Bill Text: FL S0244 | 2015 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Volunteer Rural Firefighting
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 2-1)
Status: (Failed) 2015-05-01 - Died in Fiscal Policy [S0244 Detail]
Download: Florida-2015-S0244-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2015 CS for CS for SB 244
By the Committees on Community Affairs; and Banking and
Insurance; and Senator Dean
578-03627-15 2015244c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to volunteer rural firefighting;
3 amending s. 633.102, F.S.; defining the term
4 “volunteer rural firefighter”; amending s. 633.406,
5 F.S.; authorizing the Division of State Fire Marshal
6 within the Department of Financial Services to award a
7 Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion;
8 amending s. 633.408, F.S.; authorizing the division to
9 establish by rule courses and course examinations to
10 provide training required to obtain the certificate;
11 providing requirements for the issuance of the
12 certificate; requiring the division to award credit
13 for certain courses as provided by rule adopted by the
14 division; amending s. 633.414, F.S.; specifying
15 requirements for the retention of the certificate;
16 amending s. 633.416, F.S.; specifying the
17 circumstances under which a fire service provider may
18 retain the services of a volunteer firefighter;
19 requiring a fire service provider to provide notice to
20 the division regarding a decision to retain or not
21 retain a volunteer rural firefighter; providing an
22 effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Subsection (36) is added to section 633.102,
27 Florida Statutes, to read:
28 633.102 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
29 (36) “Volunteer rural firefighter” means an individual who
30 holds a current and valid Volunteer Rural Firefighter
31 Certificate of Completion issued by the division under s.
32 633.408 and provides fire extinguishment or fire prevention
33 services through a fire service provider that:
34 (a) Is in existence on July 1, 2015, or that was in
35 existence at any time between July 1, 2000 and July 1, 2015, and
36 is subsequently reestablished after July 1, 2015; and
37 (b) Provides services in a municipality with a population
38 of fewer than 12,000 or a county with a population of fewer than
39 150,000.
40 Section 2. Paragraph (h) is added to subsection (1) of
41 section 633.406, Florida Statutes, to read:
42 633.406 Classes of certification.—
43 (1) The division may award one or more of the following
44 certificates:
45 (h) Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion.
46 A Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion may be
47 awarded to a person who has satisfactorily completed the
48 training requirements as prescribed by rule for a volunteer
49 rural firefighter.
50 Section 3. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (1) of
51 section 633.408, Florida Statutes, present paragraph (c) of that
52 subsection is redesignated as paragraph (d), and subsection (5),
53 is amended, to read:
54 633.408 Firefighter and volunteer firefighter training and
55 certification.—
56 (1) The division shall establish by rule:
57 (a) A Minimum Standards Course and course examination to
58 provide the training required to obtain a Firefighter
59 Certificate of Compliance.
60 (b) Courses and course examinations to provide training
61 required to obtain a Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
62 Completion or a Special Certificate of Compliance.
63 (c) Courses and course examinations to provide training
64 required to obtain a Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of
65 Completion. The required courses may not exceed 160 hours and
66 must include emergency medical responder training. The division
67 shall award credit toward a certificate under this paragraph, as
68 provided by rule adopted by the division, for any approved
69 course successfully completed on or after July 1, 1970, which
70 was creditable at the time of completion toward a certification
71 under this chapter.
72 (5) The division shall issue a:
73 (a) Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion to any
74 individual who satisfactorily completes the course established
75 under paragraph (1)(b).
76 (b) Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion
77 to any individual who satisfactorily completes the course
78 established under paragraph (1)(c).
79 Section 4. Subsection (3) is added to section 633.414,
80 Florida Statutes, present subsections (3) and (5) of that
81 section are redesignated as subsections (4) and (6), and present
82 subsection (4) is amended, to read:
83 633.414 Retention of firefighter certification.—
84 (3) In order for a volunteer rural firefighter to retain
85 her or his Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of
86 Completion, every 4 years he or she must:
87 (a) Be active as a volunteer rural firefighter; or
88 (b) Successfully complete a refresher course consisting of
89 a minimum of 40 hours of training to be prescribed by rule.
90 (5)(4) For the purposes of this section, the term “active”
91 means being employed as a firefighter or providing service as a
92 volunteer firefighter or volunteer rural firefighter for a
93 cumulative 6 months within a 4-year period.
94 Section 5. Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection
95 (4) of section 633.416, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
96 633.416 Firefighter employment and volunteer firefighter
97 service; saving clause.—
98 (2)(a) A fire service provider may not retain the services
99 of an individual volunteering to extinguish fires for the
100 protection of life or property or to supervise individuals who
101 perform such services unless the individual holds a current and
102 valid Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion.
103 (b) A fire service provider may not retain the services of
104 an individual volunteering to extinguish fires for the
105 protection of life or property or to supervise individuals who
106 perform such services only in a municipality with a population
107 of fewer than 12,000 or a county with a population of fewer than
108 150,000 unless the individual holds a current and valid
109 Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion or a
110 current and valid Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
111 Completion. This paragraph does not apply to volunteers who
112 provide only support services.
113 (4)(a) A fire service provider must notify the division
114 electronically, as directed by rule by the division, within 10
115 days after:
116 1. The hiring of a firefighter.
117 2. The retention of a volunteer firefighter or a volunteer
118 rural firefighter.
119 3. The cessation of employment of a firefighter.
120 4. A decision not to retain a volunteer firefighter or a
121 volunteer rural firefighter.
122 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.
