Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie has filed legislation that would expand certain health coverage options for former firefighters who develop cancer during their tenure or afterward.

The bill (SB 984) would also clarify death benefit eligibility for those who succumb to the disease while also removing redundant language related to best practices to avoid occupational cancer in the first place.

The legislation would require an employer to make health benefits available to a former firefighter employee for 10 years after the end of their employment as long as they meet certain criteria, such as not obtaining employment as a firefighter elsewhere, having worked for the Department for at least five years, and having not smoked for the preceding five years.

The measure would remove the existing requirement for retired firefighters to remain on employer-sponsored health insurance to qualify for a one-time $25,000 benefit if they develop cancer that is deemed to have been caused by on-the-job hazards. Currently, the $25,000 is an alternative benefit firefighters, or former firefighters, can choose in lieu of pursuing worker’s compensation claims.

But to access that benefit, the person would have to remain on the Department’s employer-sponsored health plan, even if they left the job. By removing that requirement, it frees current and former firefighters to have greater options in selecting a health plan and offers benefits to employers that could reduce overall premiums.

For former firefighters who pass away as a result of cancer or complications from cancer, the bill would clarify that firefighters would remain eligible for the death benefit, which is paid to a surviving beneficiary, if they pass away within one year of terminating their employment or otherwise retiring due to a terminal occupational cancer.

The language is intended to ensure firefighters don’t feel obligated to maintain their employment to ensure a death benefit for a surviving beneficiary even if doing so becomes impossible or medically impractical. Staying on the job through a major illness, let alone a terminal one, is also a safety issue overall, as the job requires strenuous physical fitness and operational readiness.

The language does not expand who is eligible or extend the benefit to new beneficiaries; rather, it provides employers with clearer language on how to apply the benefit.

The bill would also remove the requirement from state law that the Division of State Fire Marshal adopt rules establishing employer cancer prevention best practices related to personal protective equipment, decontamination, fire suppression apparatuses and fire stations.

Such language already exists in another statute, which governs firefighter Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. The language that would be amended under DiCeglie’s bill and the OSHA statute were previously identical. But a change last year amended the OSHA version, meaning the two sections were no longer in complete alignment. Removing the redundant language would not eliminate the standards.

Firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population, according to research by the CDC/National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety.

Cancer also caused 66% of the career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019, according to data from the International Association of Fire Fighters.

DiCeglie filed the bill Friday, and it has not yet received committee assignments.

Republican Rep. Demi Busatta (HB 813) has filed companion legislation in the House. She filed hers Wednesday and it also has not yet been assigned to committee.

The proposed legislation comes after Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshal Blaise Ingoglia last month distributed nearly $200,000 in state grants to three municipal Fire Departments to help prevent and treat cancer for first responders.

He said at the time that being a firefighter now is more dangerous than in the past, because the risk of being exposed to carcinogenic chemicals and agents has increased.

Clay County School Board member Robert Alvero is getting ripped for recent racially-charged comments disparaging Black people, and is going to have to answer for them next year in front of a statewide audience

“I am requiring him to appear before the State Board of Education at their meeting in January to explain this conduct. School Board Members have a responsibility to represent all students and families and uphold the professionalism due of an elected official,” wrote Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas Monday.

Alvero, a first-generation Cuban immigrant who arrived in the U.S. in 2008, has worked as a firefighter in Jacksonville and a member of the Florida State Guard before being elected to the Clay County School Board last year.

In a recent video, Alvero insisted he has “had 80% more negative experience(s) with the African American community in this country than with White people.”

“Eighty percent, they’ve been nasty, they’ve been rude, they’ve been problematic — always trying to fight, disrespecting,” Alvero said, in comments first reported by Clay News and Views.

While Alvero says he now regrets the “wrong and offensive” comments, he’s under pressure to resign from Clay County Republicans, including School Board Chair Misty Skipper and state legislators.

“I listened to these comments by Clay County School Board member, Mr. Alvero, with the heaviest heart. They are beyond the pale and unfitting of his position of public trust with our children. As School Board Chair Skipper has stated, he should resign,” said Sen. Jennifer Bradley Monday.

House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison is also calling for Alvero to step down.

The Clay County Republican Executive Board issued a statement saying Alvero should step down “immediately due to extremely disappointing and hurtful remarks.”

As of Monday morning, Alvero is hoping this blows over.

“While I faced some negative interactions, including being called names and even physically assaulted, I also met many good, decent people, some of whom remain my friends today,” he said.

“I want to clarify that these experiences are personal and not meant to generalize. It was an attempt to say people’s character is not defined by their visual characteristics, life experiences, or socioeconomic standards. We as people are divisive, and through the best of my ability, I was trying to point out how people can judge each other while not seeing both sides and how stereotypes of a whole group are not accurate.”

The School Board next meets in January. If Alvero has not resigned by then, Skipper vows his comments will be addressed “appropriately.”

His resignation would not preclude his appearance before the State Board of Education though.

Who would have thought that the small device I use for nearly all my work as an adult would spark so much debate when placed in the hands of our kids?

Smartphones, as much as we love (and occasionally hate) them, aren’t going anywhere. As the mom of a twelve-year-old girl, I’ve had to think long and hard about how to introduce this technology and create a family plan that feels both safe and realistic.

My husband and I decided to gift our daughter a smartphone for Christmas after her ballet teacher explained that she needed to record her Nutcracker dances to rehearse after hours. We turned off cell service and let her gradually ease into using it under our watchful eyes during the holiday break.

Later, we turned on her cell service and set strict parameters: texting, streaming during travel, and using it as a safety/convenience tool for pick-ups and drop-offs. We also made one non-negotiable decision: No social media until age 13.

That didn’t stop her from asking, especially about Instagram.

Now, with Meta’s new Teen Accounts, I feel confident that she can manage her own account, which includes real safety features designed to protect teens by default. They are automatically set to the most private and protective settings; accounts cannot contact them if they don’t follow them, and content filters block sensitive topics.

Here’s a little bonus for me: as a content creator, I’m on Instagram constantly! If my daughter ever posts something questionable or makes a typical teen mistake, I’ll likely see it before she even puts her phone down. With Instagram’s latest supervision tools, I can also see who she messages, set daily screen-time limits, and schedule “quiet hours” (think 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., because nothing productive happens on a phone after midnight).

But let’s be clear: this isn’t about “spying on my kid.” It’s about helping families create healthy boundaries, build trust, and keep lines of communication open–something technology can support, but not replace.

The truth is, even with stronger tech safeguards, nothing can substitute parental connection. These tools only work when paired with open, ongoing conversations with your child about what they see, feel, and share online.

And if you’re a parent who’s not on Instagram yet, consider this a sign and make an account ASAP. Learn the app and understand the landscape your kids want to step into.

When it’s used safely and with supervision, social media isn’t a big bad wolf. There’s a lot of educational content available that can spark curiosity and learning. And yes, while misinformation exists, it also gives kids a head start in building media-literacy skills, which they’re going to need as technology evolves. Plus, social media can help teens find their people, whether they’re part of a minority community, into niche or “nerdy” interests, or staying connected with long-distance friends and family.

These decisions are never straightforward. I’m lucky I have a daughter who considers it a “personal challenge” to lower her screen time each week!

With the holidays (and winter break) approaching, now is an ideal time to start having those meaningful conversations with your kids as they enter this next digital chapter.

Take it from me: setting expectations early and guiding them with confidence can make all the difference.

___

Michelle E. Olson-Rogers is a Boca Raton-based writer, influencer and founder of  ModernBocaMom.com.