Florida Senate - 2017 SB 1084
By Senator Stargel
22-00746C-17 20171084__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to firefighter certifications;
3 amending s. 633.414, F.S.; authorizing certain
4 firefighters to complete specified continuing
5 education training in lieu of a specified instruction
6 requirement; exempting firefighters holding current
7 Firefighter Certificates of Compliance from certain
8 periodic requirements under specified circumstances;
9 exempting volunteer firefighters holding current
10 Volunteer Firefighter Certificates of Completion from
11 certain periodic requirements under specified
12 circumstances; authorizing the Division of State Fire
13 Marshal within the Department of Financial Services to
14 investigate, in a specified manner, certain reports or
15 complaints against firefighters claiming such
16 exemptions; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
21 633.414, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is
22 added to that section, to read:
23 633.414 Retention of firefighter and volunteer firefighter
24 certifications.—
25 (1) In order for a firefighter to retain her or his
26 Firefighter Certificate of Compliance, every 4 years he or she
27 must meet the requirements for renewal provided in this chapter
28 and by rule, which must include at least one of the following:
29 (b)1. Maintain a current and valid fire service instructor
30 certificate; and,
31 2. Instruct or complete at least 40 hours of approved
32 continuing education during the 4-year period, and provide proof
33 of such instruction or training to the division, which proof
34 must be registered in an electronic database designated by the
35 division.
36 (8)(a) Notwithstanding this section, a firefighter holding
37 a current Firefighter Certificate of Compliance is exempt from
38 the requirements, every 4 years, of subparagraph (1)(b)2. and
39 paragraphs (1)(c) and (d) if he or she:
40 1. Has completed at least 20 years of service, and so
41 attests;
42 2. Has been employed with a fire service provider as
43 defined in s. 633.102(13) and appears on the fire service
44 provider’s roster as recorded in the division’s online
45 electronic database;
46 3. Is vested and in good standing in a firefighter pension
47 plan, and so attests, or has been determined to have a
48 disability in line of duty as defined in s. 121.021(13) for the
49 duration of such disability; and
50 4. Has not been convicted of a felony under s. 633.412(2),
51 and so attests.
52 (b) Notwithstanding this section, a volunteer firefighter
53 holding a current Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
54 Completion is exempt from the requirement, every 4 years, of
55 paragraph (2)(b) if he or she:
56 1. Has completed at least 20 years of service, and so
57 attests;
58 2. Has volunteered with a fire service provider as defined
59 in s. 633.102(13) and is in good standing with his or her most
60 recent fire service provider, and so attests; or has been
61 determined to have a disability in line of duty as defined in s.
62 121.021(13) for the duration of such disability; and
63 3. Has not been convicted of a felony under s. 633.412(2),
64 and so attests.
65 (c) The division may investigate any reports or complaints
66 of a felony conviction of a firefighter claiming an exemption
67 from renewal or retention requirements under this subsection in
68 the same manner as the investigative procedures provided in s.
69 633.426 for other firefighters holding a Firefighter Certificate
70 of Compliance or a Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
71 Completion.
72 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.