HF 1805

2nd Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 01:55am

A bill for an act
relating to occupations and professions; creating licensing standards for full-time
firefighters; establishing fees; appropriating money; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2008, section 299N.02, subdivision 3; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 299N.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 299N.02, subdivision 3, is amended to
read:

Subd. 3.

Powers and duties.

(a) The board shall:

(1) review fire service training needs and make recommendations on training to
Minnesota fire service organizations;

(2) establish standards for educational programs for the fire service and develop
procedures for continuing oversight of the programs; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(3) establish qualifications for fire service training instructors in programs
established under clause (2) new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (4) license full-time firefighters and volunteer firefighters under this chapter new text end .

(b) The board may:

(1) hire or contract for technical or professional services according to section 15.061;

(2) pay expenses necessary to carry out its duties;

(3) apply for, receive, and accept grants, gifts, devises, and endowments that any
entity may make to the board for the purposes of this chapter and may use any money
given to it consistent with the terms and conditions under which the money was received
and for the purposes stated;

(4) make recommendations to the legislature to improve the quality of firefighter
training;

(5) collect and provide data, subject to section 13.03;

(6) conduct studies and surveys and make reports; and

(7) conduct other activities necessary to carry out its duties.

Sec. 2.

new text begin [299N.03] DEFINITIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Scope. new text end

new text begin The terms used in sections 299N.04 and 299N.05 have the
meanings given them in this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Board. new text end

new text begin "Board" means the Board of Firefighter Training and Education
established under section 299N.02.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Chief firefighting officer. new text end

new text begin "Chief firefighting officer" means the highest
ranking employee or appointed official of a fire department.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Fire department. new text end

new text begin "Fire department" has the meaning given it in section
299F.092, subdivision 6. For purposes of sections 299N.04 and 299N.05, fire department
also includes a division of a state agency, regularly charged with the responsibility of
providing fire protection to the state or a local government, to include a private, nonprofit
fire department directly serving a local government, but does not include an industrial
fire brigade.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Licensed firefighter. new text end

new text begin "Licensed firefighter" means a full-time firefighter,
to include a fire department employee, member, supervisor, or appointed official, who is
licensed by the board and who is charged with the prevention or suppression of fires within
the boundaries of the state. Licensed firefighter may also include a volunteer firefighter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Full-time firefighter. new text end

new text begin A "full-time firefighter" is a person who is employed
and charged with the prevention or suppression of fires within the boundaries of the state
on a full-time, salaried basis. Full-time firefighter does not include a volunteer, part-time
or paid, on-call firefighter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Volunteer firefighter. new text end

new text begin A "volunteer firefighter" is a person who is
charged with the prevention or suppression of fires within the boundaries of the state on
a volunteer, part-time, or paid, on-call basis. Volunteer firefighter does not include a
full-time firefighter.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [299N.04] FIREFIGHTER CERTIFICATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Certification examination; requirements. new text end

new text begin (a) The board must
appoint an organization that is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation
Congress to prepare and administer firefighter certification examinations. Firefighter
certification examinations shall be designed to ensure competency in at least the following
areas:
new text end

new text begin (1) fire prevention;
new text end

new text begin (2) fire suppression; and
new text end

new text begin (3) hazardous materials operations.
new text end

new text begin (b) To receive a certificate, an individual must demonstrate competency in fire
prevention and fire suppression.
new text end

new text begin (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any requirement imposed
by a local fire department for more comprehensive training.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligibility for certification examination. new text end

new text begin Except as provided in
subdivision 3, any person may take the firefighter certification examination who has
successfully completed the following:
new text end

new text begin (1)(i) a firefighter course from a postsecondary educational institution, an accredited
institution of higher learning, or such other entity that teaches a course that has been
approved by the board; or (ii) an apprenticeship or cadet program maintained by a fire
department employing the person that has been approved by the board; and
new text end

new text begin (2) a skills-oriented basic training course.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Certain baccalaureate or associate degree holders eligible to take
certification examination. new text end

new text begin A person with a baccalaureate degree, or with an associate
degree in applied fire science technology, from an accredited college or university who
has successfully completed the skills-oriented basic training course under subdivision 2,
clause (2), is eligible to take the firefighter certification examination notwithstanding the
requirements of subdivision 2, clause (1).
new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [299N.05] LICENSE REQUIRED.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Licensure requirement. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any general or local law
or charter to the contrary, a full-time firefighter employed on or after July 1, 2011, by a
fire department is not eligible for permanent employment without being licensed as a
firefighter by the board.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Optional licensing. new text end

new text begin A volunteer firefighter may receive or apply for
licensure under this section and section 299N.04 under the same terms as full-time
firefighters.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Prior appointment. new text end

new text begin A full-time firefighter or a volunteer firefighter who
has received a permanent appointment with a fire department prior to July 1, 2011, shall
be licensed by the board at the request of the firefighter upon providing the board with a
statement signed by the chief firefighting officer of the fire department that employs the
full-time or volunteer firefighter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Newly employed firefighters. new text end

new text begin Any full-time firefighter employed by a fire
department on or after July 1, 2011, must obtain a license from the board. To obtain a
license, an individual not covered by subdivision 3 must provide the board with a statement
signed by the chief firefighting officer of the fire department that employs the full-time
firefighter that the individual has met the certification requirements of section 299N.04.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Issuance of license. new text end

new text begin The board shall license any individual who meets
the requirements of subdivision 3 or 4. A license is valid for three years from the date of
issuance, and the fee for the license is $75.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin License renewal. new text end

new text begin A license shall be renewed so long as the firefighter and
the chief firefighting officer provide evidence to the board that the licensed firefighter has
had at least 72 hours of firefighting training in the previous three-year period. The fee for
renewing a firefighter license is $75, and the license is valid for an additional three years.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Duties of chief firefighting officer. new text end

new text begin It shall be the duty of every chief
firefighting officer to ensure that all full-time firefighters have a license from the board
beginning July 1, 2011. Each full-time firefighter, volunteer firefighter, and chief
firefighting officer may apply for licensure after January 1, 2011.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Revocation; suspension; denial. new text end

new text begin The board may revoke, suspend, or
deny a license issued or applied for under this section to a firefighter or applicant if the
firefighter or applicant has been convicted of a felony recognized by the board as a crime
that would disqualify the licensee from participating in the profession of firefighting.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Fees. new text end

new text begin Fees collected under this section must be deposited in the state
treasury and credited to a special account and are appropriated to the board to pay costs
incurred under this section and section 299N.04.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 4 are effective July 1, 2009.
new text end