The scene is beginning to shift from committee hearings to floor debate and in many cases the task of getting something scheduled for floor debate. Right now our main priorities are to watch HB 3390, HB 2298 and SB 1011. All three of these bills say exactly the same thing and that is mandatory regulation of volunteers by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. HB 3390 was scheduled for floor debate and was postponed. That means that it could be called up at any time probably today. Very likely there will be a motion to substitute SB 1011 for that bill which is not important because both say the same thing. Representative McReynolds is ready with about 60 representatives who have signed on as co sponsors to strip the bill of the language that regulates volunteers.
The tuition bill (HB 2013) was passed to engrossment Friday. It should pass the House today.
We still need calls to the Calendars Committee to get HB 387 scheduled for floor debate in the House. What will happen IF we can get it there is that SB 254 will be substituted for it since that bill has already passed to Senate and that should be a done deal.
HB 1913 (fire hydrant bill) was supposed to be heard in the House Friday. They just simply didn’t get to it. It should come up today (Monday)
Bill Status—not in any particular order:
SB 254 by Estes—Fuel tax exemption—Passed Senate—Sent to House—Voted out of Ways and Means and sent to Calendars Committee
SB 1007 by Hegar—This is the Sunset Bill for the State Board of Insurance which includes the State Fire Marshals Office. Passed the Senate and sent to the House Insurance Committee.
HB 2914 by McReynolds—This bill establishes a fuel mitigation pilot grant program for fire departments. Passed House..Sent to Senate. Referred to Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee
HB 1146 by Anchia—Applies to working hours of paid firefighters in cities of one million or more population. It has no effect on most firefighters. Reported favorably by House Urban Affairs Committee. Heard in House and postponed
HB 3960 by McReynolds—ensures that Workman’s Compensation Insurance if carried on a volunteer or employee of an emergency services organization. Is in effect while that person is responding to an emergency. Placed on House Calendars
HB 1587 by Rose—This bill allows for voluntary marking of out of service fire hydrants. This bill was scheduled for hearing in Urban Affairs on April 8, but was not heard. Rep. Rose has said he will pull this bill. SFFMA is opposed to this bill
HB 3477 by Bolton—allows for an emergency services district to impose an advalorem tax for acquiring land, equipment or construction. Pending in Ways & Means
HB 2737 by Bolton—allows the sale of used, surplus or salvage property by an ESD to a VFD. Reported Favorably from County Affairs. Sent to local and consent calendars. Passed House. Sent to Senate
HB 387, HB 606, HB 797 by Pena, Farabee, King—Fuel tax exemption. HB 387 voted out of Ways & Means. Sent to Calendars
HB 4002 by McReynolds) Wildfire Protection Plan Funding (one of several requests) Reported favorably from Committee. Sent to Calendars. Passed House. Referred to Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Comnmittee
HB 2013 by Keffer allowing tuition free for volunteers with advanced accredited certification pursuing a degree in fire science at a public college. Passed favorably as substituted from Higher Ed Committee. Passed to engrossment in House
HB 793 by P..King allowing for the charging of reasonable fees by emergency services performed by volunteer fire departments. This bill is scheduled for hearing, but is supposed to be pulled by the author. This bill has absolutely no chance of passing and is not acceptable to anybody including the people who asked Rep. King to introduce it. King says he would rather concentrate his efforts on passing fuel tax exemption rather than on this losing effort.
HB 90 by Mando Martinez banning novelty lighters. Reported favorably from the State Affairs Committee. Sent to Calendars. Passed House Referred to Senate Stat Affairs Committee
HB 959 by Bonnen grants extra homestead exemption to volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS providers. Pending in Ways and Means
HB 1585 by Rose grants extra homestead exemption to volunteer firefighters, volunteer EMS providers and foster care providers. Awaiting hearing in Ways and Means
HB 1026 by Edwards organizing regional response teams along House Representatives district lines. Reported favorably as subsituted from Defense & Veterans Affairs. Substitute makes this bill apply only to counties within 100 miles of the coast. Passed committee. Sent to Calendars
SB 1485 by Watson allowing ESD’s to sell surplus equipment to VFD’s. Passed Senate. Sent to House
HB 2854 by Hughes allows paid fire service organization that has personalized license plates to designate what charitable organization the fees from the sale of those plates goes to. Reported favorably by House Transportation Subcommittee on License Plates. Passed House. Referred to Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
HB 784 by Hughes allows volunteers to purchase more than one set of volunteer certified license plates. Reported favorably by House
Transportation Subcommittee on License Plates. Passed House. Sent to Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
HB 1913 by McReynolds This is the clean up bill for black hydrants. Reported favorably as substituted by Urban Affairs. Placed on General State Calendar. Was supposed to be heard May 8.
HB 2298 by Yvonne Davis—relates to the use of the Firefighters Advisory Committee by the TCFP. It says they can use them if they want to. THIS ENTIRE BILL WAS SUBSTITUTED FOR BY SUBSTITUTING THE WORDING IN HB 3390 FOR IT. THIS IS THE BILL THAT REQUIRES REGULATION OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS. Passed by Committee. Committee Report Distributed. Bill has been sent to Calendars
HB 3390 by Harper-Brown—This is the Sunset Bill for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. This is the other bill that requires regulation of volunteer firefighters. Scheduled for House debate and postponed.
HB 4123 by Alonzo—Collective bargaining for paid firefighters. This bill specifically does NOT include volunteers. Left pending in Urban Affairs
HB 846 by Mando Martinez—provides for EMS, fire and police to only have to provide information on incidents that occurred after their last license renewal. Placed on the Local and Consent Calendar from Urban Affairs. Passed House. Sent to Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Hearing scheduled for May 13
HB 2203 by Isett—This is the Sunset Bill for the State Board of Insurance. Left pending in Insurance Committee
HB 1511 by Otto—This bill prohibits a municipality from requiring sprinklers in residences with less than 7500 square feet. It has been reported favorably from the House Insurance Committee
HB 2348 by Dutton—This bill relates to a contract between a water supply district and a municipality for the providing fire suppression. Reported favorably as Substituted from Natural Resources Committee. Sent to Local and Consent Calendar
HB 2807 by Maldonado—This bill relates to the water pressure standards for fire hydrants in certain municipalities. Left pending in Environmental Regulation Committee
HB 3603 by Paxton—This bill relates to the study of fire flow service by water supply corporations in semi urban areas—Referred to Natural Resources
HB 3609 by Miller—Relating to a requirement to provide sufficient water pressure for fire suppression in certain special utility districts. Referred to Natural Resources Committee
SB 1011 by Estes-This is the Sunset Bill for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. It has passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Urban Affairs Committee. HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTED THE WORDING IN HB 3390 AND PASSED THIS BILL OUT. SENT TO CALENDARS
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