1Establishing the Municipal Firefighter Education and Training
2Program; providing for the powers and duties of the State
3Fire Commissioner; and prescribing penalties.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Short title.

7This act shall be known and may be cited as the Municipal
8Firefighter Education and Training Program Act.

9Section 2. Definitions.

10The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12context clearly indicates otherwise:

13"Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner appointed under 
1435 Pa.C.S. Ch. 73 Subch. F (relating to State Fire 
15Commissioner).

16"Municipal firefighter." A full-time employee of a city, 
17borough, town or township fire department assigned to 

1firefighting duties.

2"School." A training school or academy that offers State 
3Fire Academy certified courses.

4Section 3. Municipal Firefighter Education and Training
5Program.

6The Office of State Fire Commissioner shall establish a
7Municipal Firefighter Education and Training Program in
8accordance with the provisions of this act. The administration
9of this program shall be the responsibility of the Office of the
10State Fire Commissioner. The commissioner, in consultation with
11the Fire Safety Advisory Committee established under 35 Pa.C.S.
12Ch. 73 Subch. F (relating to State Fire Commissioner), shall
13develop basic course criteria and guidelines for the program.
14The parameters developed by the commissioner shall be consistent
15with established standards.

16Section 4. Municipal firefighter training mandatory; penalties.

17(a) Training.--

18(1) A political subdivision of the Commonwealth or a
19group of political subdivisions acting in concert shall train
20all members of its fire department hired by it after the
21effective date of this section, pursuant to this act.

22(2) A person hired as a municipal firefighter by a
23political subdivision or group of political subdivisions
24acting in concert after the effective date of this section
25shall be, at the end of one year from the date of the
26person's employment, ineligible to receive salary,
27compensation or other consideration or thing of value for the
28performance of the person's duties as a municipal firefighter
29unless:

30(i) The person has met all of the requirements as

1established by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.

2(ii) The person has been duly certified as having
3met those requirements by the commissioner.

4(3) Paragraph (2) shall not apply if the municipal
5firefighter is granted additional time to complete the
6training by the commissioner.

7(4) A person hired as a municipal firefighter shall be
8given a grace period of two years from the effective date of
9this section before the person becomes ineligible to receive
10salary, compensation or other consideration of things of
11value.

12(b) Penalty.--An official of a political subdivision who
13orders, authorizes or pays a salary to a person in violation of
14the provisions of this act commits a summary offense and upon
15conviction shall be sentenced to pay a fine of $100 or be
16imprisoned for a term of not more than 30 days.

17Section 5. Reimbursement of expenses.

18(a) Allowable expenses.--

19(1) The Office of the State Fire Commissioner shall
20provide for reimbursement to each political subdivision 100%
21of the allowable tuition and the ordinary and necessary
22living and travel expenses incurred by their firefighters
23while attending certified municipal firefighter basic
24training schools, provided the political subdivision adheres
25to the training standards, employment longevity provisions
26and program guidelines established by the Office of the State
27Fire Commissioner.

28(2) The regular salary of firefighters while attending
29schools approved under this act shall be paid by the
30employing political subdivision.

1(3) Eighty percent of the regular salaries of
2firefighters while attending schools approved under this act
3shall be reimbursed by the commissioner to the employing
4political subdivision.

5(b) Grants.--The commissioner shall provide grants as a
6reimbursement for actual expenses incurred by political
7subdivisions for municipal firefighters who have successfully
8completed the required basic course of instruction established
9by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.

10(c) Application.--A political subdivision of the
11Commonwealth or a group of political subdivisions acting in
12concert may make application to the commissioner for funding
13pursuant to this act. The application must be accompanied by a
14certified copy of a resolution or resolutions adopted by its
15governing body or bodies providing that, while receiving any
16State funds under this act, the political subdivision or group
17of political subdivisions acting in concert will adhere to the
18standards for training established by the commissioner. The
19application shall contain such information as the commissioner
20may request.

21(d) Limitation.--Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis
22if the total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
23amount of funds allocated for this program.

24Section 6. Construction.

25Nothing in this act may be construed to exempt any municipal
26firefighter from the provisions of the existing civil service or
27laws relating to tenure.

28Section 7. Effective date.

29This act shall take effect in 30 days.