Missouri 2025 Regular Session

Missouri House Bill HB155 Compare Versions

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11 FIRSTREGULARSESSION
22 HOUSEBILLNO.155
33 103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
44 INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEEALY.
55 0499H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
66 ANACT
77 Toamendchapter320,RSMo,byaddingtheretofifteennewsectionsrelatingtofirefighters,
88 withapenaltyprovision.
99 BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
1010 SectionA.Chapter320,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretofifteennewsections,to
1111 2beknownassections320.500,320.502,320.504,320.506,320.508,320.510,320.512,
1212 3320.514,320.516,320.518,320.520,320.522,320.524,320.526,and320.528,toreadas
1313 4follows:
1414 320.500.Theprovisionsofsections320.500to320.528shallbeknownand
1515 2referredtoasthe"Firefighters'ProceduralBillofRightsAct".
1616 320.502.Forpurposesofsections320.500to320.528,thefollowingtermsmean:
1717 2 (1)"Firefighter",anyperson,includingavolunteerfirefighter,whoisinthe
1818 3serviceofthestateorlocalgovernmentalentityastheperson'semployer,assuchtermis
1919 4definedundersubsection1ofsection287.030,orwhoisotherwiseservingasamember
2020 5orofficerofafiredepartmenteitherforthepurposeofthepreventionorcontroloffire
2121 6ortheunderwaterrecoveryofdrowningvictims;
2222 7 (2)"Punitiveaction",anyactionthatmayleadtodismissal,demotion,
2323 8suspension,reductioninsalary,writtenreprimand,ortransferforpurposesof
2424 9punishment.
2525 320.504.1.Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinchapter36orwheneverondutyor
2626 2inuniform,nofirefightershallbeprohibitedfromengaging,orbecoercedorrequired
2727 3toengage,inpoliticalactivity.
2828 EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
2929 intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 4 2.Afirefightershallnotbeprohibitedfromseekingelectionto,orservingasa
3030 5memberof,thegoverningboardofaschooldistrictoranylocalagencywherethe
3131 6firefighterisnotemployedincluding,butnotlimitedto,anycity,county,orpolitical
3232 7subdivisionthereof.
3333 320.506.Whenanyfirefighterisunderinvestigationandsubjectedto
3434 2interrogationbyhisorhercommandingofficer,oranyothermemberdesignatedby
3535 3theemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagency,thatcouldleadtopunitive
3636 4action,theinterrogationshallbeconductedunderthefollowingconditions:
3737 5 (1)Theinterrogationshallbeconductedatareasonablehour,atatimewhenthe
3838 6firefighterisonduty,unlessanimminentthreattothesafetyofthepublicrequires
3939 7otherwise.Iftheinterrogationdoesoccurduringoff-dutytimeofthefirefighterbeing
4040 8interrogated,thefirefightershallbecompensatedforanyoff-dutytimeinaccordance
4141 9withregulardepartmentprocedures.Thefirefighter'scompensationshallnotbe
4242 10reducedasaresultofanyworkmissedwhilebeinginterrogated;
4343 11 (2)Thefirefighterunderinvestigationshallbeinformed,priortothe
4444 12interrogation,oftherank,name,andcommandoftheofficerorotherpersonin
4545 13chargeoftheinterrogation;theinterrogatingofficer;andallotherpersonstobepresent
4646 14duringtheinterrogation.Allquestionsdirectedtothefirefighterunderinterrogation
4747 15shallbeaskedbyandthroughnomorethantwointerrogatorsatonetime;
4848 16 (3)Thefirefighterunderinvestigationshallbeinformedofthenatureofthe
4949 17investigationpriortoanyinterrogation;
5050 18 (4)Theinterrogatingsessionshallbeforareasonableperiodtakinginto
5151 19considerationthegravityandcomplexityoftheissuebeinginvestigated.Theperson
5252 20underinterrogationshallbeallowedreasonablebreakstoattendtohisorherown
5353 21personalphysicalnecessities;
5454 22 (5)(a)Thefirefighterunderinterrogationshallnotbesubjectedtooffensive
5555 23languageorthreatenedwithpunitiveaction.Apromiseofrewardshallnotbemadeas
5656 24aninducementtoansweranyquestion.Theemployershallprovideto,andobtainfrom,
5757 25anemployeeaformalgrantofimmunityfromcriminalprosecution,inwriting,before
5858 26theemployeemaybecompelledtorespondtoincriminatingquestionsinan
5959 27interrogation.Subjecttothatgrantofimmunity,afirefighterrefusingtorespondto
6060 28questionsorsubjecttointerrogationsshallbeinformedthatthefailuretoanswer
6161 29questionsdirectlyrelatedtotheinvestigationorinterrogationmayresultinpunitive
6262 30action;
6363 31 (b)Theemployershallnotcausethefirefighterunderinterrogationtobe
6464 32subjectedtovisitsbythepressornewsmediawithouthisorherexpresswrittenconsent
6565 33freeofduress,andthefirefighter'sphotograph,homeaddress,telephonenumber,or
6666 HB155 2 34othercontactinformationshallnotbegiventothepressornewsmediawithouthisor
6767 35herexpresswrittenconsent;
6868 36 (6)Astatementmadeduringinterrogationbyafirefighterunderduress,
6969 37coercion,orthreatofpunitiveactionshallnotbeadmissibleinanysubsequentjudicial
7070 38proceeding,subjecttothefollowingqualifications:
7171 39 (a)Thissubdivisionshallnotlimittheuseofstatementsotherwisemadebya
7272 40firefighterwhentheemployingfiredepartmentisseekingcivilservicesanctionsagainst
7373 41anyfirefighter;and
7474 42 (b)Thissubdivisionshallnotpreventtheadmissibilityofstatementsotherwise
7575 43madebythefirefighterunderinterrogationinanycivilaction,includingadministrative
7676 44actions,broughtbythatfirefighter,orthatfirefighter'sexclusiverepresentative,arising
7777 45outofadisciplinaryaction;
7878 46 (7)Thecompleteinterrogationofafirefightermayberecorded.Ifarecording
7979 47oftheinterrogationismade,thefirefightershallhaveaccesstotherecordingifany
8080 48furtherproceedingsarecontemplatedorpriortoanyfurtherinterrogationata
8181 49subsequenttime.Thefirefightershallbeentitledtoatranscribedcopyofanynotes
8282 50madebyastenographerortoanyreportsorcomplaintsmadebyinvestigatorsorother
8383 51persons,exceptthoseportionsthatareotherwiserequiredbylawtobekept
8484 52confidential.Notesorreportsthataredeemedtobeconfidentialshallnotbeentered
8585 53inthefirefighter'spersonnelfile.Thefirefighterbeinginterrogatedshallhavetheright
8686 54tobringhisorherownrecordingdeviceandrecordanyandallaspectsofthe
8787 55interrogation;
8888 56 (8)If,priortoorduringtheinterrogationofafirefighter,itiscontemplatedthat
8989 57heorshemaybechargedwithacriminaloffense,heorsheshallbeimmediately
9090 58informedofhisorherconstitutionalrights;
9191 59 (9)Uponthefilingofaformalwrittenstatementofcharges,orwheneveran
9292 60interrogationfocusesonmattersthatmayresultinpunitiveactionagainstany
9393 61firefighter,thatfirefighter,athisorherrequest,shallhavetherighttoberepresented
9494 62byarepresentativeofhisorherchoicewhomaybepresentatalltimesduringthe
9595 63interrogation.Therepresentativeshallnotbeapersonsubjecttothesame
9696 64investigation.Therepresentativeshallnotberequiredtodisclose,orbesubjectto
9797 65anypunitiveactionforrefusingtodisclose,anyinformationreceivedfromthe
9898 66firefighterunderinvestigationfornoncriminalmatters;
9999 67 (10)Theprovisionsofthissectionshallnotbeconstruedtoapplytocounseling,
100100 68instruction,orinformalverbaladmonishmentby,orotherroutineorunplannedcontact
101101 69with,asupervisororanyotherfirefighter;and
102102 HB155 3 70 (11)Afirefightershallnotbelentortemporarilyreassignedtoalocationorduty
103103 71assignmentifafirefighterinhisorherdepartmentwouldnotnormallybesenttothat
104104 72locationorwouldnotnormallybegiventhatdutyassignmentundersimilar
105105 73circumstances.
106106 320.508.1.Afirefightershallnotbesubjectedtopunitiveaction,ordenied
107107 2promotion,orthreatenedwiththattreatment,becauseofthelawfulexerciseofthe
108108 3rightsgrantedundersections320.500to320.528ortheexerciseofanyrightsunderany
109109 4existingadministrativegrievanceprocedure.
110110 5 2.Punitiveactionordenialofpromotionongroundsotherthanmeritshallnot
111111 6beundertakenbyanyemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencyagainst
112112 7anyfirefighterwhohassuccessfullycompletedtheprobationaryperiodwithout
113113 8providingthefirefighterwithanopportunityforadministrativeappeal.
114114 9 3.Afirechiefshallnotberemovedbyapublicagencyorappointingauthority
115115 10withoutprovidingthatpersonwithwrittennotice,thereasonorreasonsforremoval,
116116 11andanopportunityforadministrativeappeal.Forpurposesofthissubsection,the
117117 12removalofafirechiefbyapublicagencyorappointingauthority,forthepurposeof
118118 13implementingthegoalsorpolicies,orboth,ofthepublicagencyorappointingauthority,
119119 14orforreasonsincluding,butnotlimitedto,incompatibilityofmanagementstylesorasa
120120 15resultofchangeinadministration,shallbesufficienttoconstitutereason.Nothingin
121121 16thissubsectionshallbeconstruedtocreateapropertyinterest,ifonedoesnototherwise
122122 17existbyruleorlaw,inthejoboffirechief.
123123 18 4.Punitiveactionordenialofpromotionongroundsotherthanmeritshallnot
124124 19beundertakenforanyact,omission,orotherallegationofmisconductifthe
125125 20investigationoftheallegationisnotcompletedwithinoneyearofdiscoverybythe
126126 21employingfiredepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagency.Thisone-yearlimitation
127127 22periodshallapplyonlyifthediscoveryoftheact,omission,orothermisconduct
128128 23occurredonorafterAugust28,2025.Iftheemployingdepartmentorlicensingor
129129 24certifyingagencydeterminesthatdisciplinemaybetaken,itshallcompleteits
130130 25investigationandnotifythefirefighterofitsproposeddisciplinaryactionwithinthat
131131 26year,exceptinanyofthefollowingcircumstances:
132132 27 (1)Ifthefirefightervoluntarilywaivestheone-yeartimeperiodinwriting,the
133133 28timeperiodshallbetolledfortheperiodoftimespecifiedinthewrittenwaiver;
134134 29 (2)Iftheact,omission,orotherallegationofmisconductisalsothesubjectofa
135135 30criminalinvestigationorcriminalprosecution,thetimeduringwhichthecriminal
136136 31investigationorcriminalprosecutionispendingshalltolltheone-yearperiod;
137137 32 (3)Iftheinvestigationisamultijurisdictionalinvestigationthatrequiresa
138138 33reasonableextensionforcoordinationoftheinvolvedagencies;
139139 HB155 4 34 (4)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesanemployeewhoisincapacitatedorotherwise
140140 35unavailable;
141141 36 (5)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesamatterincivillitigationinwhichthefirefighter
142142 37isnamedasapartydefendant,theone-yeartimeperiodshallbetolledwhilethatcivil
143143 38actionispending;
144144 39 (6)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesamatterincriminallitigationinwhichthe
145145 40complainantisacriminaldefendant,theone-yeartimeperiodshallbetolledduringthe
146146 41periodofthatdefendant'scriminalinvestigationandprosecution;or
147147 42 (7)Iftheinvestigationinvolvesanallegationofworkers'compensationfraudon
148148 43thepartofthefirefighter.
149149 44 5.Ifapredisciplinaryresponseorgrievanceprocedureisrequiredorutilized,
150150 45thetimeforthatresponseorprocedureshallnotbegovernedorlimitedbysections
151151 46320.500to320.528.
152152 47 6.If,afterinvestigationandanypredisciplinaryresponseorprocedure,the
153153 48employingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencydecidestoimposediscipline,
154154 49thatdepartmentoragencyshallnotifythefirefighterinwritingofitsdecisiontoimpose
155155 50disciplinewithinthirtydaysofitsdecisionbutnotlessthanforty-eighthourspriorto
156156 51imposingthediscipline.
157157 52 7.Notwithstandingtheone-yeartimeperiodspecifiedinsubsection4ofthis
158158 53section,aninvestigationmaybereopenedagainstafirefighterifbothofthefollowing
159159 54circumstancesexist:
160160 55 (1)Significantnewevidencethatislikelytoaffecttheoutcomeofthe
161161 56investigationhasbeendiscovered;and
162162 57 (2)Oneofthefollowingconditionsexists:
163163 58 (a)Theevidencecouldnotreasonablybediscoveredinthenormalcourseof
164164 59investigationwithoutresortingtoextraordinarymeasuresbytheagency;or
165165 60 (b)Theevidenceresultedfromthefirefighter'spredisciplinaryresponseor
166166 61procedure.
167167 320.510.1.Anadministrativeappealinstitutedbyafirefighterundersections
168168 2320.500to320.528shallbeconductedinaccordancewithrulesandproceduresadopted
169169 3bytheemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencythatareinaccordance
170170 4withchapter536.
171171 5 2.Notwithstandingsubsection1ofthissection,iftheemployingdepartmentis
172172 6subjecttoamemorandumofunderstandingthatprovidesforbindingarbitrationof
173173 7administrativeappeals,thearbitratororarbitrationpanelshallserveasthehearing
174174 8officerinaccordancewithchapter536and,notwithstandinganyotherprovisionoflaw,
175175 9thathearingofficer'sdecisionshallbebinding.However,amemorandumof
176176 HB155 5 10understandingnegotiatedwithanemployingagencyshallnotcontroltheprocessfor
177177 11administrativeappealsinstitutedwithlicensingorcertifyingagencies.Any
178178 12administrativeappealinstitutedwithlicensingorcertifyingagenciesshalladhereto
179179 13therequirementsprescribedinsubsection1ofthissection.
180180 320.512.Afirefightershallnothaveanycommentadversetohisorherinterest
181181 2enteredinhisorherpersonnelfile,oranyotherfileusedforanypersonnelpurposesby
182182 3hisorheremployer,withoutthefirefighterhavingfirstreadandsignedtheinstrument
183183 4containingtheadversecomment,indicatingheorsheisawareofthecomment.
184184 5However,theentrymaybemadeifafterreadingtheinstrument,thefirefighterrefuses
185185 6tosignit.Thatfactshallbenotedonthatdocumentandsignedorinitialedbythe
186186 7firefighter.
187187 320.514.Afirefightershallhavethirtydaystofileawrittenresponsetoany
188188 2adversecommententeredinhisorherpersonnelfile.Thewrittenresponseshallbe
189189 3attachedto,andshallaccompany,theadversecomment.
190190 320.516.1.Eachemployershall,atreasonabletimesandatreasonableintervals,
191191 2upontherequestofafirefighter,duringusualbusinesshours,withnolossof
192192 3compensationtothefirefighter,permitthatfirefightertoinspectpersonnelfilesthatare
193193 4usedorhavebeenusedtodeterminethatfirefighter'squalificationsforemployment,
194194 5promotion,additionalcompensation,orterminationorotherdisciplinaryaction.
195195 6 2.Eachemployershallkeepeachfirefighter'spersonnelfileoratrueand
196196 7correctcopythereofandshallmakethefileorcopythereofavailablewithina
197197 8reasonableperiodoftimeafterarequestthereforbythefirefighter.
198198 9 3.If,afterexaminationofthefirefighter'spersonnelfile,thefirefighterbelieves
199199 10thatanyportionofthematerialismistakenlyorunlawfullyplacedinthefile,the
200200 11firefightermayrequest,inwriting,thatthemistakenorunlawfulportionbecorrected
201201 12ordeleted.Anyrequestmadepursuanttothissubsectionshallincludeastatementby
202202 13thefirefighterdescribingthecorrectionsordeletionsfromthepersonnelfilerequested
203203 14andthereasonssupportingthosecorrectionsordeletions.Astatementsubmitted
204204 15pursuanttothissubsectionshallbecomepartofthepersonnelfileofthefirefighter.
205205 16 4.Withinthirtycalendardaysofreceiptofarequestmadeundersubsection3of
206206 17thissection,theemployershalleithergrantthefirefighter'srequestornotifythe
207207 18firefighterofthedecisiontorefusetogranttherequest.Iftheemployerrefusestogrant
208208 19therequest,inwholeorinpart,theemployershallstateinwritingthereasonsfor
209209 20refusingtherequestandthatwrittenstatementshallbecomepartofthepersonnelfileof
210210 21thefirefighter.
211211 320.518.1.Afirefightershallnotbecompelledtosubmittoaliedetectortest
212212 2againsthisorherwill.
213213 HB155 6 3 2.Disciplinaryactionorotherrecriminationshallnotbetakenagainsta
214214 4firefighterrefusingtosubmittoaliedetectortest.
215215 5 3.Nocommentshallbeenteredanywhereintheinvestigator'snotesor
216216 6anywhereelsethatthefirefighterrefusedtotake,ordidnottake,aliedetectortest.
217217 7 4.Testimonyorevidencetotheeffectthatthefirefighterrefusedtotake,orwas
218218 8subjectedto,aliedetectortestshallnotbeadmissibleatasubsequenthearing,trial,or
219219 9proceeding,judicialoradministrative.
220220 10 5.Forpurposesofthissection,"liedetector"meansapolygraph,deceptograph,
221221 11voicestressanalyzer,psychologicalstressevaluator,oranyothersimilardevice,whether
222222 12mechanicalorelectrical,thatisused,ortheresultsofwhichareused,forthepurposeof
223223 13renderingadiagnosticopinionregardingthehonestyordishonestyofanindividual.
224224 320.520.Afirefightershallnotberequiredorrequestedforpurposesofjob
225225 2assignmentorotherpersonnelactiontodiscloseanyitemofhisorherproperty,income,
226226 3assets,sourceofincome,debts,orpersonalordomesticexpenditures,includingthoseof
227227 4anymemberofhisorherfamilyorhousehold,unlessthatinformationisotherwise
228228 5requiredtobefurnishedunderstatelaworobtainedpursuanttocourtorder.
229229 320.522.Afirefightershallnothavehisorherlockerorotherspaceforstorage
230230 2thatmaybeassignedtohimorhersearched,exceptinhisorherpresenceorwithhisor
231231 3herconsentorunlessavalidsearchwarranthasbeenobtainedorunlessheorshehas
232232 4beennotifiedthatasearchwillbeconducted.Thissectionshallapplyonlytolockersor
233233 5otherspacesforstoragethatareownedorleasedbytheemployingdepartmentor
234234 6licensingorcertifyingagency.
235235 320.524.1.Itshallbeunlawfulforanyemployingdepartmentorlicensingor
236236 2certifyingagencytodenyorrefusetoanyfirefightertherightsandprotections
237237 3guaranteedbysections320.500to320.528.
238238 4 2.Thecircuitcourtofthecountyofpropervenueshallhaveinitialjurisdiction
239239 5overanyproceedingbroughtbyanyfirefighteragainstanyemployingdepartmentor
240240 6licensingorcertifyingagencyforallegedviolationsofsections320.500to320.528.
241241 7 3.(1)Ifthecourtfindsthattheemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifying
242242 8agencyhasviolatedanyoftheprovisionsofsections320.500to320.528,thecourtshall
243243 9renderappropriateinjunctiveorotherextraordinaryrelieftoremedytheviolationand
244244 10topreventfutureviolationsofalikeorsimilarnatureincluding,butnotlimitedto,the
245245 11grantingofatemporaryrestrainingorderorpreliminaryorpermanentinjunction
246246 12prohibitingtheemployingdepartmentorlicensingorcertifyingagencyfromtakingany
247247 13punitiveactionagainstthefirefighter.
248248 14 (2)Ifthecourtfindsthatabadfaithorfrivolousactionorafilingforan
249249 15improperpurposehasbeenbroughtundersections320.500to320.528,thecourtmay
250250 HB155 7 16ordersanctionsagainstthepartyfilingtheaction,theparty'sattorney,orboth,
251251 17pursuanttotheapplicableMissourirulesofcivilprocedure.Thosesanctionsmay
252252 18include,butnotbelimitedto,reasonableexpenses,includingattorney'sfees,incurred
253253 19byafiredepartmentasthecourtdeemsappropriate.
254254 20 (3)Nothinginthissubsectionisintendedtosubjectactionsorfilingsunderthis
255255 21sectiontorulesorstandardsthataredifferentfromthoseapplicabletoothercivil
256256 22actionsorfilingssubjecttotheMissourirulesofcivilprocedure.
257257 23 4.Inadditiontotheextraordinaryreliefaffordedundersections320.500to
258258 24320.528,uponafindingbythecourtthatafiredepartment,itsemployees,agents,or
259259 25assigns,withrespecttoactstakenwithinthescopeofemployment,maliciouslyviolated
260260 26anyprovisionofsections320.500to320.528withtheintenttoinjurethefirefighter,the
261261 27firedepartmentshall,foreachandeveryviolation,beliableforacivilpenaltynotto
262262 28exceedtwenty-fivethousanddollarstobeawardedtothefirefighterwhoserightor
263263 29protectionwasdeniedandforreasonableattorney'sfeesasmaybedeterminedbythe
264264 30court.Ifthecourtsofinds,andthereissufficientevidencetoestablishactualdamages
265265 31sufferedbythefirefighterwhoserightorprotectionwasdenied,thefiredepartment
266266 32shallalsobeliablefortheamountoftheactualdamages.Notwithstandingthese
267267 33provisions,afiredepartmentshallnotberequiredtoindemnifyacontractorforthe
268268 34contractor'sliabilityunderthissubsectionifthereis,withinthecontractbetweenthe
269269 35firedepartmentandthecontractor,aholdharmlessorsimilarprovisionthatprotects
270270 36thefiredepartmentfromliabilityfortheactionsofthecontractor.Anindividualshall
271271 37notbeliableforanyactforwhichafiredepartmentisliableunderthissection.
272272 320.526.Nothinginsections320.500to320.528shallinanywaybeconstruedto
273273 2limittheabilityofanyemploymentdepartment,licensingorcertifyingagency,orany
274274 3firefightertofulfillmutualaidagreementswithotherjurisdictionsoragencies,andthe
275275 4provisionsofsections320.500to320.528shallnotbeconstruedinanywaytolimitany
276276 5jurisdictionalorinteragencycooperationunderanycircumstanceswherethatactivityis
277277 6deemednecessaryordesirablebythejurisdictionsoragenciesinvolved.
278278 320.528.Therightsandprotectionsdescribedinsections320.500to320.528shall
279279 2applyonlytoafirefighterduringeventsandcircumstancesinvolvingtheperformance
280280 3ofhisorherofficialduties.
281281 âś”
282282 HB155 8