Senate Bill 23-013 Summary

• Creates a fire investigation fund in the state treasury to support wildland, structural, vehicle, and other fire investigations, with wildland fires as the first priority for fund usage.

• Requires the division of fire prevention and control to fund state costs for supporting local fire departments, reimburse non-division fire investigators, and ensure accurate collection and analysis of fire origin and cause data.

• Appropriates $2,764,021 for fiscal year 2023-24, including $1,152,655 for personal services (11.5 additional FTE), $702,009 for operating expenses, and $800,000 for local fire investigation reimbursements.

• Modifies annual reporting requirements to include the number of wildland fire investigations conducted and the status of each investigation in reports to the wildfire matters review committee.

• Authorizes the general assembly to annually appropriate sufficient funds from the general fund to support fire investigation operations and activities.