Committee: Legislative Committee

Committee: Legislative Committee

Contact: BJ Jungmann, Chair – [email protected]

2024 Mission:
The mission of the Legislative Committee is to provide focus, representation, and visibility for the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association (MSFCA) in legislative activities. This is done by advocating, supporting, sponsoring, opposing, and actively participating in the legislative process involving those issues, areas, or proposals as directed by the President of the Association.

2024 Report:
The Minnesota Legislature concluded the 2024 legislative session in May.

Once again, we partnered with our lobbying firm, Lockridge Grindal Nauen (LGN). Their team of 10 lobbyists continues to advocate on our behalf at the Capitol and within agencies in an extremely effective and bipartisan way.

The Minnesota Fire Association Coalition (MNFAC) has an alliance with the Minnesota State Fire Department Association (MSFDA), Minnesota Fire Marshals Association (FMAM), and the Minnesota Chapter of the International Arson Investigators Association (IAAI). This alliance remains united on a legislative agenda and represents the Minnesota Fire Service exceptionally well at the Capitol. MNFAC representatives meet bi-weekly throughout the legislative session to address issues and discuss legislative strategy. It is also worth noting that we do not represent the Minnesota Professional Firefighters. However, we do work closely on several legislative issues and Fire Service Day at the Capitol.

Significant progress was made on MNFAC’s top legislative priorities this year. LGN secured its placement in the House and Senate on omnibus bills. We continued strengthening our relationships with the Governor’s Office, the legislature, key staff members, and agency heads.

We maintained strong relationships with the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement (LCPR) members in pensions. The legislature passed an an omnibus pension policy bill. The bill has been signed by the Governor and passed by both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan support. The policy bill contained updated definitions of a firefighter, in particular volunteer, paid-on-call, and part-time. The LCPR adopted the recommendations from the State Auditors Volunteer Fire Pension Working Group. The bill also added defined contribution plan to the Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Pension program. A definition of vesting service credit was added to close an issue identified with the last bill. Expanded PERA eligilbity for fire supervisor and fire investigators.

Emergency Sick and Safe Time (ESST) exemption was secured for volunteer and paid-on-call firefighters. A legislative proposal to allow single-stairwell multi-family dwellings, outside of the building and fire code was slowed down. We were able to keep the permissive language from passing and a workgroup was formed to study the issue and its impacts.

The lobbying team at Taft Advisors worked with MNFAC to continue to modernize the EMS legislation in Minnesota. A bill was passed and signed into law that eliminates the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB) and creates an Minnesota Office of EMS. The transition to the office of EMS eliminates the board that oversees the EMSRB and creates and Executive Director appointed by the Governor to over the office of EMS. There will be further work to do to continue the legislative reforms on EMS.

On February 26, we held the annual Fire Service Day at the Capitol. We would invite you to join us for the 2025 Fire Service Day at the Capitol on March 31, 2025. The 2024 legislative session was extraordinarily fast-paced and busy. We made significant progress on our legislative priorities and look forward to continuing our efforts next year.

In addition to the issues we advanced, our team at LGN monitored issues important to the fire service, like the expansion of fireworks, limitations on residential sprinklers, and dangerous changes to the State Building Code. We expect renewed efforts in these areas next year and plan to stay vigilant.

Please reach out to me or our lobbyists with any questions or comments.

2024 Legislative Committee Members: