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Committee unanimously advances bill allowing fire protection districts to dissolve civil service systems under conditions
Summary
House Bill 1172, permitting fire protection districts that have adopted civil service in their fire departments to dissolve those civil service systems if specified conditions are met, was reported out of committee 7-0. Supporters said the change will help districts recruit and manage personnel.
A legislative committee voted unanimously, 7-0, to report out House Bill 1172 with a due-pass recommendation. The bill allows a fire protection district that has adopted civil service for its fire department to dissolve that civil service system if specified conditions are met.
Supporters told the committee that recruiting for fire and service-industry positions is increasingly difficult and that permitting dissolution of civil service in certain fire districts would help them hire and manage staff. Representative Griffey said the change “is very important for the fire service, especially those county fire departments,” and argued that districts would remain equal-opportunity employers and retain diversity and testing requirements even without civil service.
Another member urged a yes vote, saying many districts and municipal fire departments in the member’s legislative district supported the measure. The committee conducted a voice vote and staff recorded the tally as seven ayes and no nays.
By the committee’s recorded count, House Bill 1172 was reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation (7 ayes, 0 nays). The committee transcript did not include the full statutory language, the specific conditions that would permit dissolution of civil service, or a fiscal note in the provided excerpt.
