HB1067

House Bill 1067 regulates the authority of municipal fire departments and fire protection districts to impose residency requirements on their firefighters. The bill limits the ability to mandate residency to departments that utilize volunteer, part-time, or appearance-fee-based personnel in addition to full-time staff. It explicitly grandfathers in current employees, ensuring that any new residency ordinances do not negatively affect the employment status of those already on the job. The bill also allows these departments to prioritize applicants who reside within the state or in a county adjacent to the department's location. Furthermore, the legislation clarifies that it does not override existing departmental policies regarding the off-duty use of department vehicles or specific emergency response time requirements. The bill applies these rules to both municipal fire departments and fire protection districts.