HB2372eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2372 Engrossed LRB103 26843 CPF 53207 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The State Fire Marshal Act is amended by adding Section 5 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2905/5 new)

Sec. 5. Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator; certified youth firesetter interventionists.

(a) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall create the position of Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator within the Division of Arson and shall employ a person to serve in that position. An applicant to the position of Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator must be a certified youth firesetter interventionist coordinator based on the standards set forth in Chapter 9 of the National Fire Protection Association's "Standard on Fire and Life Safety Education, Public Information Officer, Youth Firesetter Intervention Specialist and Youth Firesetting Program Manager Professional Qualifications" (NFPA 1035).

(b) The Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator employed by the Office shall be compensated at a rate that is comparable to the rate of compensation for a State arson investigator and shall be provided benefits similar to those of a State arson investigator. The Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall also be provided similar means and resources as those supplied to a State arson investigator. The Office shall not modify any current position to meet these requirements. The position of the Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall be created and filled anew, as set forth in this Section.

(c) The Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall have those responsibilities that are stipulated for a Youth Firesetter Program Manager in Chapter 9 of NFPA 1035. In addition to those requirements, the Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall have the following responsibilities:

(1) The Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall ensure that a certified youth firesetter interventionist employed within the Office, or a volunteer certified youth firesetter interventionist, physically sees a child whose case was referred to the coordinator within 72 hours of the referral. If no certified youth firesetter interventionist is available, then the Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator must take the case and ensure the child is seen within 72 hours. The 72-hour requirement begins and continues from the time the Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator is referred the case, including any weekend days or national and State holidays.

(2) The Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall process Freedom of Information Act requests.

(3) The Youth Firesetter Interventionist Coordinator shall create a report, to be submitted to the General Assembly, that reports on the data collected in accordance with NFPA 1035. The report shall be semiannual for the first 2 years, and the first report shall be submitted to the General Assembly by December 30, 2023. After the first 2 years of semiannual reporting, the report shall be submitted annually.

(d) A volunteer certified youth firesetter interventionist may receive a $250 stipend for a case only if the volunteer certified youth firesetter interventionist is not otherwise compensated by another employer or entity for that case. A volunteer certified youth firesetter interventionist shall receive mileage reimbursement for any necessary travel.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.