86R17325 JCG-D
 
  By: King of Hemphill, Springer, Cyrier, Murr, H.B. No. 3070
      Kacal
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3070:
 
  By:  Beckley C.S.H.B. No. 3070
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
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 Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
  follows:
         (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)  The procedure for processing requests established under
  Subsection (c) must require the director to process a request for
  emergency assistance under Section 614.103(a-1) before any other
  type of request 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
  Chapter 418 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.