Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Local Government & Housing Committee

HB 2493

Brief Description:  Removing the limitation on the number of volunteer fire fighters.

Sponsors:  Representatives Jackley, Mulliken, Dunshee, Ogden, Dunn, Wood and Casada.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Removes the volunteer firefighter membership limit on local governments, for the purposes of membership in the volunteer firefighters relief and pension fund.

Hearing Date:  1/30/02

Staff:  Scott MacColl (786‑7106).

Background:

Municipalities must, through legislative action, enroll their volunteer firefighters in the Volunteer Firefighters Relief and Pension Fund (Fund),  and must pay the fees prescribed in statute for their enrollment.  The Fund provides protection for all its fire fighters and their families from death, sickness, injury, or disability arising in the performance of their duties as fire fighters.  Full-time firefighters are covered under the Washington Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters (LEOFF) retirement system.

Municipalities also must, through legislative action, limit the number of volunteer fire fighters to 25 per thousand population.  The limit may be increased only by the number of fire fighters with emergency medical training for those departments that operate ambulance service.

Summary of Bill:

The 25 per thousand population limit on the number of volunteer firefighters that must be covered by local governments in the Volunteer Firefighters Relief and Pension Fund is removed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.