§33-3-33b. Report regarding volunteer firefighter workers’ compensation coverage.

(a) The Insurance Commissioner, in consultation with the State Fire Marshal, the State Auditor, the Legislative Auditor, and the Board of Risk and Insurance Management, shall study the feasibility of combining the volunteer fire departments in our state under a single policy for workers’ compensation coverage, self-insuring workers’ compensation coverage for volunteer fire departments, or other workers’ compensation coverage options. Such study shall also include an evaluation of the benefit, necessity, and feasibility of expanding the current scope of workers’ compensation coverage for volunteers, including, but not limited to, presumptions for cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, occupational pneumoconiosis, or other occupational disease, as well as a comparison of those proposals to other means of supplementing workers’ compensation insurance through secondary insurance policies.

(b) On or before July 1, 2019, the Insurance Commissioner shall submit to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance and the Joint Committee on Government Organization a comprehensive report of the review and the Insurance Commissioner’s recommendations, substantiated by the findings of the review, and steps that may be taken to meet the needs of and sustain the volunteer fire departments for their workers’ compensation coverage.