OUT-OF-STATE FIREFIGHTER EXAM WAIVER S.B. 372:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 372 (as reported without amendment)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Firefighters Training Council Act to require the State Fire Marshal to waive firefighter examination requirements and extend reciprocity certification to a firefighter from another state seeking to work as a firefighter in this State if the firefighter were certified in the other state after successfully completing training that met national standards.
Under the Act, the State Fire Marshal, with the approval of the Firefighters Training Council, must develop and administer an examination to determine a person's competency in regard to the knowledge and skill requirements for firefighters. The exam must be administered in two parts, Firefighter I and Firefighter II, based on the knowledge and skill requirements set forth in a national publication. Within 12 months after a person is hired as a full-time firefighter, he or she must pass both Part 1 and Part 2 of the exam. Within 24 months after a person is appointed as a volunteer or paid on-call firefighter, he or she must pass Part 1 of the exam.
The bill would require waiver of the exam for out-of-state firefighters, as described above. The bill specifies that the presentation of records evidencing the required certification would automatically result in certification by this State.
The Council also must develop and provide organized fire departments, upon request and at no charge, videotapes, digital video disks, or other electronic forms of video display to be used in the training of firefighters; the material may not require a practical demonstration. The bill instead would require the Council to provide fire departments, upon request and at no charge, training material in an electronic format. Further, the bill would delete a provision that allows the Council to fine an organized fire department for the loss, damage, or late return of electronic training materials.
MCL 29.369 Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (which houses the Bureau of Fire Services), and a minor, but likely positive fiscal impact on local units of government. It is unknown how many firefighters from other states would be granted reciprocity in Michigan under the bill, but in those cases the employing fire department could realize savings related to training new hires. For reference, the Fire Fighter I and II group course offered through the Fire Fighter Training Council costs $13,275 and consists of 295 instructional hours. Since the course is a group course, the entire cost would not be saved if a single new hire had reciprocity, but rather the fire department could either not send anyone to the training (and possibly save its share of the fee if multiple fire departments were involved), or send another firefighter instead.
Date Completed: 10-5-15 Fiscal Analyst: Josh Sefton
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.