Public Act 097-0782
 
HB4545 EnrolledLRB097 19823 KMW 65098 b

    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Fire Protection Training Act is
amended by changing Sections 2, 9, and 10 as follows:
 
    (50 ILCS 740/2)  (from Ch. 85, par. 532)
    Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
context requires otherwise:
    a. Office means the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
    b. "Local governmental agency" means any local
governmental unit or municipal corporation in this State. It
does not include the State of Illinois or any office, officer,
department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency of
the State except: (i) a State controlled university, college,
or public community college, or (ii) the Office of the State
Fire Marshal.
    c. "School" means any school located within the State of
Illinois whether privately or publicly owned which offers a
course in fire protection training or related subjects and
which has been approved by the Office.
    d. "Trainee" means a recruit fire fighter required to
complete initial minimum basic training requirements at an
approved school to be eligible for permanent employment as a
fire fighter.
    e. "Fire protection personnel" and "fire fighter" means any
person engaged in fire administration, fire prevention, fire
suppression, fire education and arson investigation, including
any permanently employed, trainee or volunteer fire fighter,
whether or not such person, trainee or volunteer is compensated
for all or any fraction of his time.
    f. "Basic training" and "basic level" shall mean the Basic
Operations Firefighter program as promulgated by the rules and
regulations of the Office.
(Source: P.A. 96-974, eff. 7-2-10.)
 
    (50 ILCS 740/9)  (from Ch. 85, par. 539)
    Sec. 9. Training participation; funding. All local
governmental agencies and individuals may elect to participate
in the training programs under this Act, subject to the rules
and regulations of the Office. The participation may be for
certification only, or for certification and reimbursement for
training expenses as further provided in this Act. To be
eligible to receive reimbursement for training of individuals,
a local governmental agency shall require by ordinance that a
trainee complete a basic course approved by the Office, and
pass the State test for certification at the basic level within
the probationary period as established by the local
governmental agency. A certified copy of the ordinance must be
on file with the Office.
    Individuals who have retired from active fire service
duties and are officially affiliated with fire service
training, mutual aid, incident command, fire ground
operations, or staff support for public fire service
organizations shall not be prohibited from receiving training
certification from the Office on the ground that they are not
employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire
department if they otherwise meet the minimum certification
standards set by the Office.
    Employees of the Office shall not be prohibited from
receiving training certifications from the Office on the
grounds that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an
organized Illinois fire department if they otherwise meet the
minimum certification standards set by the Office and the
certifications are directly related to their job-related
duties, as determined by the Office.
    The Office may by rule provide for reimbursement funding
for trainees who are volunteers or paid on call fire protection
personnel beyond their probationary period, but not to exceed 3
years from the date of initial employment. The Office may
reimburse for basic or advanced training of individuals who
were permanently employed fire protection personnel prior to
the date of the ordinance. Individuals may receive
reimbursement if employed by a unit of local government that
participates for reimbursement funding and the individual is
otherwise eligible.
    Failure of any trainee to complete the basic training and
certification within the required period will render that
individual and local governmental agency ineligible for
reimbursement funding for basic training for that individual in
the fiscal year in which his probationary period ends. The
individual may later become certified without reimbursement.
    Any participating local governmental agency may elect to
withdraw from the training program by repealing the original
ordinance, and a certified copy of the ordinance must be filed
with the Office.
(Source: P.A. 96-215, eff. 8-10-09.)
 
    (50 ILCS 740/10)  (from Ch. 85, par. 540)
    Sec. 10. Training expenses; reimbursement. The Office, not
later than May 30th of each year, from funds appropriated for
this purpose, shall reimburse the local governmental agencies
or individuals participating in the training program in an
amount equaling equalling one-half of the total sum paid by
them during the period established by the Office for tuition at
training schools, salary of trainees while in school, necessary
travel expenses, and room and board for each trainee. In
addition to reimbursement provided herein by the Office to the
local governmental agencies for participation by trainees, the
Office in each year shall reimburse the local governmental
agencies participating in the training program for permanent
fire protection personnel in the same manner as trainees for
each training program. No more than 50% of the reimbursements
distributed to local governmental agencies in any fiscal year
shall be distributed to local governmental agencies of more
than 500,000 persons. If at the time of the annual
reimbursement to local governmental agencies participating in
the training program there is an insufficient appropriation to
make reimbursement in full, the appropriation shall be
apportioned among the participating local governmental
agencies. No local governmental agency which shall alter or
change in any manner any of the training programs as
promulgated under this Act or fail to comply with rules and
regulations promulgated under this Act shall be entitled to
receive any matching funds under this Act. Submitting false
information to the Office is a Class B misdemeanor.
(Source: P.A. 90-20, eff. 6-20-97.)