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Bill to include airport authority public-safety employees in firefighter retirement system fails in committee; later tabled
Summary
House Bill 640, which would have revised membership rules to allow airport authority public-safety employees to join the firemen's retirement system, failed on a 10-13 roll-call vote in committee and was subsequently placed on the table by unanimous consent after the vote reversal was requested.
House Bill 640, proposing to revise membership in the firefighters— retirement system to include airport authority public-safety employees, failed on a 10-13 roll-call vote in the House Appropriations Committee and was then tabled by unanimous consent.
A committee member moved to advance the bill, describing the measure as changing membership and retirement coverage for personnel who serve at airports. Supporters cited the work of airport firefighters and urged the committee to provide retirement access. Representative Matthews told the committee he supported the bill on principle and stressed that airport firefighters "are doing the work" and deserve retirement coverage.
Opponents said the bill merited more study. Several members questioned whether Missoula's arrangement—where airport personnel may perform both fire duties and other public-safety tasks—was unique and raised concerns about creating incentives for more jurisdictions to adopt similar staffing structures without fully understanding the pension and operational consequences. One committee member said Missoula's model was a "unicorn" and that more research was necessary before expanding eligibility statewide.
The roll-call vote was 10 in favor and 13 opposed; the clerk announced the tally and that the bill had failed. Immediately after the vote, the chair announced a request to reverse the vote and table the bill; the chair said, "Without objection reverse the vote to table. The bill is tabled."
Because the committee voted against advancing the bill and then placed it on the table, HB 640 will not proceed at this time unless it is later removed from the table.
