GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 725
Senate Appropriations Committee Substitute Adopted 7/2/92

Short Title:  Rescue Funds Changes/Rescue Grants.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:  
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April 11, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CHANGE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS UNDER THE VOLUNTEER RESCUE/EMS FUND, TO MAKE ONE-TIME GRANTS FROM THIS FUND TO ALL VOLUNTEER RESCUE/EMS UNITS, TO ADJUST THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE IN THIS FUND AND IN THE RESCUE SQUAD WORKERS' RELIEF FUND, AND TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE RELIEF FUND THAT CAN BE USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 20-183.7(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Fees collected for inspection certificates are payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles.  The amount of each fee listed in the table below shall be credited to the Highway Fund, the Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund established in G.S. 58-87-5, the Rescue Squad Workers' Relief Fund established in G.S. 58-88-5, and the Division of Environmental Management of the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources:
		(a)		Fund or Agency	Fee Imposed	Fee Imposed
Under (a)	Under (a1)
Highway Fund	.75	 1.80
Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund	.15	.15
Rescue Squad Workers' Relief
Fund	.10	.10
Division of Environmental
Management	.00 	.35."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 58-87-5(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	There is created in the Department of Insurance the Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund to provide grants to volunteer rescue units providing rescue or rescue and emergency medical services to purchase equipment and make capital improvements.  An eligible rescue or rescue/EMS unit may apply to the Department of Insurance for a grant under this section.  The application form and criteria for grants shall be established by the Department.  The Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Human Resources shall provide the Department with an advisory priority listing of EMS equipment eligible for funding.  The State Treasurer shall invest the Fund's assets according to law, and the earnings shall remain in the Fund.  On December 15 of each year, the Department shall make grants to eligible rescue or rescue/EMS units subject to all of the following limitations:
(1)	A grant to an applicant who is required to match the grant with non-State funds may not exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), and a grant to an applicant who is not required to match the grant with non-State funds may not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000).
(2)	An applicant whose liquid assets, when combined with the liquid assets of any corporate affiliate or subsidiary of the applicant, are more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) shall match the grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis with non-State funds.
(3)	The grant may be used only for equipment purchases or capital expenditures.
(4)	An applicant may receive no more than one grant per fiscal year.
In awarding grants under this section, the Department shall to the extent possible select applicants from all parts of the State based upon need.  Up to two percent (2%) of the Fund may be used for additional staff and resources to administer the Fund in each fiscal year.  In addition, notwithstanding G.S. 58-78-20, up to four percent (4%) of the Fund may be used for additional staff and resources for the North Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 58-88-30 reads as rewritten:
"§ 58-88-30.  Administration costs.
The Association shall withhold ten percent (10%) from the money received pursuant to G.S. 20-183.7(c) for the administration of the Fund.  The Commissioner of Insurance shall withhold two percent (2%) from the money received pursuant to G.S. 20-183.7(c) for the administration of the Fund."
Sec. 4.  There is appropriated from the Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund to the Rescue Squad Workers' Relief Fund the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 1992-93 fiscal year to be used for the purposes specified in G.S. 58-88-5(c).
Sec. 5.  In the 1992-93 fiscal year, the Department of Insurance shall make a grant from the Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund of three thousand dollars ($3,000) to each volunteer rescue unit that is eligible to apply for a grant from the Fund under G.S. 58-87-5.  A grant under this section is in addition to any grant from the Fund received pursuant to an application submitted under G.S. 58-87-5.  A volunteer rescue unit is not required to match a grant received under this section.  A grant received under this section is subject to the same restrictions on use as a grant made under G.S. 58-87-5.
Sec. 6.  Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 1993.  The remaining sections of this act are effective upon ratification.  Section 1 applies to fees collected on or after the effective date.