House File 864 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HF 291) 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 and providing an effective date. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1685HV 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 chapter 411 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 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect July 1, 2 8 2008. 2 9 EXPLANATION 2 10 This bill requires that fire fighter applicants for 2 11 appointment as a fire fighter covered by the statewide fire 2 12 and police retirement system created under Code chapter 411 2 13 pay for and successfully complete a candidate physical ability 2 14 test. The bill provides that the test be the one established 2 15 by international organizations representing fire chiefs and 2 16 fire fighters and shall be conducted by an organization 2 17 licensed by the international organizations to conduct the 2 18 test statewide. The bill takes effect July 1, 2008. 2 19 LSB 1685HV 82 2 20 ec:sc/es/88