COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION

FISCAL NOTE

L.R. No.:         0104-09

Bill No.:          Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed HCS for SCS for SB 47

Subject:           Fire Protection; Employees-Employers; Employment Security

Type:              Original

Date:               May 16, 2007

Bill Summary:            This proposal modifies provisions regarding fire protection.

FISCAL SUMMARY

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 5 pages.

☐ Estimated Total Net Effect on All funds expected to exceed $100,000 savings or (cost).

☐ Estimated Net Effect on General Revenue Fund expected to exceed $100,000 (cost).

FISCAL ANALYSIS

ASSUMPTION

Officials from Department of Public Safety - Division of Fire Safety (DFS) state the proposed legislation contains several fire service-related issues. First, it defines "fire department", and specifies the annual reporting requirement for departments to register with the Division of Fire Safety. The legislation also further defines a volunteer fire protection association. These clear definitions are needed when departments apply for federal and state assistance, and will assist the Division in maintaining clear and accurate records for Missouri fire departments. The bill goes on to create the Volunteer Firefighter Job Protection Act which protects volunteers from being terminated for being late to their place of employment when they are on an emergency response.

DFS states that currently, they have 898 fire departments registered in Missouri. DFS estimate there to be roughly 25,000 fire fighters in the state, with approximately 80% of those being volunteers. DFS assumes the proposal will not fiscally impact their agency.

Officials from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Department of Health and Senior Services each assumed the proposal will not fiscally impact their respective agencies.

Officials from the City of Columbia state they have a number of full time fire fighters acting as volunteer firefighters working at another fire department. If they are allowed to be late and/or absent from the regularly scheduled shift, it could cause significant overtime for the City, not to mention coverage for the City. The department has constant staffing, which means if the staffing is not met, officer(s) will have to be brought in at overtime rates. The City of Columbia estimates the fiscal impact of the bill could be as much as $10,000 annually.

Oversight assumes the number of occurrences in which fire departments would have to cover a shift (or partial shift) of a firefighter that is responding to an emergency in the course of performing his or her duties as a volunteer firefighter would not be sufficient to create a large fiscal impact to the local political subdivision. Oversight assumes cities/counties may incur a minimal increase in firefighter expense, but could absorb the additional expense.

Officials from the cities of Excelsior Springs, Harrisonville, Kearney and Poplar Bluff did not respond to our request for fiscal impact. Officials from the Creve Couer Fire District, Mehlville Fire District, Valle Ambulance District and the Taney County Ambulance District did not respond to our request for fiscal impact.

FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business

No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.

FISCAL DESCRIPTION

The proposed legislation appears to have no fiscal impact.

This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Department of Public Safety - Division of Fire Safety

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Department of Health and Senior Services

City of Columbia

NOT RESPONDING

Excelsior Springs

Harrisonville

Kearney

Poplar Bluff

Creve Couer Fire District

Desoto Rural Fire Protection District

Mehlville Fire District

Valle Ambulance District

Taney County Ambulance District

                                                                                                Mickey Wilson, CPA

                                                                                                Director

                                                                                                May 16, 2007