The State Worker: Bill watch: Measure eases fire fighter certification for military vets

The State Worker

Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers

June 28, 2011

Bill watch: Measure eases fire fighter certification for military vets

A bill that would make it easier for some military veterans to become fire fighters in California is rolling its way through the Legislature.

Assembly Bill 398 by Assemblyman Mike Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga, is now in the Senate after the lower chamber passed the measure 75-0.

The bill would allow the State Fire Marshal to accept federal Department of Defense firefighter certification as equal training for Firefighter I, which is the basic certification California requires for firefighting jobs. Morrell's office didn't know how veterans have returned from service with the federal certification who have sought a government firefighting job.

The Senate committee on Governmental Organization, which usually meets at 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays, is scheduled to consider the bill this morning. Morrell's office is so confident that it put out a media advisory on Monday to tell reporters that the assemblyman and an official from California Professional Firefighters would hold a 10 a.m. press event today to announce the committee's approval.

CPF, which represents more than 30,000 state and local firefighters, supports the bill. As of Monday afternoon, no opponents had surfaced.

Assuming the measure clears committee this morning, it will go to Senate Appropriations and then to the Senate floor for a final vote.

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