Volunteer firefighters, police officers, and EMTs across Illinois gained stronger workplace protections on Thursday, July 24, when Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill sponsored by Senate Republican Leader John Curran of Downers Grove.

The law, HB1353, strengthens the existing Volunteer Emergency Worker Job Protection Act in several ways. Under the previous version, employers could only be barred from firing a volunteer who missed work for an emergency call. The new law also prohibits employers from penalizing those workers in any way, extends protections to cover required training absences, and bars employers from forcing volunteers to burn vacation or compensatory time when they respond to emergencies or attend training.

The bill also raises the population threshold for exempt municipalities from 7,500 to 15,000 residents. That means volunteer emergency workers in more small communities across DuPage County and the state now fall under the law's umbrella.

Curran, in a statement released July 24, said Illinois is "battling a first responder recruitment and retention crisis making it difficult to attract the necessary number of firefighters, police officers, and EMTs to careers in emergency services."

He said he hoped the law would encourage more participation in volunteer public safety programs.

The staffing crunch is a documented statewide problem. The Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal convened a task force on recruiting and retaining firefighters and paramedics, which issued its findings in 2026. The National Fire Protection Association recorded about 677,000 volunteer firefighters nationally in 2020, a historic low.

Closer to home, the Westmont Fire Department operates with a part-time staffing model and has recruited volunteer firefighters and EMTs to supplement its ranks. The department, led by Fire Chief Steve Riley, responded to nearly 5,100 fire and EMS calls in 2024 while serving about 26,000 residents.

HB1353 passed the General Assembly on May 19, 2026, with bipartisan support from 39 co-sponsors. Rep. Brandun Schweizer served as the primary House sponsor.

The law's effective date has not been publicly confirmed. Residents who volunteer as emergency workers and have questions about their workplace rights can contact their local fire or police department.