Compare Bills

Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2025-04-14

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill eliminates the independent Office of the State Fire Marshal and returns its oversight to the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance. Current employees and rules would continue under the Commissioner's authority, with the transition occurring October 1, 2025.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this consolidation streamlines state government by reducing administrative overhead and eliminating a separate bureaucratic layer.
• •They contend that placing the State Fire Marshal under the Department of Insurance Commissioner improves coordination between fire safety and insurance regulation, since both involve risk management, and may reduce costs through eliminating redundant positions and operations.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents argue that removing the State Fire Marshal's independence could compromise fire safety oversight by subordinating it to insurance-focused priorities rather than public safety.
• •They worry the change reduces accountability and specialized focus on firefighting issues, and that consolidating fire marshal functions into a larger department may lead to neglect of fire safety programs and reduced responsiveness to the fire service community.