(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) — State Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, today received an endorsement from the Johnson City Firefighters Association Local 1791 for the Aug. 6th House District 7 Republican primary.
According to its Facebook page, the Johnson City Firefighters Association Local 1791 was first organized in 1968 to protect and save the lives and property of the citizens that live and work in Johnson City. Local 1791 is comprised of approximately 89 percent of the full time, paid employees of the Johnson City Fire Departments.
Rep. Hill has fought to provide resources to his local fire departments throughout his 16 year tenure in our General Assembly. During the 111th General Assembly, he supported several initiatives that back both our firefighters and emergency first responders. They include:
- House Bill 316: Enacts the “Barry Brady Act,” which creates a presumption that certain conditions or impairments of full-time firefighters caused by certain cancers arose out of employment unless the contrary is shown by competent medical evidence.
- House Bill 384: Extends compensation for death of emergency responders to emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics. Authorizes local governments to continue to provide health insurance to the surviving spouse and children of an EMT or paramedic who is killed in the line of duty. (Passed Senate, currently in FW&M Sub in the house)
- House Bill 518: Effective January 1, 2020, establishes a program authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) to provide equally geographically-distributed grants to select volunteer fire departments for training and equipment purchases.
- House Bill 623: Grants eligibility to an officer retiring after 25 years of service to receive benefits computed as an actuarial equivalent of the retirement allowance that would have been payable under a service retirement allowance. Authorizes local governments to require officers retiring early to pay for any insurance coverage provided to members.
- House Bill 937: Increases, from $600 to $800, the salary supplement available to professional firefighters and law enforcement officers when such individuals complete annual in-service training.
“I am honored to receive strong support from the Johnson City Firefighters Association Local 1791 as I seek to continue serving the citizens of Washington County,” said Rep. Hill. “These brave individuals who make extraordinary sacrifices and who risk their lives to protect and serve us demand our respect and admiration. I am grateful to them for their service, and I will never stop fighting for additional resources for our firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement agencies as they continue to work to keep our community and our region safe.”
For more information on the Johnson City Firefighters Association Local 1791, please click here.
Matthew Hill is the Chairman of the House Finance, Ways, & Means Appropriations Subcommittee and the Chairman of the Select Committee on Rules. He is also a member of the Calendar & Rules, Finance, Ways, & Means, Health and Insurance Committees, and the Facilities, Licensure, & Regulations, Finance, Ways, & Means, and Public Health Subcommittees. Hill resides in Jonesborough and represents Tennessee House District 7, which includes a portion of Washington County. He can be reached by email at: [email protected] or by calling (615) 741-2251.