HB 497 -- Fire Education Fund

Sponsor:  Luetkenhaus

Under current law, the Fire Education Fund annually receives an
amount equal to 3% of the difference between premium taxes
collected from insurance companies during the preceding fiscal
year and premium taxes collected from insurance companies during
Fiscal Year 1997.  The fund may not receive more than $1.5
million from these taxes in any fiscal year.  This bill reduces
the Fire Education tax to five-tenths of 1% of the amount of
premium taxes collected in the preceding fiscal year.  Fifty--
five percent of these funds are required to be used for fire
education.

The bill also establishes a subaccount of the Fire Education
Fund to be known as the Fire District Equipment Fund.  Twenty--
five percent of the money transferred to the Fire Education Fund
must be deposited in the Fire District Equipment Fund.  Money in
the equipment fund may only be used for purposes authorized by
the Missouri Fire Education Commission and the Missouri Division
of Fire Safety.  The division and commission may make grants to
aid in funding equipment of any fire department or district with
less than $10,000 in revenue per year or any volunteer fire
protection association with a population of less than 10,000.
The division will administer, regulate, and make rules for the
grant program.  The bill outlines criteria for the program rules.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated September 13, 2001 at 2:02 pm