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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session |
Senate: APPROP DPA 10-0-0-0 | NR DP 7-1-0-0 | 3rd read 26-3-1-0
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SB 1297: appropriation; fire incident management grants
Sponsor: Senator Payne, LD 27
Caucus & COW
Overview
Appropriates $6,500,000 to the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) for a Fire Incident Management Grant Program (Grant Program) from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2026.
History
The Fire Incident Management Fund (Fund), administered by ADOA, was established to provide grants to municipal fire departments and fire districts for hardware and software that:
1) enables the statewide deployment of a secure incident management platform to fire and law enforcement agencies;
2) provides a standardized incident command and management platform based on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards that enable diverse incident management and support entities to work together; and
3) provide collaboration and communications solutions (Laws 2023, Ch. 138).
The General Appropriations Acts appropriated the following one-time monies to ADOA for fire incident management system grants:
1) $6,100,000 in FY 2023 (Laws 2022, Ch. 313); and
2) $12,200,000 in FY 2024 (Laws 2023, Ch. 133).
Provisions
1. Appropriates $6,500,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to ADOA for a Grant Program. (Sec. 1)
2. Prohibits ADOA from using more than $250,000 to administer the Grant Program, including conducting audits of grant recipients. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires the remaining monies be used towards providing grants to municipal fire departments and fire districts for hardware and software that:
a) enable the statewide deployment of a secure incident management platform to fire and law enforcement agencies;
b) provide a standardized incident command and management platform based on FEMA standards that enable diverse incident management and support entities to work together; and
c) provide a collaboration and communications solution. (Sec. 1)
4. States a standardized incident command and management platform must ensure:
a) a clearly defined chain of command;
b) the use of common terminology;
c) the safety of first responders and others;
d) the achievement of response objectives; and
e) the efficient use of resources. (Sec. 1)
5. Requires a collaboration and communications solution to:
a) identify the location, status and assignment of assigned resources;
b) allow status updates, tracking and management of an incident;
c) allow secure messaging and file sharing to all users involved in an incident;
d) allow the sharing of collaborative maps, building floor plans and images between public safety agencies;
e) allow collaboration and information sharing between disparate agencies during a mass casualty incident;
f) define a FEMA or National Incident Management Systems based organizational structure for the management of incidents;
g) provide the ability to print standard integrated computer solutions forms for tracking and cost reimbursement;
h) provide enhanced telemetry-based firefighter safety monitoring;
i) work in areas without internet access in a disconnected mode;
j) provide a seamless and connected platform for notification, response and rostering;
k) provide cross platform functionality; and
l) provides a smartphone-based application for notification, accountability and situational awareness. (Sec. 1)
6. Allows each fire district or municipal fire department in Arizona to submit a grant request to ADOA for the costs of the secure incident management system. (Sec. 1)
7. Instructs ADOA to award grants on a first-come, first-served basis. (Sec. 1)
8. Requires awarded grants to fully fund the costs of the secure incident management system for each municipal fire department or fire district for three years. (Sec. 1)
9. Stipulates that awards granted that are not fully encumbered by a municipal fire department or fire district within one year must be returned to ADOA to be used to award additional grants. (Sec. 1)
10. Instructs ADOA, by December 31, 2025, to submit a report on the Grant Program to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor and a copy to the Secretary of State. (Sec. 1)
11. Requires the report to include the name of each applicant who applied for a grant and the name and the amount awarded to each entity. (Sec. 1)
12. Directs any portion of previously appropriated grant monies for fire incident management grants that are not fully encumbered by a municipal fire department or fire district within six months of this Act's effective date to be returned to ADOA to be used to award additional grants for the Grant Program. (Sec. 2)
13. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing. (Sec. 1)
Amendments
Committee on Appropriations
1. Modifies the $6,5000,000 appropriation by instead appropriating $2,200,000 in FYs 2026 and 2027 and $2,100,000 in FY 2028 for a total of $6,5000,000 over three years.
2. Requires the prescribed report to be distributed annually to specified entities.
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6. SB 1297
7. Initials BSR Page 0 Caucus & COW
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