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HF 609

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/21/2011 09:50am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Bill Text Versions

Engrossments
Introduction Posted on 02/21/2011

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to public safety; authorizing grants from fire safety account to local fire
departments; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 299F.012.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 299F.012, is amended to read:


299F.012 FIRE SAFETY ACCOUNT.

Subdivision 1.

deleted text begin Authorized programs withindeleted text end new text begin Expenditures fornew text end departmentnew text begin
programs; grants to fire departments
new text end .

new text begin (a) new text end From the revenues appropriated from the fire
safety account, established under section 297I.06, subdivision 3, the commissioner of
public safety may expend funds for the activities and programs identified by the advisory
committee established under subdivision 2 and recommended to the commissioner of
public safety. The commissioner shall not expend funds without the recommendation of
the advisory committee established under subdivision 2. These funds are to be used to
provide resources needed for identified activities and programs of the Minnesota fire
service and to ensure the State Fire Marshal Division responsibilities are fulfilled.

new text begin (b) The commissioner may make grants annually to fire departments from the money
authorized by the revenues appropriated from the fire safety account to qualifying fire
departments. These grants must be for the activities and programs, including training, that
are recommended by the fire service advisory committee established under subdivision
2. The commissioner may make block grants. Block grants must be awarded on a
per-firefighter basis and these funds must be used for the purpose of firefighter training.
The commissioner shall consult with the fire service advisory committee in establishing
grant distribution guidelines. In addition, the commissioner may make matching grants
to a qualifying fire department applicant's base on criteria established by the fire service
advisory committee. Grants made pursuant to this subdivision may only be given to those
departments that are certified as eligible by the commissioner. Grant funds not expended
by a department during the first year of the biennium do not cancel and may be carried
over into the second fiscal year.
new text end

Subd. 2.

Fire Service Advisory Committee.

The Fire Service Advisory Committee
shall provide recommendations to the commissioner of public safety on fire service-related
issues and shall consist of representatives of each of the following organizations: two
appointed by the president of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, two appointed
by the president of the Minnesota State Fire Department Association, two appointed by
the president of the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters, two appointed by the president
of the League of Minnesota Cities, one appointed by the president of the Minnesota
Association of Townships, one appointed by the president of the Insurance Federation
of Minnesota, one appointed jointly by the presidents of the Minnesota Chapter of the
International Association of Arson Investigators and the Fire Marshals Association of
Minnesota, and the commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's designee. The
commissioner of public safety must ensure that at least three of the members of the
advisory committee work and reside in counties outside of the seven-county metropolitan
area. The committee shall provide funding recommendations to the commissioner of
public safety from the fire safety fund for the following purposes:

(1) for the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education;

(2) for programs and staffing for the State Fire Marshal Division; and

(3) for fire-related regional response team programs and any other fire service
programs that have the potential for statewide impact.

Subd. 3.

deleted text begin Reportdeleted text end new text begin Reportsnew text end ; accounting; carryover.

new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner of public
safety shall, by December 1 of each year, (1) provide an accounting of how the funds in
the fire safety account were spent in the preceding fiscal year and (2) report any funds not
spent in a fiscal year to the chairs of the committees of the house of representatives and
the senate having jurisdiction over public safety finance.

new text begin (b) Each fire department receiving a grant shall report annually by August 1 to
the commissioner the purposes for which the money was used in the past year and the
anticipated use of the money in the next year. For block grants, this report must be
submitted along with a new grant request submission. If the report is not submitted, the
commissioner may redistribute that money to other departments and applicants. The
commissioner may establish a procedure to audit expenditure of money appropriated for
grants to fire departments under this section.
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end Money in the account does not cancel but remains available for expenditures
deleted text begin for the programsdeleted text end identified in subdivisions 1 and 2.