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Committee advances appropriation for wildland firefighter paid leave and hazard pay
Summary
House Bill 35, which would provide paid leave and federal-standard hazard pay for wildland firefighters and align state forestry hiring with federal practices, was recommended to pass by the committee after stakeholder support was heard.
Kelly Norris, Wyoming state forester, presented House Bill 35 to the Joint Appropriations Committee, describing an appropriation that would allow wildland firefighters to take paid leave and receive hazard pay consistent with federal standards. "This is firefighter paid leave and hazard pay," Norris said, adding that state forestry expects positions will be filled and that employees will work portions of their time in conditions that meet hazard-pay requirements.
Jason Coy, representing the Bridal Firefighters Association and the Wyoming State Fire Chiefs, told the committee the measure would help with recruitment and retention amid a national decline in firefighter applicants. "This benefit aligns with the federal and national standards and provides an opportunity for us again to be competitive in a very diminished workforce environment," Coy said.
The committee held a roll-call on the engrossed bill. The transcript records individual votes (as read aloud) and a clerk summary; the record shows the committee approving the measure and reporting a tally in the record as "3 ayes, 1 no, 2 pass." The committee recommended the bill do pass (engrossed) and forwarded it for further consideration.
