Senate File 594 - Introduced SENATE FILE 594 BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1206) A BILL FOR An Act requiring the state fire marshal to conduct a study on 1 the consolidation of fire protection services. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2814SV (3) 91 ll/js
S.F. 594 Section 1. STATE FIRE MARSHAL COUNTYWIDE FIRE PROTECTION 1 SERVICES STUDY. 2 1. The state fire marshal shall conduct a study of fire 3 protection services in this state to analyze whether a 4 structure of countywide fire protection services would maximize 5 fire protection coverage and emergency response times. The 6 study shall be conducted in consultation with representatives 7 from the following stakeholders: 8 a. The department of homeland security and emergency 9 management. 10 b. The Iowa association of professional fire chiefs. 11 c. The Iowa fire chiefs association. 12 d. The Iowa firefighters association. 13 e. The Iowa professional fire fighters. 14 f. At least one representative from a city having a 15 population of thirty-seven thousand or more as determined by 16 the 2020 federal decennial census. 17 g. At least one representative from a city having a 18 population of less than five thousand as determined by the 2020 19 federal decennial census. 20 h. At least one representative from a county having a 21 population of ninety thousand or more as determined by the 2020 22 federal decennial census. 23 i. At least one representative from a county having 24 a population of less than seven thousand five hundred as 25 determined by the 2020 federal decennial census. 26 j. Four members of the general assembly serving as 27 ex officio, nonvoting members, one representative to be 28 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one 29 representative to be appointed by the minority leader of the 30 house of representatives, one senator to be appointed by the 31 president of the senate after consultation with the majority 32 leader of the senate, and one senator to be appointed by the 33 minority leader of the senate. 34 2. The countywide fire protection services study shall 35 -1- LSB 2814SV (3) 91 ll/js 1/ 4
S.F. 594 include all of the following: 1 a. A cost analysis for upfront and ongoing costs to provide 2 consolidated countywide fire protection services systems. The 3 analysis and recommendations shall include proposed funding 4 mechanisms and potential consolidated funding resources that 5 comply with local, state, and federal law. The analysis shall 6 also include the potential effects countywide fire protection 7 services could have on local authority expenditures and 8 budgets. 9 b. An analysis of current fire protection coverage 10 including current response times and recommendations for 11 placement of service stations to maximize fire protection 12 coverage and emergency response times in the most efficient and 13 cost-effective manner. 14 c. An analysis of current and future staffing needs 15 including a proposed employment structure for countywide 16 fire protection services that focuses on adequate employee 17 pay and volunteer staffing, including benefits, stipends, or 18 other compensation allowed in accordance with local, state, or 19 federal law. 20 d. An analysis of current fire protection services 21 equipment and future fire protection services equipment needs 22 including proposed placement of fire protection services 23 equipment in service stations to maximize fire protection 24 coverage and emergency response times. 25 e. An analysis of current communication and dispatch 26 challenges including proposed recommendations for more 27 efficient and effective communications. 28 f. An analysis of the need for city and township fire 29 protection services in relation to the implementation of a 30 countywide fire protection service. 31 g. An analysis of existing countywide fire protection 32 service programs in this state including outlining current 33 processes and procedures. 34 h. An analysis of countywide fire protection services in 35 -2- LSB 2814SV (3) 91 ll/js 2/ 4
S.F. 594 other states, with an emphasis on midwest states, including an 1 analysis of those fire protection programs in comparison to the 2 fire protection needs of this state. 3 i. Recommendations for the implementation of countywide 4 fire protection services in this state including proposed 5 functionality and an emphasis on the potential impact of 6 implementation on the following counties as determined by the 7 2020 federal decennial census: 8 (1) The county in this state with the highest population. 9 (2) Two of the next five most populous counties in this 10 state giving preference to those counties that have implemented 11 countywide emergency medical services in accordance with 12 chapter 422D. The selection of the two counties out of 13 the next five most populous counties in this state shall be 14 determined by the state fire marshal in consultation with the 15 stakeholders outlined in subsection 1. 16 (3) The least populous county in this state. 17 (4) Two of the next five least populous counties in this 18 state giving preference to those counties that have implemented 19 countywide emergency medical services in accordance with 20 chapter 422D. The selection of the two counties out of the 21 next five least populous counties in this state shall be 22 determined by the state fire marshal in consultation with the 23 stakeholders outlined in subsection 1. 24 3. The state fire marshal shall submit a report of the 25 studys findings to the general assembly on or before June 30, 26 2026. 27 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 28 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 29 EXPLANATION 30 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 31 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 32 This bill requires the state fire marshal, in consultation 33 with a variety of stakeholders, to submit a report of a 34 countywide fire protection services studys findings to the 35 -3- LSB 2814SV (3) 91 ll/js 3/ 4
S.F. 594 general assembly on or before June 30, 2026. The bill provides 1 that the study must include all of the following: a cost 2 analysis for upfront and ongoing costs to provide consolidated 3 countywide fire protection services systems including proposed 4 funding mechanisms and the potential effect a countywide fire 5 protection service could have on local authority expenditures 6 and budgets; an analysis of current fire protection coverage 7 including current response times and recommendations for 8 placement of service stations to maximize fire protection 9 coverage and emergency response times; an analysis of current 10 and future staffing needs including a proposed employment 11 structure that focuses on adequate employee pay and volunteer 12 staffing including benefits, stipends, or other compensation 13 allowed in accordance with local, state, or federal law; an 14 analysis of current fire protection equipment and future fire 15 protection equipment needs including proposed placement of 16 fire protection equipment in service stations; an analysis 17 of current communication and dispatch challenges including 18 proposed recommendations for more efficient and effective 19 communications; an analysis of the need for city and township 20 fire protection services in relation to the implementation of 21 a countywide fire protection service; an analysis of existing 22 countywide fire protection service programs in this state and 23 midwest states; and recommendations for the implementation 24 of countywide fire protection services in this state with an 25 emphasis on the effects the consolidated services could have 26 on particular counties. 27 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 28 -4- LSB 2814SV (3) 91 ll/js 4/ 4