FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.155
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEEALY.
0499H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Toamendchapter320,RSMo,byaddingtheretofifteennewsectionsrelatingtofirefighters,
withapenaltyprovision.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Chapter320,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretofifteennewsections,to
2beknownassections320.500,320.502,320.504,320.506,320.508,320.510,320.512,
3320.514,320.516,320.518,320.520,320.522,320.524,320.526,and320.528,toreadas
4follows:
320.500.Theprovisionsofsections320.500to320.528shallbeknownand
2referredtoasthe"Firefighters'ProceduralBillofRightsAct".
320.502.Forpurposesofsections320.500to320.528,thefollowingtermsmean:
2 (1)"Firefighter",anyperson,includingavolunteerfirefighter,whoisinthe
3serviceofthestateorlocalgovernmentalentityastheperson'semployer,assuchtermis
4definedundersubsection1ofsection287.030,orwhoisotherwiseservingasamember
5orofficerofafiredepartmenteitherforthepurposeofthepreventionorcontroloffire
6ortheunderwaterrecoveryofdrowningvictims;
7 (2)"Punitiveaction",anyactionthatmayleadtodismissal,demotion,
8suspension,reductioninsalary,writtenreprimand,ortransferforpurposesof
9punishment.
320.504.1.Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinchapter36orwheneverondutyor
2inuniform,nofirefightershallbeprohibitedfromengaging,orbecoercedorrequired
3toengage,inpoliticalactivity.
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 4 2.Afirefightershallnotbeprohibitedfromseekingelectionto,orservingasa
5memberof,thegoverningboardofaschooldistrictoranylocalagencywherethe
6firefighterisnotemployedincluding,butnotlimitedto,anycity,county,orpolitical
7subdivisionthereof.
320.506.Whenanyfirefighterisunderinvestigationandsubjectedto
2interrogationbyhisorhercommandingofficer,oranyothermemberdesignatedby
3theemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagency,thatcouldleadtopunitive
4action,theinterrogationshallbeconductedunderthefollowingconditions:
5 (1)Theinterrogationshallbeconductedatareasonablehour,atatimewhenthe
6firefighterisonduty,unlessanimminentthreattothesafetyofthepublicrequires
7otherwise.Iftheinterrogationdoesoccurduringoff-dutytimeofthefirefighterbeing
8interrogated,thefirefightershallbecompensatedforanyoff-dutytimeinaccordance
9withregulardepartmentprocedures.Thefirefighter'scompensationshallnotbe
10reducedasaresultofanyworkmissedwhilebeinginterrogated;
11 (2)Thefirefighterunderinvestigationshallbeinformed,priortothe
12interrogation,oftherank,name,andcommandoftheofficerorotherpersonin
13chargeoftheinterrogation;theinterrogatingofficer;andallotherpersonstobepresent
14duringtheinterrogation.Allquestionsdirectedtothefirefighterunderinterrogation
15shallbeaskedbyandthroughnomorethantwointerrogatorsatonetime;
16 (3)Thefirefighterunderinvestigationshallbeinformedofthenatureofthe
17investigationpriortoanyinterrogation;
18 (4)Theinterrogatingsessionshallbeforareasonableperiodtakinginto
19considerationthegravityandcomplexityoftheissuebeinginvestigated.Theperson
20underinterrogationshallbeallowedreasonablebreakstoattendtohisorherown
21personalphysicalnecessities;
22 (5)(a)Thefirefighterunderinterrogationshallnotbesubjectedtooffensive
23languageorthreatenedwithpunitiveaction.Apromiseofrewardshallnotbemadeas
24aninducementtoansweranyquestion.Theemployershallprovideto,andobtainfrom,
25anemployeeaformalgrantofimmunityfromcriminalprosecution,inwriting,before
26theemployeemaybecompelledtorespondtoincriminatingquestionsinan
27interrogation.Subjecttothatgrantofimmunity,afirefighterrefusingtorespondto
28questionsorsubjecttointerrogationsshallbeinformedthatthefailuretoanswer
29questionsdirectlyrelatedtotheinvestigationorinterrogationmayresultinpunitive
30action;
31 (b)Theemployershallnotcausethefirefighterunderinterrogationtobe
32subjectedtovisitsbythepressornewsmediawithouthisorherexpresswrittenconsent
33freeofduress,andthefirefighter'sphotograph,homeaddress,telephonenumber,or
HB155 2 34othercontactinformationshallnotbegiventothepressornewsmediawithouthisor
35herexpresswrittenconsent;
36 (6)Astatementmadeduringinterrogationbyafirefighterunderduress,
37coercion,orthreatofpunitiveactionshallnotbeadmissibleinanysubsequentjudicial
38proceeding,subjecttothefollowingqualifications:
39 (a)Thissubdivisionshallnotlimittheuseofstatementsotherwisemadebya
40firefighterwhentheemployingfiredepartmentisseekingcivilservicesanctionsagainst
41anyfirefighter;and
42 (b)Thissubdivisionshallnotpreventtheadmissibilityofstatementsotherwise
43madebythefirefighterunderinterrogationinanycivilaction,includingadministrative
44actions,broughtbythatfirefighter,orthatfirefighter'sexclusiverepresentative,arising
45outofadisciplinaryaction;
46 (7)Thecompleteinterrogationofafirefightermayberecorded.Ifarecording
47oftheinterrogationismade,thefirefightershallhaveaccesstotherecordingifany
48furtherproceedingsarecontemplatedorpriortoanyfurtherinterrogationata
49subsequenttime.Thefirefightershallbeentitledtoatranscribedcopyofanynotes
50madebyastenographerortoanyreportsorcomplaintsmadebyinvestigatorsorother
51persons,exceptthoseportionsthatareotherwiserequiredbylawtobekept
52confidential.Notesorreportsthataredeemedtobeconfidentialshallnotbeentered
53inthefirefighter'spersonnelfile.Thefirefighterbeinginterrogatedshallhavetheright
54tobringhisorherownrecordingdeviceandrecordanyandallaspectsofthe
55interrogation;
56 (8)If,priortoorduringtheinterrogationofafirefighter,itiscontemplatedthat
57heorshemaybechargedwithacriminaloffense,heorsheshallbeimmediately
58informedofhisorherconstitutionalrights;
59 (9)Uponthefilingofaformalwrittenstatementofcharges,orwheneveran
60interrogationfocusesonmattersthatmayresultinpunitiveactionagainstany
61firefighter,thatfirefighter,athisorherrequest,shallhavetherighttoberepresented
62byarepresentativeofhisorherchoicewhomaybepresentatalltimesduringthe
63interrogation.Therepresentativeshallnotbeapersonsubjecttothesame
64investigation.Therepresentativeshallnotberequiredtodisclose,orbesubjectto
65anypunitiveactionforrefusingtodisclose,anyinformationreceivedfromthe
66firefighterunderinvestigationfornoncriminalmatters;
67 (10)Theprovisionsofthissectionshallnotbeconstruedtoapplytocounseling,
68instruction,orinformalverbaladmonishmentby,orotherroutineorunplannedcontact
69with,asupervisororanyotherfirefighter;and
HB155 3 70 (11)Afirefightershallnotbelentortemporarilyreassignedtoalocationorduty
71assignmentifafirefighterinhisorherdepartmentwouldnotnormallybesenttothat
72locationorwouldnotnormallybegiventhatdutyassignmentundersimilar
73circumstances.
320.508.1.Afirefightershallnotbesubjectedtopunitiveaction,ordenied
2promotion,orthreatenedwiththattreatment,becauseofthelawfulexerciseofthe
3rightsgrantedundersections320.500to320.528ortheexerciseofanyrightsunderany
4existingadministrativegrievanceprocedure.
5 2.Punitiveactionordenialofpromotionongroundsotherthanmeritshallnot
6beundertakenbyanyemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencyagainst
7anyfirefighterwhohassuccessfullycompletedtheprobationaryperiodwithout
8providingthefirefighterwithanopportunityforadministrativeappeal.
9 3.Afirechiefshallnotberemovedbyapublicagencyorappointingauthority
10withoutprovidingthatpersonwithwrittennotice,thereasonorreasonsforremoval,
11andanopportunityforadministrativeappeal.Forpurposesofthissubsection,the
12removalofafirechiefbyapublicagencyorappointingauthority,forthepurposeof
13implementingthegoalsorpolicies,orboth,ofthepublicagencyorappointingauthority,
14orforreasonsincluding,butnotlimitedto,incompatibilityofmanagementstylesorasa
15resultofchangeinadministration,shallbesufficienttoconstitutereason.Nothingin
16thissubsectionshallbeconstruedtocreateapropertyinterest,ifonedoesnototherwise
17existbyruleorlaw,inthejoboffirechief.
18 4.Punitiveactionordenialofpromotionongroundsotherthanmeritshallnot
19beundertakenforanyact,omission,orotherallegationofmisconductifthe
20investigationoftheallegationisnotcompletedwithinoneyearofdiscoverybythe
21employingfiredepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagency.Thisone-yearlimitation
22periodshallapplyonlyifthediscoveryoftheact,omission,orothermisconduct
23occurredonorafterAugust28,2025.Iftheemployingdepartmentorlicensingor
24certifyingagencydeterminesthatdisciplinemaybetaken,itshallcompleteits
25investigationandnotifythefirefighterofitsproposeddisciplinaryactionwithinthat
26year,exceptinanyofthefollowingcircumstances:
27 (1)Ifthefirefightervoluntarilywaivestheone-yeartimeperiodinwriting,the
28timeperiodshallbetolledfortheperiodoftimespecifiedinthewrittenwaiver;
29 (2)Iftheact,omission,orotherallegationofmisconductisalsothesubjectofa
30criminalinvestigationorcriminalprosecution,thetimeduringwhichthecriminal
31investigationorcriminalprosecutionispendingshalltolltheone-yearperiod;
32 (3)Iftheinvestigationisamultijurisdictionalinvestigationthatrequiresa
33reasonableextensionforcoordinationoftheinvolvedagencies;
HB155 4 34 (4)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesanemployeewhoisincapacitatedorotherwise
35unavailable;
36 (5)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesamatterincivillitigationinwhichthefirefighter
37isnamedasapartydefendant,theone-yeartimeperiodshallbetolledwhilethatcivil
38actionispending;
39 (6)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesamatterincriminallitigationinwhichthe
40complainantisacriminaldefendant,theone-yeartimeperiodshallbetolledduringthe
41periodofthatdefendant'scriminalinvestigationandprosecution;or
42 (7)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesanallegationofworkers'compensationfraudon
43thepartofthefirefighter.
44 5.Ifapredisciplinaryresponseorgrievanceprocedureisrequiredorutilized,
45thetimeforthatresponseorprocedureshallnotbegovernedorlimitedbysections
46320.500to320.528.
47 6.If,afterinvestigationandanypredisciplinaryresponseorprocedure,the
48employingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencydecidestoimposediscipline,
49thatdepartmentoragencyshallnotifythefirefighterinwritingofitsdecisiontoimpose
50disciplinewithinthirtydaysofitsdecisionbutnotlessthanforty-eighthourspriorto
51imposingthediscipline.
52 7.Notwithstandingtheone-yeartimeperiodspecifiedinsubsection4ofthis
53section,aninvestigationmaybereopenedagainstafirefighterifbothofthefollowing
54circumstancesexist:
55 (1)Significantnewevidencethatislikelytoaffecttheoutcomeofthe
56investigationhasbeendiscovered;and
57 (2)Oneofthefollowingconditionsexists:
58 (a)Theevidencecouldnotreasonablybediscoveredinthenormalcourseof
59investigationwithoutresortingtoextraordinarymeasuresbytheagency;or
60 (b)Theevidenceresultedfromthefirefighter'spredisciplinaryresponseor
61procedure.
320.510.1.Anadministrativeappealinstitutedbyafirefighterundersections
2320.500to320.528shallbeconductedinaccordancewithrulesandproceduresadopted
3bytheemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencythatareinaccordance
4withchapter536.
5 2.Notwithstandingsubsection1ofthissection,iftheemployingdepartmentis
6subjecttoamemorandumofunderstandingthatprovidesforbindingarbitrationof
7administrativeappeals,thearbitratororarbitrationpanelshallserveasthehearing
8officerinaccordancewithchapter536and,notwithstandinganyotherprovisionoflaw,
9thathearingofficer'sdecisionshallbebinding.However,amemorandumof
HB155 5 10understandingnegotiatedwithanemployingagencyshallnotcontroltheprocessfor
11administrativeappealsinstitutedwithlicensingorcertifyingagencies.Any
12administrativeappealinstitutedwithlicensingorcertifyingagenciesshalladhereto
13therequirementsprescribedinsubsection1ofthissection.
320.512.Afirefightershallnothaveanycommentadversetohisorherinterest
2enteredinhisorherpersonnelfile,oranyotherfileusedforanypersonnelpurposesby
3hisorheremployer,withoutthefirefighterhavingfirstreadandsignedtheinstrument
4containingtheadversecomment,indicatingheorsheisawareofthecomment.
5However,theentrymaybemadeifafterreadingtheinstrument,thefirefighterrefuses
6tosignit.Thatfactshallbenotedonthatdocumentandsignedorinitialedbythe
7firefighter.
320.514.Afirefightershallhavethirtydaystofileawrittenresponsetoany
2adversecommententeredinhisorherpersonnelfile.Thewrittenresponseshallbe
3attachedto,andshallaccompany,theadversecomment.
320.516.1.Eachemployershall,atreasonabletimesandatreasonableintervals,
2upontherequestofafirefighter,duringusualbusinesshours,withnolossof
3compensationtothefirefighter,permitthatfirefightertoinspectpersonnelfilesthatare
4usedorhavebeenusedtodeterminethatfirefighter'squalificationsforemployment,
5promotion,additionalcompensation,orterminationorotherdisciplinaryaction.
6 2.Eachemployershallkeepeachfirefighter'spersonnelfileoratrueand
7correctcopythereofandshallmakethefileorcopythereofavailablewithina
8reasonableperiodoftimeafterarequestthereforbythefirefighter.
9 3.If,afterexaminationofthefirefighter'spersonnelfile,thefirefighterbelieves
10thatanyportionofthematerialismistakenlyorunlawfullyplacedinthefile,the
11firefightermayrequest,inwriting,thatthemistakenorunlawfulportionbecorrected
12ordeleted.Anyrequestmadepursuanttothissubsectionshallincludeastatementby
13thefirefighterdescribingthecorrectionsordeletionsfromthepersonnelfilerequested
14andthereasonssupportingthosecorrectionsordeletions.Astatementsubmitted
15pursuanttothissubsectionshallbecomepartofthepersonnelfileofthefirefighter.
16 4.Withinthirtycalendardaysofreceiptofarequestmadeundersubsection3of
17thissection,theemployershalleithergrantthefirefighter'srequestornotifythe
18firefighterofthedecisiontorefusetogranttherequest.Iftheemployerrefusestogrant
19therequest,inwholeorinpart,theemployershallstateinwritingthereasonsfor
20refusingtherequestandthatwrittenstatementshallbecomepartofthepersonnelfileof
21thefirefighter.
320.518.1.Afirefightershallnotbecompelledtosubmittoaliedetectortest
2againsthisorherwill.
HB155 6 3 2.Disciplinaryactionorotherrecriminationshallnotbetakenagainsta
4firefighterrefusingtosubmittoaliedetectortest.
5 3.Nocommentshallbeenteredanywhereintheinvestigator'snotesor
6anywhereelsethatthefirefighterrefusedtotake,ordidnottake,aliedetectortest.
7 4.Testimonyorevidencetotheeffectthatthefirefighterrefusedtotake,orwas
8subjectedto,aliedetectortestshallnotbeadmissibleatasubsequenthearing,trial,or
9proceeding,judicialoradministrative.
10 5.Forpurposesofthissection,"liedetector"meansapolygraph,deceptograph,
11voicestressanalyzer,psychologicalstressevaluator,oranyothersimilardevice,whether
12mechanicalorelectrical,thatisused,ortheresultsofwhichareused,forthepurposeof
13renderingadiagnosticopinionregardingthehonestyordishonestyofanindividual.
320.520.Afirefightershallnotberequiredorrequestedforpurposesofjob
2assignmentorotherpersonnelactiontodiscloseanyitemofhisorherproperty,income,
3assets,sourceofincome,debts,orpersonalordomesticexpenditures,includingthoseof
4anymemberofhisorherfamilyorhousehold,unlessthatinformationisotherwise
5requiredtobefurnishedunderstatelaworobtainedpursuanttocourtorder.
320.522.Afirefightershallnothavehisorherlockerorotherspaceforstorage
2thatmaybeassignedtohimorhersearched,exceptinhisorherpresenceorwithhisor
3herconsentorunlessavalidsearchwarranthasbeenobtainedorunlessheorshehas
4beennotifiedthatasearchwillbeconducted.Thissectionshallapplyonlytolockersor
5otherspacesforstoragethatareownedorleasedbytheemployingdepartmentor
6licensingorcertifyingagency.
320.524.1.Itshallbeunlawfulforanyemployingdepartmentorlicensingor
2certifyingagencytodenyorrefusetoanyfirefightertherightsandprotections
3guaranteedbysections320.500to320.528.
4 2.Thecircuitcourtofthecountyofpropervenueshallhaveinitialjurisdiction
5overanyproceedingbroughtbyanyfirefighteragainstanyemployingdepartmentor
6licensingorcertifyingagencyforallegedviolationsofsections320.500to320.528.
7 3.(1)Ifthecourtfindsthattheemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifying
8agencyhasviolatedanyoftheprovisionsofsections320.500to320.528,thecourtshall
9renderappropriateinjunctiveorotherextraordinaryrelieftoremedytheviolationand
10topreventfutureviolationsofalikeorsimilarnatureincluding,butnotlimitedto,the
11grantingofatemporaryrestrainingorderorpreliminaryorpermanentinjunction
12prohibitingtheemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencyfromtakingany
13punitiveactionagainstthefirefighter.
14 (2)Ifthecourtfindsthatabadfaithorfrivolousactionorafilingforan
15improperpurposehasbeenbroughtundersections320.500to320.528,thecourtmay
HB155 7 16ordersanctionsagainstthepartyfilingtheaction,theparty'sattorney,orboth,
17pursuanttotheapplicableMissourirulesofcivilprocedure.Thosesanctionsmay
18include,butnotbelimitedto,reasonableexpenses,includingattorney'sfees,incurred
19byafiredepartmentasthecourtdeemsappropriate.
20 (3)Nothinginthissubsectionisintendedtosubjectactionsorfilingsunderthis
21sectiontorulesorstandardsthataredifferentfromthoseapplicabletoothercivil
22actionsorfilingssubjecttotheMissourirulesofcivilprocedure.
23 4.Inadditiontotheextraordinaryreliefaffordedundersections320.500to
24320.528,uponafindingbythecourtthatafiredepartment,itsemployees,agents,or
25assigns,withrespecttoactstakenwithinthescopeofemployment,maliciouslyviolated
26anyprovisionofsections320.500to320.528withtheintenttoinjurethefirefighter,the
27firedepartmentshall,foreachandeveryviolation,beliableforacivilpenaltynotto
28exceedtwenty-fivethousanddollarstobeawardedtothefirefighterwhoserightor
29protectionwasdeniedandforreasonableattorney'sfeesasmaybedeterminedbythe
30court.Ifthecourtsofinds,andthereissufficientevidencetoestablishactualdamages
31sufferedbythefirefighterwhoserightorprotectionwasdenied,thefiredepartment
32shallalsobeliablefortheamountoftheactualdamages.Notwithstandingthese
33provisions,afiredepartmentshallnotberequiredtoindemnifyacontractorforthe
34contractor'sliabilityunderthissubsectionifthereis,withinthecontractbetweenthe
35firedepartmentandthecontractor,aholdharmlessorsimilarprovisionthatprotects
36thefiredepartmentfromliabilityfortheactionsofthecontractor.Anindividualshall
37notbeliableforanyactforwhichafiredepartmentisliableunderthissection.
320.526.Nothinginsections320.500to320.528shallinanywaybeconstruedto
2limittheabilityofanyemploymentdepartment,licensingorcertifyingagency,orany
3firefightertofulfillmutualaidagreementswithotherjurisdictionsoragencies,andthe
4provisionsofsections320.500to320.528shallnotbeconstruedinanywaytolimitany
5jurisdictionalorinteragencycooperationunderanycircumstanceswherethatactivityis
6deemednecessaryordesirablebythejurisdictionsoragenciesinvolved.
320.528.Therightsandprotectionsdescribedinsections320.500to320.528shall
2applyonlytoafirefighterduringeventsandcircumstancesinvolvingtheperformance
3ofhisorherofficialduties.
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HB155 8