TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING FIRE DEPARTMENTS; AND TO ALLOW A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICING UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY TO LEVY DUES.

HB 1416 allows volunteer fire departments that serve unincorporated areas of a county to levy dues. For a department to implement this, the county's quorum court must pass an ordinance, which then requires approval from a majority of registered voters in the affected fire protection district. These departments gain the ability to collect and enforce payment of delinquent dues. Additionally, active volunteer firefighters may be exempt from paying these annual dues at the department's discretion.