1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to occupations and professions; creating licensing standards for full-time 
1.3 	firefighters; establishing fees;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 299F.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [299F.901] DEFINITIONS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Scope. The terms used in sections 299F.902 and 299F.903 have 
1.8 	the meanings given them in this section.
1.9 		Subd. 2.Chief firefighting officer. "Chief firefighting officer" means the highest 
1.10 	ranking employee or appointed official of a fire department.
1.11 		Subd. 3.Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public safety 
1.12 	or the commissioner's designee.
1.13 		Subd. 4.Fire department. "Fire department" has the meaning given it in section 
1.14 	299F.092, subdivision 6. For purposes of sections 299F.902 and 299F.903, fire department 
1.15 	also includes a division of a state agency, regularly charged with the responsibility of 
1.16 	providing fire protection to the state or a local government, to include a private, nonprofit 
1.17 	fire department directly serving a local government, but does not include an industrial 
1.18 	fire brigade.
1.19 		Subd. 5.Licensed firefighter. "Licensed firefighter" means a full-time firefighter, 
1.20 	to include a fire department employee, member, supervisor, or appointed official, who is 
1.21 	licensed by the commissioner and who is charged with the prevention or suppression 
1.22 	of fires within the boundaries of the state.
1.23 		Subd. 6.Full-time firefighter. A "full-time firefighter" is a person who is employed 
1.24 	and charged with the prevention or suppression of fires within the boundaries of the state 
2.1 	on a full-time, salaried basis. Full-time firefighter does not include a volunteer, part-time 
2.2 	or paid, on-call firefighter.

2.3 	Sec. 2. [299F.902] LICENSE REQUIRED.
2.4 		Subdivision 1.Licensure requirement. Notwithstanding any general or local law 
2.5 	or charter to the contrary, a full-time firefighter employed on or after July 1, 2012, by a 
2.6 	fire department is not eligible for permanent employment without being licensed as a 
2.7 	firefighter by the commissioner.
2.8 		Subd. 2.Prior appointments. A full-time firefighter who has received a permanent 
2.9 	appointment with a fire department prior to July 1, 2012, shall be licensed by the 
2.10 	commissioner at the request of the firefighter upon providing the commissioner with a 
2.11 	statement signed by the chief firefighting officer of the fire department that employs the 
2.12 	full-time firefighter.
2.13 		Subd. 3.Newly employed firefighters. Any full-time firefighter employed by a 
2.14 	fire department on or after July 1, 2012, must obtain a license from the commissioner. To 
2.15 	obtain a license, an individual not covered by subdivision 2 must provide the commissioner 
2.16 	with a statement signed by the chief firefighting officer of the fire department that employs 
2.17 	the full-time firefighter that the individual has met the certification requirements of section 
2.18 	299F.903 
2.19 		Subd. 4.Issuance of license. The commissioner shall license any individual who 
2.20 	meets the requirements of subdivision 2 or 3. A license is valid for three years from the 
2.21 	date of issuance, and the fee for the license is $75.
2.22 		Subd. 5.License renewal. A license shall be renewed so long as the firefighter 
2.23 	and the chief firefighting officer provide evidence to the commissioner that the licensed 
2.24 	firefighter has had at least 72 hours of firefighting training in the previous three-year 
2.25 	period. The fee for renewing a firefighter license is $75, and the license is valid for an 
2.26 	additional three years. 
2.27 		Subd. 6.Duties of chief firefighting officer. It shall be the duty of every chief 
2.28 	firefighting officer to ensure that all full-time firefighters have a license from the 
2.29 	commissioner beginning July 1, 2012. Each full-time firefighter and chief firefighting 
2.30 	officer may apply for licensure after January 1, 2011.
2.31 		Subd. 7.Petty misdemeanor; discharge. A person who is employed as a full-time 
2.32 	firefighter and who is not currently licensed under this section is guilty of a petty 
2.33 	misdemeanor and must be immediately discharged from employment.

2.34 	Sec. 3. [299F.903] FIREFIGHTER CERTIFICATION.
3.1 		Subdivision 1.Certification examination; requirements. (a) The commissioner 
3.2 	must appoint an organization that is accredited by the International Fire Service 
3.3 	Accreditation Congress to prepare and administer firefighter certification examinations. 
3.4 	Firefighter certification examinations shall be designed to ensure competency in at least 
3.5 	the following areas:
3.6 	(1) fire prevention;
3.7 	(2) fire suppression; and
3.8 	(3) hazardous materials operations.
3.9 	(b) To receive a certificate, an individual must demonstrate competency in fire 
3.10 	prevention and fire suppression.
3.11 	(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any requirement imposed 
3.12 	by a local fire department for more comprehensive training.
3.13 		Subd. 2.Eligibility for certification examination. Except as provided in 
3.14 	subdivision 3, any person may take the firefighter certification examination who has 
3.15 	successfully completed the following:
3.16 	(1)(i) a firefighter course from a postsecondary educational institution or an 
3.17 	accredited institution of higher learning; or (ii) an apprenticeship program maintained by a 
3.18 	fire department employing the person; and
3.19 	(2) a skills-oriented basic training course.
3.20 		Subd. 3.Certain baccalaureate or associate degree holders eligible to take 
3.21 	certification examination. A person with a baccalaureate degree, or with an associate 
3.22 	degree in applied fire science technology, from an accredited college or university who 
3.23 	has successfully completed the skills-oriented basic training course under subdivision 2, 
3.24 	clause (2), is eligible to take the firefighter certification examination notwithstanding the 
3.25 	requirements of subdivision 2, clause (1).