HB 300 -- Fire Protection

Sponsor:  Bruns

This bill establishes the Volunteer Firefighter Job Protection
Act which prohibits public and private employers from terminating
an employee who becomes a volunteer firefighter or who is absent
from or late to work due to his or her service as a volunteer
firefighter.  If an employee is absent from or late to work due
to his or her service as a volunteer firefighter, the employee
may lose pay and may be required to provide a written
verification from the firefighter supervisor as to the time and
date of the emergency.  The volunteer firefighter must make a
reasonable effort to notify his or her employer that he or she
may be absent from or late to work due to an emergency.  A
volunteer firefighter who is terminated in violation of this
provision may bring a civil action within one year against his or
her employer seeking reinstatement of his or her position,
benefits, seniority, and back wages.  If the employee prevails in
the civil action, he or she is entitled to receive reasonable
attorney fees and other costs associated with the civil action.

Currently, all fire protection districts, fire departments, and
volunteer fire protection associations must file the name and
address of the district, department, or association with the
State Fire Marshal by October 13 of each year.  Beginning
January 1, 2008, the bill requires the district, department, or
association to complete and file the fire department registration
form provided by the State Fire Marshal by March 1 of each year.
The State Fire Marshal may conduct periodic reviews of the
information provided on the registration forms.

Currently, a volunteer fire protection association may identify
its boundaries and file this information with its county's
administrative body.  The bill requires that all associations
file this information and prohibits an association's boundaries
from encroaching upon or including any portion of another fire
department's legally established boundaries.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:18 am