as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/23/2017 01:24pm
A bill for an act
relating to public safety; fire marshal; revising school inspection schedules and
funding; establishing a school facility fire safety loan program; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 299F.012, subdivision 1;
299F.47, subdivisions 1, 4, by adding subdivisions; repealing Minnesota Statutes
2016, section 299F.47, subdivision 2.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299F.012, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
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.new text begin Except as provided for in section 299F.47, subdivisions 1
and 6,new text end 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. Any balance remaining in the
account after the first year of the biennium must be appropriated to the commissioner of
public safety for the purposes specified in law.
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299F.47, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
The state fire marshal shall developnew text begin
and implementnew text end a plan to inspect deleted text begin once every three yearsdeleted text end every publicnew text begin , charter, private, and
parochialnew text end school facility used for educational purposesnew text begin once every three years, and include
two follow-up inspections or on-site consultationsnew text end . deleted text begin The state fire marshal shall charge school
districts $0.014 per square foot for each school building inspected. These rates shall include
two follow-up inspections or on-site consultations. If additional follow-up inspections or
consultations are needed, the state fire marshal shall charge $0.005 per square foot for each
additional follow-up inspection to each applicable building in which a follow-up inspection
is neededdeleted text end new text begin Inspections required under this section shall be funded from the fire safety account
established under section 297I.06new text end .
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299F.47, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin
Unless local units of
government inspected a private or parochial school pursuant to subdivision 4 before February
2, 2017, the fire marshal shall complete initial inspections of all private and parochial schools
within six years of that date or the establishment of the school, whichever is later. Schools
inspected under this subdivision shall have six years from the date of the inspection to
comply with any order of the fire marshal.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299F.47, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
If inspections of public school buildings and charter schools
were conducted by local units of government between January 1, 1987, and January 1, 1990,
then inspections may continue to be provided by the local unit of government.new text begin If inspections
of private and parochial school buildings were conducted by local units of government
before February 2, 2017, then inspections may continue to be provided by the local unit of
government.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299F.47, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin
(a) The commissioner of public safety through
the office of justice programs, in consultation with the state fire marshal, shall make
low-interest loans to private and parochial schools for fire safety related capital costs or
improvements ordered by the state fire marshal as a result of inspections mandated under
subdivision 1.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Loans shall be paid from the school facility fire safety fund. All payments of loans
awarded under this subdivision, including principal and interest, must be credited to the
school facility fire safety loan fund.
new text end
new text begin
(c) A loan made under this section must:
new text end
new text begin
(1) total no more than $250,000 per applicant;
new text end
new text begin
(2) be interest free; and
new text end
new text begin
(3) have a repayment term no longer than six years.
new text end
new text begin
(d) The commissioner of public safety shall adopt rules to administer the loan program.
new text end
new text begin
$....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the general
fund to the commissioner of public safety for a grant program to be administered pursuant
to Minnesota Statutes, section 299F.47, subdivision 6.
new text end
new text begin
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299F.47, subdivision 2,
new text end
new text begin
is repealed.
new text end
Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 17-3419
The state fire marshal shall charge charter schools $100 for each school building inspected. This rate shall include two follow-up inspections or on-site consultations. If additional follow-up inspections or consultations are needed, the state fire marshal shall charge $50 for each additional follow-up inspection to each applicable building in which a follow-up inspection is needed.