HB1769--FIREFIGHTERSPROCEDURALBILLOFRIGHTSACT
SPONSOR: Perkins
Thisbillestablishesthe"FirefightersProceduralBillofRights
Act".Thebilldefinesa"firefighter"toincludeafirefighter,
paramedic,emergencymedicaltechnician,andemergency911
dispatcheremployedbyapublicagency,butitdoesnotincludean
employeewhohasnotsuccessfullycompletedhisorherprobationary
periodestablishedbyanemployerasaconditionofemployment.
Provisionsinthisbillinclude,butarenotlimitedto,thatit:
(1)Specifiesthatexceptwhenondutyorinuniform,no
firefighterwillbeprohibitedfromengaging,orbecoercedor
requiredtoengage,inpoliticalactivity;
(2)Specifiesthatfirefighterswillnotbeprohibitedfrom
seekingelectiontothegoverningboardofaschooldistrictorany
localagencywherethefirefighterisnotcurrentlyemployed;
(3)Createsseveralprovisionsforhowinterrogations mustbe
conductedwhenanyfirefighterisunderinvestigationbyhisorher
commandingofficeroranyothermemberdesignatedbytheemploying
departmentorlicensingorcertifyingagency,eachofwhichis
specifiedinthebill;
(4)Createsprovisionsforthereopeningofaninvestigation
againstafirefighter,providedthattheconditionsspecified
withinthebillaremet;and
(5)Prohibitsanyonefromsearchinganyfirefighter'slockeror
otherassignedstoragespaceownedorleasedbytheemployer,
exceptinthefirefighter'spresenceandwithhisorherconsent,
orunlessavalidsearchwarranthasbeenobtained,orunlessheor
shehavebeennotifiedthatasearchwillbeconducted.
Itisunlawfulforanyemployingdepartmentorlicensingor
certifyingagencytodenyorrefusetoanyfirefightertherights
andprotectionsassociatedwiththisbill.Thecircuitcourtof
thecountyofpropervenuepossessesinitialjurisdictionoverany
proceedingbroughtbyanyfirefighteragainstanyemploying
departmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencyforviolationsofthe
theseprovisions. Ifthecourtfindsaviolationhasoccurred,it
mustrenderappropriateextraordinaryorinjunctivereliefto
remedytheviolationandpreventfutureoccurrencesofasimilar
nature.Ifthecourtfindsthatabadfaithorfrivolousactionor
filinghasbeenbroughtforanimproperpurpose,thecourtmay
ordersanctionsagainstthefilingparty,theirattorney,orboth. Inadditiontotheaforementioned extraordinaryreliefaffordedby
theprovisionsofthisbill,uponacourt'sfindingthatafire
department,itsemployees,agents,orassignshavemaliciously
violatedanyprovisionsmentionedwithinthebillwiththeintent
toinjurethefirefighter,thefiredepartmentwillbe,foreach
violation,liableforacivilpenaltyupto$25,000,tobeawarded
tothefirefighterwhoserightorprotectionwasdenied,andfor
reasonableattorneys'feesasmaybedeterminedbythecourt.If
thereissufficientevidencethatactualdamagesoccurredagainst
thefirefighterinquestion,thedepartmentwillalsobeliablefor
theamountoftheactualdamages.
Afiredepartmentwillnotberequiredtoindemnifyacontractor
forliabilityunderthisprovisionifthereis,withinthecontract
betweenthedepartmentandthecontractor,aholdharmlessor
similarprovisionprotectingthefiredepartmentfromliabilityfor
actionsofthecontractor.
Nothingthroughoutthisbillwillbeconstrued,inanyway,to
limittheabilityofanyemploymentdepartment,licensingor
certifyingagency,oranyfirefightertofulfillmutualaid
agreementswithotherjurisdictionsoragencies,andtheprovisions
ofthisbillshallnotbeconstruedinanywaytolimitanykindof
jurisdictional orinter-agencycooperationunderanycircumstances
wherethatactivityisdeemednecessaryordesirablebythose
jurisdictionsoragenciessoinvolved.
Allrightsandprotectionsdepictedintheprovisionsofthisbill
willonlyapplytofirefightersineventsandcircumstancesin
whichtheyareperformingtheirofficialduties.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1147(2023).