Officials meet to defend firefighters' worker's comp rights

AUSTINTOWN — State representatives gathered at the Austintown Fire Department today to discuss their plan to battle a Republican-backed provision on House Bill 27 that creates hurdles for firefighters applying for worker's compensation .

The House Insurance Committee will meet Tuesday morning to vote on HB 27. State Rep. John Boccieri of Poland, D-59th, the highest ranking Democrat on the committee, will offer an amendment to remove the provision before the vote.

"To remove this provision from this budget is to make sure firefighters are protected under worker's compensation," Boccieri said.