IL HB3203

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code to add an age exemption for firefighter applicants who turned 35 while serving on active or reserve duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard with honorable discharge, allowing them to apply if currently under age 40.

Allows municipalities to hire firefighter-paramedics who completed full-time service for at least 2 years with another fire protection district or municipality and award them 5 experience preference points on eligibility lists.

Establishes standardized hiring procedures for full-time firefighter positions in municipalities under 1,000,000 inhabitants, including written mental aptitude exams, physical ability tests, and preference point scoring systems ranging from 10-30 total points.

Requires eligibility registers to remain valid up to 2 years after the effective date of prior amendments, with candidates remaining eligible for 2 years on the list unless removed.

Applies to both Civil Service Commission departments and Fire and Police Commission departments, with Section 10-1-7.1 governing one type and Section 10-2.1-6.3 governing the other using identical standards.