A new state law will provide cancer screenings for firefighters, and require cities to pay for them.

The Wade Cannon Act goes into effect on June 1, 2026.

As a firefighter with the Mission fire Department, Homer Salinas said there are the dangers you can see, and others you can't. 

“We go into the unknown and there are chemicals that will go into your body and never come out. You do get exposed to that constantly when you fight fires,” Salinas said.

Salinas is a kidney cancer survivor. In 2019, he sued the city's insurer for worker's compensation benefits. His claims were originally denied, but he won after a lengthy legal battle.

“It was a big struggle — not only when you are told you have cancer, but the mental on it, the finances, the worries, and everything just goes through your brain,” Salinas said.

House Bill 198, is trying to ease that burden. It was signed into law in May 2025 and is named after Wade Cannon, a North Texas first responder who died of occupational colon cancer at the age of 33.

Under the law, firefighters will have access to regular cancer screenings at no cost to them.

“We believe that the bill creates a win for both sides. It helps us detect cancer earlier, ultimately saving lives for our members, and also helps departments save money,” Texas State Association of Firefighters President John Riddle said. “By detecting cancer early, it saves both cities and firefighters the cost of late-stage cancer treatment.”

The bill requires employers to pay for the screenings after a firefighter's fifth year on the job.

Salinas — who has been on the job for 23 years — said he hopes with the added resource, other firefighters will prioritize their health.

“You can't put a price on an individual,” Salinas said.

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