REFERENCE TITLE: forestry and fire management; appropriation

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-sixth Legislature

First Regular Session

2023

HB 2803

Introduced by

Representatives Gress: Biasiucci, Bliss, Carbone, Cook, Dunn, Marshall, Martinez, Nguyen, Smith, Wilmeth, Senator Shope

An Act

appropriating monies to the Arizona department of forestry and fire management.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Appropriation; Arizona department of forestry and fire management; public safety grants; exemption; application; eligible uses; requirements; report

A. The sum of $150,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2023-2024 to the Arizona department of forestry and fire management for public safety grants.

B. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.

C. A city, town or fire district may apply, on a form prescribed by the department, to receive a public safety grant. The application must include:

1. The name and contact information of a contact person for the city, town or fire district.

2. A description of how the city, town or fire district will use the grant monies. If the city, town or fire district is applying for monies to construct or renovate a fire station, the city, town or fire district must demonstrate to the department that the city, town or fire district can pay for the ongoing operating costs of the fire station for at least twenty-five years after constructing or renovating the fire station.

3. The average medical emergency service and law enforcement response time for the city's or town's fire department or the fire district.

4. Other information required by the department to award the grant monies. 

D. The city, town or fire district may use public safety grant monies to:

1. Purchase capital equipment necessary to respond to public safety emergencies, including fire engines, ambulances, radio telecommunications and uniforms and equipment.

2. Construct or renovate fire stations.

E. The department shall:

1. Develop an emergency medical service and law enforcement response time goal for urban and rural areas based on data from across this state and industry best practices.

2. Award grant monies each fiscal year as follows:

(a) Seventy-five percent of the monies in the fund shall be awarded to cities, towns or fire districts serving urban areas.

(b) Twenty-five percent of the monies in the fund shall be distributed to cities, towns or fire districts serving rural areas.

(c) Based on the need of the city, town or fire district and average emergency medical service and law enforcement response times of the city's or town's fire department or the fire district.

3. Adopt rules and prescribe forms as necessary to implement this section.

F. The department may retain up to five percent of the monies appropriated by subsection A of this section to administer this section.

G. Before awarding any grants under this section, the department shall prepare an expenditure plan for the monies in the fund. The department shall submit the expenditure plan to the joint legislative budget committee for review. After the joint legislative budget committee reviews the expenditure plan, the department shall award the grant monies pursuant to subsection E of this section.

H. The department shall submit quarterly reports to the joint legislative budget committee on the amount of grant monies awarded and city, town or fire district expenditures made using awarded grant monies.