HB 2524

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Includes in the definition of "firefighter"", a person employed in a municipality's or fire protection district's fire service as a de facto firefighter. Provides that ""de facto firefighter"" means a firefighter who spends a majority of the firefighter's working time participating in the work of controlling and extinguishing fires at the location of any such fires, preparing for such work or waiting to respond to such calls for work and whose scheduled or actual work hours are commensurate in duration and frequency with certain firefighters. Provides that ""de facto firefighter"" does not include part-time firefighters who are not otherwise covered; auxiliary, reserve, or voluntary firefighters, including paid-on-call firefighters; and clerks, dispatchers, or other civilian employees of a fire department or fire protection district who are not routinely expected to perform firefighter duties. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act do not affect persons covered by the Article before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately."