SF 361 Summary

• Expands the definition of "fire department" to include joint powers entities and fire protection special taxing districts, in addition to municipal departments and independent nonprofit firefighting corporations.

• Requires fire departments to be dispatched through a public safety answering point and establishes new filing requirements for fire service contracts, apportionment agreements, and documentation of multi-department service areas.

• Changes fire state aid apportionment calculations to use population estimates from the state demographer rather than federal census figures, effective immediately upon enactment.

• Increases late filing penalties for fire state aid certifications from 5 percent to 10 percent per week, with corrective certifications due within 30 days of rejection notice or by March 15, whichever is later.

• Adds provisions allowing corrections of overpayments and underpayments due to clerical errors within three years, with overpayments over 10 percent of recent aid spread over up to three years and underpayments distributed from the general fund.