House File 291 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY TOMENGA, BAUDLER, JACOBY, HUSER,
MAY, PETERSEN, LUKAN, ANDERSON,
and R. OLSON
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act providing for candidate physical ability tests for fire
2 fighter applicants under the statewide fire and police
3 retirement system.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 1685YH 82
6 ec/es/88
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 400.8, subsection 1, Code 2007, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 1. The commission, when necessary under the rules,
1 4 including minimum and maximum age limits, which shall be
1 5 prescribed and published in advance by the commission and
1 6 posted in the city hall, shall hold examinations for the
1 7 purpose of determining the qualifications of applicants for
1 8 positions under civil service, other than promotions, which
1 9 examinations shall be practical in character and shall relate
1 10 to matters which will fairly test the mental and physical
1 11 ability of the applicant to discharge the duties of the
1 12 position to which the applicant seeks appointment. The
1 13 physical examination of applicants for appointment to the
1 14 positions of police officer, police matron, or fire fighter
1 15 shall be held in accordance with medical protocols established
1 16 by the board of trustees of the fire and police retirement
1 17 system established by section 411.5 and shall be conducted in
1 18 accordance with the directives of the board of trustees. In
1 19 addition, applicants for appointment to the position of fire
1 20 fighter covered under the fire and police retirement system
1 21 established by section 411.5 shall, prior to appointment, pay
1 22 for and successfully complete the candidate physical ability
1 23 test established by international organizations representing
1 24 fire chiefs and fire fighters and conducted by an organization
1 25 licensed by such international organizations to conduct the
1 26 test in the state. However, the prohibitions of section
1 27 216.6, subsection 1, paragraph "d", regarding tests for the
1 28 presence of the antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus
1 29 shall not apply to such examinations. The board of trustees
1 30 may change the medical protocols at any time the board so
1 31 determines. The physical examination of an applicant for the
1 32 position of police officer, police matron, or fire fighter
1 33 shall be conducted after a conditional offer of employment has
1 34 been made to the applicant. An applicant shall not be
1 35 discriminated against on the basis of height, weight, sex, or
2 1 race in determining physical or mental ability of the
2 2 applicant. Reasonable rules relating to strength, agility,
2 3 and general health of applicants shall be prescribed. The
2 4 costs of the physical examination required under this
2 5 subsection shall be paid from the trust and agency fund of the
2 6 city.
2 7 EXPLANATION
2 8 This bill requires that fire fighter applicants for
2 9 appointment as a fire fighter covered by the statewide fire
2 10 and police retirement system created under Code chapter 411
2 11 pay for and successfully complete a candidate physical ability
2 12 test. The bill provides that the test be the one established
2 13 by international organizations representing fire chiefs and
2 14 fire fighters and shall be conducted by an organization
2 15 licensed by the international organizations to conduct the
2 16 test statewide.
2 17 LSB 1685YH 82
2 18 ec:sc/es/88.1