Bill Text: MS HB975 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Municipal Fire Truck and Police Vehicle Acquisition Assistance Program; establish.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Failed) 2015-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB975 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2015-HB975-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2015 Regular Session
To: Municipalities; Appropriations
By: Representative Campbell
House Bill 975
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MUNICIPAL FIRE TRUCK AND POLICE VEHICLE ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND TO BE DESIGNATED AS THE MUNICIPAL FIRE TRUCK AND POLICE VEHICLE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUND; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN APPROPRIATION FOR SUCH FUND; TO PROVIDE THAT A CERTAIN COMMITTEE SHALL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM GOVERNING AUTHORITIES OF MUNICIPALITIES WHICH APPLY FOR FUNDS TO OBTAIN A NEW FIRE TUCK OR POLICE VEHICLE; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE TO MAINTAIN AN ACCURATE RECORD OF ALL MONIES DISTRIBUTED UNDER THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) There is established the Municipal Fire Truck and Police Vehicle Acquisition Assistance Program to be administered by the Department of Insurance for the purpose of assisting municipalities in the acquisition of fire trucks and police vehicles.
(2) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the "Municipal Fire Truck and Police Vehicle Acquisition Assistance Program Fund." The Legislature may appropriate that amount necessary to fulfill the obligations created under this section by the Department of Insurance, from the State General Fund to such special fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Insurance accept applications from municipalities for fire trucks and police vehicles.
(3) A committee composed of the Commissioner of Insurance, the State Fire Coordinator, the Director of the Rating Bureau and the Director of the State Fire Academy shall review the requests by the governing authorities of the municipalities and shall determine whether the municipality for which governing authorities has requested a truck or a police vehicle meets the requirements of eligibility under this act.
(4) To be eligible to receive monies under this act a municipality must pledge to set aside or dedicate each year as matching funds, for a period not to extend over ten (10) years, local funds in an amount equal to or not less than one-tenth (1/10) of the amount of monies for which it is requesting distribution from the fund, which pledged monies may be derived from any funds available to the municipality.
(5) The Department of Insurance shall maintain an accurate record of all monies distributed to municipalities and the number of fire trucks and police vehicles purchased and the cost for each fire truck or vehicle, such records to be kept separate from other records of the Department of Insurance; adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary and desirable to implement the provisions of this act; and file with the Legislature a report detailing how monies made available under this act were distributed and spent during the preceding portion of the fiscal year in each municipality, the number of fire trucks and police vehicles purchased, the counties and municipalities making such purchases, and the cost of each fire truck or police vehicle purchased.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.
