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