05/13/2026
HUGE news from the state capitol tonight:
The Minnesota Legislature has passed legislation that will add cancer as an eligible condition for the state Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB), which is a benefit paid to the families who lose a firefighter or police officer in the line of duty. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for a signature.
Cancer is the most common cause of firefighter LODDs—this law ensures those who make the ultimate sacrifice are treated the same, no matter if the cause is cancer, heart disease, stroke, or injuries sustained at a fire.
This law mirrors the federal HONOR Act passed in December last year, which ensures families of firefighters who perish from job-related cancer receive the federal PSOB, and they will now receive the Minnesota PSOB too.
This massive legislative victory represents years of hard work by the MPFF board, especially by President Scott Vadnais, who has worked tirelessly this session to push for this bill until it became law.
Special thank you to Senator Judy Seeberger and Representative Pete Johnson for leading the charge on this bill in their respective houses. Thank you to Representatives Kelly Moller and Paul Novotny for finding the vehicle to move the bill through the legislature, and to Senator Erin Murphy for getting this bill added in late into the session.
Thank you especially to Julie Paidar, who has been a champion of this legislation and a driving force that inspires all of us.
Lastly, thank you to all of our members across Minnesota. Your support and participation in this union is what makes change like this possible, and you are who we fight for every year at the Capitol. It’s an honor to serve our members!
