SB 1110

This bill enacts the "Rescue Squad Recognition Act, which prohibits a municipality, county, or political subdivision from operating a rescue squad, and a nonprofit organization from operating as a rescue squad, unless the rescue squad has been duly recog nized and authorized to perform rescue services pursuant to this bill by the state fire marshal's office. The state fire marshal, in consultation with the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads and other interested industry groups, must promulgate rules re lative to the standards and qualifications for becoming and remaining a rescue squad. As used in this bill, a ""rescue squad"" means a department of a municipality, county, or political subdivision, or a nonprofit organization that offers its services, for or without pay, for the purpose of performing rescue services, or for other emergency response purposes, in at least four of the following eleven disciplines: animal technical rescue, rope rescue, floodwater rescue, vehicle and machinery rescue, confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, swiftwater rescue, trench rescue, subterran ea n rescue, dive rescue, or wilderness search and rescue. Further, a ""rescue squad"" also means (i) 85% of a nonprofit organization's dedicated team is meeting the national fire protection association 1006 standards for qualifications for each such discipli ne; (ii) a nonprofit organization's dedicated team consists of at least 75% of personnel who volunteer or undertake time, resources, and labor to provide emergency response to a county, municipality, or political subdivision; and a 501(c)(3) organization th at is chartered by this state. However, such term does not include law enforcement agencies or emergency medical agencies licensed by the Tennessee emergency medical services board or a fire department. APPLICATION – CLASSIFICATION – CERTIFICATE – RENEWAL In order to obtain recognition from the state fire marshal's office, this bill requires a municipality, county, or political subdivision wanting to operate a rescue squad, or a nonprofit organization wanting to operate as a rescue squad, to file an appli cation with the state fire marshal's office, and file a renewal application to continue operating, in accordance with all of the following:  The application must be made on a form prescribed by the state fire marshal and must be accompanied by a processing fee not to exceed $50. The state fire marshal may require that the form be signed and notarized by the highest-ranking official of the rescue squad.  Upon being granted recognized status as a rescue squad, the state fire marshal must issue a certificate of recognition to the rescue squad. The certificate is valid for a period of three years from the date of issuance.  Approximately six months prior to the expiration of the three-year certificate, the state fire marshal's office must notify each rescue squad by certified mail of the expiration of the certificate. A rescue squad whose certificate is expiring must complete a recognition renewal form prescribed by the state fire marshal and submit a renewal fee not to exceed $50 at least 30 days prior to expiration of the rescue squad's certification of recognition. This bill requires the form prescribed by the state fire marshal's office to include a process for a rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active before July 1, 2025, to apply for an exemption, as described in this bill. APPROVAL OF LOCAL ELECTED GOVERNING BODY – CERTIFICATE REQUIRED This bill prohibits a new rescue squad from being established or recognized without the approval of the local elected governing body in which jurisdiction the rescue squad will operate. This approval must include the geographical territory to be covered by the new rescue squad. This bill prohibits a governmental unit, person, or nonprofit organization from operating as a rescue squad without a valid certificate of recognition issued by the state fire marshal in accordance with this bill. OPTION OF ""NON-RECOGNITION"" If a department within a municipality, county, or political subdivision, as well as a nonprofit organization, decides not to function as a rescue squad, then this bill requires such department or nonprofit organization to notify the state fire marshal's office and the local elected governing body that the rescue squad is choosing to opt out of this bill and take on all responsibilities assigned by the local elected governing body. NONRENEWAL, REVOCATION, OR SUSPENSION OF CERTIFICATE – APPEAL This bill authorizes the state fire marshal to refuse to issue or renew, and revoke or suspend, any application for, or renewal of, a certificate of recognition if (i) the rescue squad has violated this bill, any rule duly promulgated by the state fire m arshal, or any other state or federal law; (ii) the rescue squad fails to renew its certification; (iii) the rescue squad fails to submit the required fee; or (iv) the local elected governing body withdraws recognition of the rescue squad. This bill requires the state fire marshal to notify the local elected governing body within 30 days of refusing to renew, revoking, or suspending any certificate of recognition of a rescue squad. Likewise, the local elected governing body must notify th e state fire marshal within 30 days of withdrawing approval of the rescue squad. The Uniform Administrative Procedures Act governs all matters and procedures respecting the hearing and judicial review of any contested case arising under this bill. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSES Within 30 days of an emergency in which a rescue squad responds, this bill requires the rescue squad to complete all necessary reports, documentation, and filing of the emergency to at least the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads general reporting sy stem, the national fire incident reporting system, the national emergency response information system, or the standard reporting system for the state fire marshal's office. EXISTING CHARTERED RESCUE SQUADS This bill authorizes a rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active before July 1, 2025, to submit an application to operate under an exemption if the rescue squad does not currently meet the definition of a rescue squa d. If such a rescue squad properly files the application and the application is approved by the state fire marshal's office, then such rescue squad is deemed to be a recognized rescue squad under this bill. A copy of the charter and proof of an active s ta tus must be filed with the application each instance the rescue squad applies for an exemption. PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS This bill provides that a violation of this bill is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable only by a fine only $50. ON MARCH 2, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1110, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:  Prohibits the state fire marshal's office from overseeing or having control over funding for a rescue squad that has an active certificate of charter with the secretary of state before July 1, 2026.  Requires the form prescribed by the state fire marshal's office to include a process for a rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active before July 1, 2026, to apply for an exemption.  Changes the date after which a rescue squad's certificate of charter must be active to operate under an exemption from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026.  Clarifies that a rescue squad that has an active certificate of charter prior to July 1, 2026, is not required to meet the new standard training requirements.  Changes the effective date of the bill for general purposes from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026. ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1110 FOR HOUSE BILL 357, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1110, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 p urports to change this bill's effective date to July 1, 2026, which was already changed to such date by Senate Amendment #1."