Bill Text: IL HB4545 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that the definition of "local governmental agency" includes the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Provides that if employees of the Office of the State Fire Marshal meet certain requirements, then they shall not be prohibited from receiving training certifications on the grounds that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire department. Makes other changes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2012-07-13 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 97-0782 [HB4545 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2011-HB4545-Chaptered.html
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| Public Act 097-0782 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning local government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Fire Protection Training Act is | ||||
amended by changing Sections 2, 9, and 10 as follows:
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(50 ILCS 740/2) (from Ch. 85, par. 532)
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Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the | ||||
context
requires otherwise:
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a. Office means the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
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b. "Local governmental agency" means any local | ||||
governmental unit or
municipal corporation in this State. It | ||||
does not include the State of
Illinois or any office, officer, | ||||
department, division, bureau, board,
commission, or agency of | ||||
the State except: (i) a State controlled university,
college, | ||||
or public community college, or (ii) the Office of the State | ||||
Fire Marshal.
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c. "School" means any school located within the State of | ||||
Illinois
whether privately or publicly owned which offers a | ||||
course in fire
protection training or related subjects and | ||||
which has been approved by
the Office.
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d. "Trainee" means a recruit fire fighter required to | ||||
complete
initial minimum basic training requirements at an | ||||
approved school to be
eligible for permanent employment as a | ||||
fire fighter.
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e. "Fire protection personnel" and "fire fighter" means any | ||
person
engaged in fire administration, fire prevention, fire | ||
suppression, fire
education and arson investigation, including | ||
any permanently employed,
trainee or volunteer fire fighter, | ||
whether or not such person, trainee
or volunteer is compensated | ||
for all or any fraction of his time.
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f. "Basic training" and "basic level" shall mean the Basic | ||
Operations Firefighter
program as promulgated by the rules and | ||
regulations of the Office.
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(Source: P.A. 96-974, eff. 7-2-10.)
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(50 ILCS 740/9) (from Ch. 85, par. 539)
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Sec. 9. Training participation; funding. All local | ||
governmental agencies
and individuals may elect to participate
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in the training programs under this Act, subject to the rules | ||
and regulations
of the Office. The participation may be for | ||
certification
only, or for
certification and reimbursement for | ||
training expenses as further provided
in this Act. To be | ||
eligible to receive reimbursement for training of
individuals,
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a local governmental agency shall require by ordinance that a | ||
trainee complete
a basic course approved by the Office, and | ||
pass the State
test for certification at the basic level within | ||
the probationary period
as established by the local | ||
governmental agency. A certified copy of the
ordinance must be | ||
on file with the Office.
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Individuals who have retired from active fire service | ||
duties and are officially affiliated with fire service | ||
training, mutual aid, incident command, fire ground | ||
operations, or staff support for public fire service | ||
organizations shall not be prohibited from receiving training | ||
certification from the Office on the ground that they are not | ||
employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire | ||
department if they otherwise meet the minimum certification | ||
standards set by the Office. | ||
Employees of the Office shall not be prohibited from | ||
receiving training certifications from the Office on the | ||
grounds that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an | ||
organized Illinois fire department if they otherwise meet the | ||
minimum certification standards set by the Office and the | ||
certifications are directly related to their job-related | ||
duties, as determined by the Office. | ||
The Office may by rule provide for reimbursement funding | ||
for trainees who
are volunteers or paid on call fire protection | ||
personnel beyond their
probationary
period, but not to exceed 3 | ||
years from the date of initial employment.
The Office may | ||
reimburse for basic or advanced training of individuals who
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were permanently employed fire protection personnel prior to | ||
the date of
the ordinance. Individuals may receive | ||
reimbursement if employed
by a unit
of local government that | ||
participates for reimbursement funding
and the
individual is | ||
otherwise eligible.
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Failure of any trainee to complete the basic training and
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certification
within the required period will render that | ||
individual and local governmental
agency ineligible for | ||
reimbursement funding for basic training for that
individual in | ||
the fiscal year in which his probationary period ends. The
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individual may later become certified without reimbursement.
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Any participating local governmental agency may elect to | ||
withdraw from
the training program by repealing the original | ||
ordinance, and a certified
copy
of the ordinance must be filed | ||
with the Office.
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(Source: P.A. 96-215, eff. 8-10-09.)
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(50 ILCS 740/10) (from Ch. 85, par. 540)
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Sec. 10. Training expenses; reimbursement. The Office, not | ||
later than
May 30th of each year,
from funds appropriated for | ||
this purpose, shall reimburse the local
governmental agencies | ||
or individuals participating in the training
program in an | ||
amount equaling equalling one-half of the total sum paid by
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them during
the period established by the Office for tuition
at | ||
training schools, salary of
trainees while in school, necessary | ||
travel expenses, and room and board
for each trainee. In | ||
addition to reimbursement provided herein by the
Office to the | ||
local governmental agencies for participation by trainees,
the | ||
Office in each year shall reimburse the local governmental | ||
agencies
participating in the training program for permanent | ||
fire protection
personnel in the same manner as trainees for | ||
each training program.
No more than 50% of the reimbursements | ||
distributed to local governmental
agencies in any fiscal year | ||
shall be distributed to local governmental
agencies of more | ||
than 500,000 persons. If at the time of the annual
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reimbursement to local governmental agencies participating in | ||
the
training program there is an insufficient appropriation to | ||
make
reimbursement in full, the appropriation shall be | ||
apportioned among the
participating local governmental | ||
agencies. No local governmental agency
which shall alter or | ||
change in any manner any of the training programs
as | ||
promulgated under this Act or fail to comply with rules and
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regulations promulgated under this Act shall be entitled to | ||
receive any
matching funds under this Act. Submitting false | ||
information to the
Office is a Class B misdemeanor.
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(Source: P.A. 90-20, eff. 6-20-97.)
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