Substitute House Bill No. 6965 proposes significant amendments to the roles and responsibilities of the State Fire Marshal, including the establishment of a Deputy State Fire Marshal position, which will be appointed by the State Fire Marshal rather than the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) commissioner. The bill stipulates that the State Fire Marshal cannot be dismissed without written notice and an opportunity for a hearing. Additionally, the composition of the Fire Marshal Training Council will be revised, reducing its membership from twelve to nine and modifying the appointment process to better represent various stakeholders in fire safety and prevention. The bill also allows out-of-state residents to serve on the council and permits reimbursement for members' expenses.

A key feature of the bill is the introduction of a licensing framework for fire and catastrophic restoration businesses, which will require all entities in this field to obtain a license from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The licensing process includes an application fee, with the initial license costing $150 and a renewal fee of $100. Businesses must be registered and in good standing to operate legally, and violations of this requirement could result in fines of up to $1,000 per violation. The State Fire Marshal will maintain a registry of licensed businesses, detailing their compliance status and any complaints against them. The fiscal impact of these changes is estimated to be approximately $374,500 annually starting in FY 26, covering the costs associated with the new Deputy Fire Marshal position and the regulation of restoration businesses.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 29-291, 29-298a, 29-312
PS Joint Favorable: 29-291, 29-298a, 29-312
File No. 510: 29-291, 29-298a, 29-312