Bill > HB2332

This bill establishes the "Firefighters' Procedural Bill of Rights Act", which creates comprehensive legal protections for firefighters during workplace investigations and disciplinary proceedings. The bill defines a firefighter broadly to include full-time and part-time emergency personnel like paramedics and dispatchers, and establishes detailed procedural rights during workplace interrogations, including the right to be informed about the nature of an investigation, to have a representative present during questioning, and to be protected from coercive or threatening interview tactics. Key provisions include requiring investigations to be completed within one year, protecting firefighters from unfair punitive actions, guaranteeing access to personnel files, prohibiting mandatory lie detector tests, restricting social media account disclosure, and ensuring that any adverse comments in personnel files must be shared with the firefighter. The bill also provides legal recourse for firefighters, allowing them to seek judicial relief if their rights are violated, with potential civil penalties up to $25,000 for malicious violations by fire departments. Additionally, the act protects firefighters' rights to engage in political activities and seek election to local governing boards, while ensuring that these protections apply specifically to actions taken during the performance of official duties.

Government Affairs

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2332&year=2026&code=R