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Montpelier, Vt. - May 22, 2007 -- Governor Jim Douglas signed bills extending additional protections to firefighters who contract certain cancers in the line of duty and making permanent a crime victim restitution fund funded by the collection of court ordered restitution from offenders and a 15% surcharge on criminal fines.
The new firefighter law makes it more likely that a non-smoking firefighter under the age of 65 who suffers from one of the cancers listed in the bill would qualify for workers compensation insurance, Governor Douglas said. If an insurer wants to deny the claim they would first have to prove the diagnosis was not due to fighting fires. Until today Vermont's law required the firefighter with cancer to prove it was related to their work.
"This is an important issue to firefighters and their families this new law will provide peace of mind to all of those who, in order to ensure our safety, willingly expose themselves to potentially carcinogenic agents in the line of duty," Governor Douglas said.
The restitution bill that also earned the Governor's signature today made the previously piloted program permanent. Vermont is now the only state in the country that has a permanent fund allowing crime victims to immediately receive their court-ordered restitution.
"Vermonters who suddenly find themselves victimized by crime should not have to endure a financial hardship as a result of the crime. Restitution is an important step in helping make the victim whole again," said Governor Douglas.
The bill also gives the state's restitution collection unit more tools to force offenders to comply with court orders, the Governor added.
