HB0735 • 2026

Division of State Fire Marshal

Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Steele
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on the exact conditions under which firefighter training and certifications from another state will be accepted, beyond being 'substantially equivalent or more stringent'.

Division of State Fire Marshal Rules

This bill requires the Division of State Fire Marshal to accept firefighter training and certifications from other states if they meet or exceed Florida's standards.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Division of State Fire Marshal to accept firefighter training and certifications from another state if those requirements are substantially equivalent or more stringent than Florida’s.
Requires the division to provide a specific reason before denying a firefighter certificate based on another state’s certification.
Defines 'basis certificate' as the original certification or training requirements from another jurisdiction used for certification in Florida.
Prohibits employers from requiring firefighters to take contaminated personal protective equipment or firefighting gear home.
Requires the division to create rules about best practices for dealing with contaminated firefighter equipment.

Who It Names or Affects

Firefighters who want to work in Florida but are certified in another state.
Employers of firefighters in Florida.
The Division of State Fire Marshal.

Terms To Know

basis certificate: A firefighter's original certification or training requirements from another jurisdiction used for certification in Florida.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill only affects the Division of State Fire Marshal and does not cover other aspects of firefighting regulations.
The effectiveness of new rules regarding contaminated equipment is uncertain without further implementation details.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-12-16 House
• Referred to Insurance & Banking Subcommittee • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Referred to Commerce Committee • Now in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
2025-12-10 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Division of State Fire Marshal; Requires Division of State Fire Marshal to accept training & certification of firefighters from another jurisdiction; requires division to make specified finding before denying firefighter certificate; defines "basis certificate"; requires division to adopt certain rules relating to contaminated personal protective equipment & firefighting gear.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 735 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb735-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Division of State Fire Marshal; 2
amending s. 633.408, F.S.; requiring the Division of 3
State Fire Marshal to accept training and 4
certification of firefighters from another 5
jurisdiction under certain circumstances; requiring 6
the division to make a specified finding before 7
denying a firefighter certificate; defining the term 8
"basis certificate"; amending ss. 633.508 and 633.520, 9
F.S.; requiring the division to adopt certain rules 10
relating to contaminated personal protective equipment 11
and firefighting gear; providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 633.408, Florida 16
Statutes, is amended, and subsection (10) is added to that 17
section, to read: 18
633.408 Firefighter and volunteer firefighter training and 19
certification.— 20
(2) Except as provided in subsection (10), courses under 21
subsection (1) may only be administered by education or training 22
providers approved by the division pursuant to s. 633.128(1)(c) 23
and taught by instructors certified pursuant to s. 24
633.128(1)(d). 25

HB 735 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(10) If the division determines that another state's 26
training and certification requirements or examinations are 27
substantially equivalent or more stringent than those required 28
under this section or chapter, the division must accept such 29
substantially similar training and certification for 30
certification in this state. Before the division may deny a 31
certificate under this section, the division must make a finding 32
that the basis certificate in another jurisdiction is or is not 33
substantially equivalent to or is otherwise insufficient for 34
certification in this state. As used in this subsection, the 35
term "basis certificate" means the certificate or training 36
requirements of another jurisdiction, which are used to meet the 37
requirements for certification in this state. 38
Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) of section 39
633.508, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph (d), and 40
a new paragraph (c) is added to that subsection, to read: 41
633.508 Workplace safety; rulemaking authority; division 42
authority.— 43
(7) The division shall adopt rules relating to all of the 44
following: 45
(c) Prohibiting firefighter employers from requiring their 46
firefighter employees to bring their personal protective 47
equipment or firefighting gear home if such equipment or gear is 48
contaminated. 49
Section 3. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (2) of 50

HB 735 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

section 633.520, Florida Statutes, to read: 51
633.520 Safety; firefighter employer responsibilities.— 52
(2) The division shall adopt rules to establish: 53
(c) Employers' best practices related to contaminated 54
personal protective equipment or firefighting gear. 55
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 56