HBA-CMT C.S.H.B. 1450 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1450 By: Tillery Urban Affairs 3/18/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law does not require an investigation of a firefighter fatality. Many local entities do investigate deaths that have occurred in the line of duty, but there is no state mandate to do so. C.S.H.B. 1450 requires the state fire marshal to investigate the death of any individual who performs fire suppression duties for a governmental entity or volunteer fire department that occurs in the line of duty in connection with a fire-fighting incident. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1450 amends the Government Code to provide that if a firefighter dies in the line of duty in connection with a fire-fighting incident, the state fire marshal (marshal) is required to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the firefighter, including the cause and origin of the fire, the condition of the structure, and the suppression operation to determine all factors that may have contributed to the incident. The bill requires the marshal in conducting such an investigation to coordinate the investigative efforts of local governmental officials. The marshal is authorized to enlist the assistance of established fire service organizations and private entities to assist in the investigation. The marshal is required to release a report concerning such an investigation on completion of the investigation, and to deliver a detailed report about the findings of each investigation in the preceding year to the commissioner of insurance no later than October 31 of each year. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 1450 modifies the original by removing the provision that the fire marshal (marshal) is authorized to investigate fire incidents that resulted in a serious injury requiring the hospitalization of a firefighter. The substitute adds the requirements that the marshal release a report concerning each investigation upon completion of the investigation and deliver a detailed report to the commissioner of insurance on or before October 31 of each year about the findings of each investigation conducted in the proceeding year.