Rep. Huneycutt files bill in North Carolina House to expand firefighter death benefits

A new bill filed by State Rep. Huneycutt in the North Carolina House seeks to expand the definition of deaths covered under the Public Safety Employees’ Death Benefits Act to include stomach cancer for firefighters, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 97 on Feb. 11 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Support Firefighters Fighting Cancer.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill expands the definition of “killed in the line of duty” under the Public Safety Employees’ Death Benefits Act to include deaths resulting from stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, for firefighters. This addition acknowledges stomach cancer as occupationally related to firefighting, similar to other specified cancers such as mesothelioma and testicular cancer. The bill appropriates $500,000 in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer for each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to support the payment of benefits related to this change. The act is set to become effective on July 1, 2025, and it applies to qualifying deaths occurring on or after that date.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Steve Tyson proposed the most bills (eight) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Huneycutt graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2014 with a BA.

Huneycutt, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 67th House district, replacing previous state representative Clayton Sasser.