HB26 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Leigh HulseyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Fire-protection personnel, pre-employment, pre-certification, and annual training related to individuals with sensory needs and certain disabilities, required

Summary

HB26 would require pre-employment, pre-certification, and annual training for Alabama fire-protection personnel and certified volunteer firefighters on interacting with people who have sensory needs or invisible disabilities.

What This Bill Does

HB26 adds mandatory training on interacting with individuals with sensory needs or invisible disabilities for fire-protection personnel before permanent employment and for volunteer firefighters before certification. It also requires that both groups complete annual training on this topic. The training is to be delivered by the Alabama Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission in partnership with a nonprofit provider, without pay, and can be done in person or online. Exemptions apply to non-certified volunteer firefighters and Alabama State Forestry Commission employees; non-certified volunteers may participate voluntarily, and if two-thirds of a volunteer department's active roster complete the training, the commission will share training materials with the department.

Who It Affects

• Paid fire-protection personnel employed by public fire-fighting agencies must complete pre-employment training and annual training on interacting with individuals with sensory needs or invisible disabilities.
• Certified volunteer firefighters must complete pre-certification training and annual training on the same topic; non-certified volunteers are exempt from mandatory training but may participate voluntarily.

Key Provisions

• Requires pre-employment training for fire-protection personnel to include interaction with individuals with sensory needs or invisible disabilities.
• Requires pre-certification training for certified volunteer firefighters to include interaction with individuals with sensory needs or invisible disabilities.
• Requires annual training on interacting with individuals with sensory needs or invisible disabilities for fire-protection personnel and certified volunteer firefighters, starting January 1, 2025.
• Training will be conducted by the Alabama Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission in collaboration with a nonprofit company, provided without compensation, and may be delivered in person or online.
• Exempts non-certified volunteer firefighters and employees of the Alabama State Forestry Commission from mandatory training; non-certified volunteers may participate voluntarily; if two-thirds of active roster volunteers complete the training, the commission will provide the department with training materials.
• Volunteer firefighter training may be scheduled over up to 24 months for a total of up to 160 hours; initial testing and certification requirements remain, and a comprehensive written test is required for program completion.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Safety & Emergencies