GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 134

Short Title:  Fire Protection Grant Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Odom, Perdue, Plyler; Conder and Jordan.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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February 17, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE STATE FIRE PROTECTION FUND.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 58 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"ARTICLE 85A.
"State Fire Protection Grant Fund.
"§ 58-85A-1.  Creation of Fund; allocation to local fire districts and political subdivisions of the State.
(a)	There is created in the Office of State Budget and Management the State Fire Protection Grant Fund.  The purpose of the Fund is to compensate local fire districts and political subdivisions of the State for providing local fire protection to State-owned buildings and their contents.
(b)	The Office of State Budget and Management shall develop and implement an equitable and uniform statewide method for distributing these funds to the State's local fire districts and political subdivisions. This formula shall ensure that no grant recipient receives less funding in subsequent fiscal years than it received under G.S. 143-3.7 for the 1996-97 fiscal year for providing local fire protection to State-owned buildings and their contents.
Upon the request of the Director of the Budget, the Department of Insurance shall provide the Office of State Budget and Management all information necessary to develop and implement the formula.
(c)	It is the intent of the General Assembly to appropriate annually to the State Fire Protection Grant Fund at least three million eighty thousand dollars ($3,080,000) from the General Fund, one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) from the Highway Fund, and nine hundred seventy thousand dollars ($970,000) from University of North Carolina receipts to the State Fire Protection Fund.  Funds received from the General Fund shall be allocated only for providing local fire protection for State-owned property supported by the General Fund; funds received from the Highway Fund shall be allocated only for providing local fire protection for State-owned property supported by the Highway Fund; and funds received from The University of North Carolina receipts shall be allocated only for providing local fire protection for State-owned property supported by University of North Carolina receipts."
Section 2.  G.S. 143-3.7 is repealed.
Section 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management the sum of three million eighty thousand dollars ($3,080,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of three million eighty thousand dollars ($3,080,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for the State Fire Protection Grant Fund.
Section 4.  There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for the State Fire Protection Grant Fund.
Section 5.  There is appropriated from the University of North Carolina receipts to the Office of State Budget and Management the sum of nine hundred seventy thousand dollars ($970,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of nine hundred seventy thousand dollars ($970,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for the State Fire Protection Grant Fund.
Section 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.