House File 474 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY BUKTA Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act modifying the maximum probationary period for police 2 dispatchers and fire fighters. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2205YH 83 5 md/sc/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 400.8, subsection 3, Code 2009, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 3. All appointments to such positions shall be conditional 1 4 upon a probation period of not to exceed six months, and in 1 5 the case of police dispatchers and fire fighters a probation 1 6 period not to exceedtwelvetwenty=four months. In the case 1 7 of police patrol officers, if the employee has successfully 1 8 completed training at the Iowa law enforcement academy or 1 9 another training facility certified by the director of the 1 10 Iowa law enforcement academy before the initial appointment as 1 11 a police patrol officer, the probationary period shall be for 1 12 a period of up to nine months and shall commence with the date 1 13 of initial appointment as a police patrol officer. If the 1 14 employee has not successfully completed training at the Iowa 1 15 law enforcement academy or another training facility certified 1 16 by the director of the law enforcement academy before initial 1 17 appointment as a police patrol officer, the probationary 1 18 period shall commence with the date of initial employment as a 1 19 police patrol officer and shall continue for a period of up to 1 20 nine months following the date of successful completion of 1 21 training at the Iowa law enforcement academy or another 1 22 training facility certified by the director of the Iowa law 1 23 enforcement academy. A police patrol officer transferring 1 24 employment from one jurisdiction to another shall be employed 1 25 subject to a probationary period of up to nine months. 1 26However, in cities with a population over one hundred 1 27 seventy=five thousand, appointments to the position of fire 1 28 fighter shall be conditional upon a probation period of not to 1 29 exceed twenty=four months.During the probation period, the 1 30 appointee may be removed or discharged from such position by 1 31 the appointing person or body without the right of appeal to 1 32 the commission. A person removed or discharged during a 1 33 probationary period shall, at the time of discharge, be given 1 34 a notice in writing stating the reason or reasons for the 1 35 dismissal. A copy of such notice shall be promptly filed with 2 1 the commission. Continuance in the position after the 2 2 expiration of such probationary period shall constitute a 2 3 permanent appointment. 2 4 EXPLANATION 2 5 This bill amends Code section 400.8, relating to civil 2 6 service employees, by increasing the maximum probationary 2 7 period for police dispatchers and fire fighters from 12 to 24 2 8 months. Under current law, only those fire fighters employed 2 9 by a city with a population over 175,000 are subject to a 2 10 maximum probationary period of 24 months. 2 11 LSB 2205YH 83 2 12 md/sc/5