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Committee sends bill to expand EAP access to volunteer firefighters to Finance committee
Summary
HB1761 would make the state Employee Assistance Program available to active volunteer and recognized combination fire department members and cover related costs; volunteer fire officials testified that volunteer firefighters lack mental‑health benefits and face rising suicide rates. Committee voted 21‑0 to advance the bill.
The State and Local Government Committee advanced House Bill 1761 on March 11 to Finance, Ways and Means. The bill would expand access to the state Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to active members of volunteer and recognized combination fire departments and require the state to pay associated costs.
Sponsor Representative Gant said the bill extends EAP coverage and PTSD treatment access to part‑time public safety employees under the Tennessee Public Safety Behavioral Act and streamlines certain administrative notification requirements for fire department recognition.
Rich Hartfield, a county fire chief and chairman of the Health, Safety and Wellness Committee for the Tennessee Fire Chiefs Association, told the committee volunteer departments ‘‘are experiencing more and more suicides than line‑of‑duty deaths’’ and described cases where firefighters lacked insurance or EAP benefits after traumatic incidents. “As a fire chief, that’s one of the toughest things when you have to say, ‘I can’t help you,’ because he had no insurance,” Hartfield said.
Committee members asked about the proportion of volunteer firefighters in the state and were told about 65% of firefighters in Tennessee are volunteers. HB1761 passed the committee by voice vote and was referred to Finance, Ways and Means (vote recorded 21‑0 in transcript).
(Outcome: HB1761 passed the committee and was referred to Finance, Ways and Means.)
