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care benefits plans provided by the public employer. It has 68 cosponsors and advanced through House Ways and Means with a favorable recommendation. The measure would be considered by the Senate after a new draft of H4946; it passed the House unanimously on July 31, 2026.

Affects Boston firefighters and other public employees who would access cancer screenings through employer health plans

Filed by House Committee on Ways and Means, John J. Lawn, Jr., William F. MacGregor, Francisco E. Paulino, Marcus S. Vaughn, John J. Marsi, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Steven George Xiarhos, David F. DeCoste, Paul K. Frost, Paul McMurtry, Patrick Joseph Kearney, Dennis C. Gallagher, Rodney M. Elliott, Michael J. Soter, Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr., Brian W. Murray, Joseph D. McKenna, Steven Ultrino, Kimberly N. Ferguson, Mark D. Sylvia, Danillo A. Sena, Hannah Kane, Erika Uyterhoeven, Sean Reid, Christine P. Barber, Michael D. Brady, Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr., Samantha Montaño, Jacob R. Oliveira, James K. Hawkins, Daniel Cahill, James C. Arena-DeRosa, Margaret R. Scarsdale, Carmine Lawrence Gentile, Carlos González, Priscila S. Sousa, James Arciero, Natalie M. Higgins, Bruce E. Tarr, Richard G. Wells, Jr., Adrian C. Madaro, Antonio F. D. Cabral, Steven S. Howitt, Adrianne Pusateri Ramos, Jonathan D. Zlotnik, Bridget Plouffe, Kenneth P. Sweezey, Michelle L. Badger, Kristin E. Kassner, Mindy Domb, Thomas M. Stanley, Nick Collins, Christopher Richard Flanagan, Paul J. Donato, Christopher Hendricks, Tara T. Hong, Donald H. Wong, Colleen M. Garry, David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf, Thomas W. Moakley, Sean Garballey, Tackey Chan, Kathleen R. LaNatra, Amy Mah Sangiolo, John R. Gaskey, Vanna Howard, Estela A. Reyes, and Ryan M. Hamilton

Now with the Massachusetts House of Representatives

About Health & Human Services and Labor & Workforce

View the official record
Compare with the government's own wording

Official title

An Act mandating access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care benefits plans or programs provided by the public employer

Timeline

  1. July 31, 2026

    New draft of H4946

    House

  2. July 31, 2026

    Ordered to a third reading

    House

  3. July 31, 2026

    Passed to be engrossed - 157 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 256)

    House

  4. July 31, 2026

    Pending new draft of H4946

    House

  5. July 31, 2026

    Read third

    House

  6. July 31, 2026

    Reported from the committee on House Ways and Means

    House

  7. July 31, 2026

    Rules suspended

    House

  8. August 4, 2026

    Read; and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

    Senate