Bill > HB469

This bill establishes a Municipal Firefighters' Bill of Rights, allowing municipalities to adopt local ordinances that outline specific rights and procedures for addressing personnel issues with their firefighters, defining a "firefighter" as a public servant whose main job is fighting fires, a "formal proceeding" as any municipal government process that can lead to disciplinary action, and "official departmental charges" as a written notification to a firefighter about alleged misconduct. The bill sets minimum standards for investigations into firefighter misconduct that could lead to termination or other disciplinary actions, including rules about when a firefighter can be compelled to participate in an investigation, where interrogations must take place, what information the firefighter must be given at the start of an interrogation, how interrogations should be conducted to ensure fairness and reasonable breaks, prohibitions against threats or promises to induce answers, requirements for recording interrogations, and the right for firefighters to make their own recordings and have a witness present. It also mandates that formal disciplinary proceedings can only occur after official departmental charges are filed, which must detail the alleged misconduct, date, witnesses, and violated rules, and grants firefighters the right to a predisciplinary hearing before the fire chief, with the option to have a chosen individual present. Furthermore, the bill requires firefighters to be notified of pending personnel actions that could affect their pay, benefits, or status through written official departmental charges a reasonable time in advance, unless there are urgent circumstances, and prohibits requiring firefighters to disclose personal financial information for promotion or assignment purposes. It also protects a firefighter's right to engage in or refrain from political activity when not on duty or acting in their official capacity, and states that firefighters cannot be penalized for exercising their rights under this act, nor does this act limit other legal remedies they may have.

Justice

https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search