Bill Text: TX HB3070 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to grants for emergency assistance under the rural volunteer fire department assistance program.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 6-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-10 - Effective on 9/1/19 [HB3070 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB3070-Enrolled.html

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H.B. No. 3070

AN ACT
relating to grants for emergency assistance under the rural
volunteer fire department assistance program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 614.102, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (h) to read
as follows:
(a) The Texas A&M Forest Service shall administer the
program established under this subchapter, and the director may
adopt rules necessary to assist volunteer fire departments in
paying for equipment, including the replacement or repair of
equipment, and training of personnel, including by providing
emergency assistance under Section 614.103(a-1).
(c) The director shall:
(1) determine reasonable criteria and qualifications
for the distribution of money from the volunteer fire department
assistance fund, including:
(A) the frequency, size, and severity of past
wildfires in a volunteer fire department's jurisdiction; [and]
(B) the potential for loss or damage to property
resulting from future wildfires in the department's jurisdiction;
and
(C) the department's need for emergency
assistance under Section 614.103(a-1); and
(2) establish a procedure for reporting and processing
requests for money from the fund.
(h) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, at
least 10 percent of appropriations for a state fiscal year from the
fund for the purpose of providing assistance to volunteer fire
departments under the program is allocated for providing emergency
assistance under Section 614.103(a-1). If the amount of assistance
requested under Section 614.103(a-1) in a state fiscal year is less
than the amount allocated under this subsection, the remaining
amount may be used for other types of requests for assistance.
SECTION 2. Section 614.103, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) A volunteer fire department whose equipment is
damaged or lost in responding to a declared state of disaster under
Section 418.014 in an area subject to the declaration may submit a
request for emergency assistance from the fund for:
(1) the replacement or repair of damaged or lost
personal protective equipment or other firefighting equipment; and
(2) the purchase of a machine to clean personal
protective equipment.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the director of the Texas A&M Forest Service shall
adopt rules as necessary to implement Subchapter G, Chapter 614,
Government Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3070 was passed by the House on April
18, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3070 was passed by the Senate on May
22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor