Friends,

I received word this past week that the city of St. Louis will try to find a legislator that will file a bill to gain local control of the St. Louis City FF's retirement system from the State. We had anticipated that sooner rather than later the city would come after their pensions. I give you my word that the MSCFF will do whatever it takes to make sure that our STL FF's have the final say on any language that is passed out of the legislature. No word yet on who will file the bill but the MSCFF will be watching closely. 

SB533

SB 553 & 435 - Upon voter approval, this act bars public employee labor unions from withholding fees from employee paychecks. The act requires the employee's consent for public employee labor unions to use fees and dues for political purposes. 

- This bill is still placed on the Senate informal calendar. No idea when it will be brought up on the Senate Floor again.

SB 652

This is the FF freedom act which will undo the hatch act to our members and allow them to be politically active without worry of being terminated. We will be hearing this bill in Senator Schmitt's local government committee this Wednesday. Should be a brief hearing and I will keep you all posted on how this bill moves forward. 

Hb1458

This is Rep Dave Hinsons FPD reform bill that states the following:

Currently, the Division of Fire Safety, within the Department of

Public Safety, and the State Fire Marshal are responsible for

establishing and maintaining a voluntary training and

certification program.  A certification testing and

recertification fee for the program is collected and deposited

into the General Revenue Fund.  This bill requires the fee to be

deposited into the Fire Education Fund established in Section

320.094, RSMo.

The bill requires any fire protection district director who has

been found guilty of or pled guilty to any felony offense to

immediately forfeit his or her office.

Currently, two or more fire protection districts may consolidate

with each other only if the districts have one or more common

boundaries, in whole or in part.  The bill also allows two or

more districts to consolidate if they are located within the same

county, in whole or in part.

The bill lowers the number of qualified signatures required in

order to recall an officer of a fire protection district board

from 25% to 15% of the number of voters who voted in the most

recent gubernatorial election in that district.

- The MSCFF testified in favor of this bill along with MACFPD. This bill will get out of committee with no problems and I will keep you all posted on its movement through the house. 

Legislative Director

Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters