HCS HB 514 Mayhew, Don Committee
HCS HB 514 -- FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS
SPONSOR: Mayhew
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass with HCS" by the Standing Committee on Government Efficiency and Downsizing by a vote of 13 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Legislative Oversight by a vote of 5 to 2.
The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HB 514.
Currently, a nomination and declaration of candidacy for the director or board member of a fire protection district is required to pay a filing fee. This bill removes the filing fee requirement.
The bill prohibits a fire protection district from adopting any ordinances, orders, rules, or regulations related to the subdivision of land for residential purposes or to the construction or installation of improvements or infrastructure or utility facilities related to serving residential construction.
A fire protection district may enter into a contract with a county, city, town, or village to assist in the implementation of a residential construction regulatory system as it relates to fire protection issues so long as the county, city, town, or village retains jurisdiction of the implementation and enforcement of the system.
If a county, city, town, or village has not adopted a building code or other residential construction regulatory system and the county, city, town, or village is under the jurisdiction of a fire protection district with a fire code, notwithstanding any provisions of the fire code to the contrary, the fire protection district can only issue permits related directly to fire protection.
This bill is the same as HB 2663 (2022).
The following is a summary of the public testimony from the committee hearing. The testimony was based on the introduced version of the bill.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that some fire protection districts have enacted codes beyond those necessary for fire protection, which have added to the construction costs of subdivisions in some areas of the state.
Testifying in person for the bill was Representative Mayhew.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that the language is too broad and could prohibit a fire protection district from regulating things that are necessary to respond to a fire, like the locations of fire hydrants.
Testifying in person against the bill was Steven R. Carroll, Mehlville Fire Protection District.
OTHERS: Others testifying on the bill say they are hopeful that an amendment will be offered to address the concerns of the fire protection district representatives.
Testifying in person on the bill was Greg Brown, Missouri Fire Service Alliance.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.