SB564 Summary

• Modifies the Rural Fire Protection Program Fund administered by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to provide financial assistance to eligible fire protection entities including incorporated cities under 10,000 population, towns, and legally formed rural fire departments.

• Requires financial assistance to be distributed by electronic transfer of funds and mandates that unspent funds be returned to the Department by April 30 for redistribution to other eligible participants.

• Permits financial assistance to be used only for fire station maintenance and operation, fire apparatus and equipment purchase and maintenance, fire hydrant installation and maintenance, insurance premiums, and firefighter training expenses (up to 10% of allocated funds or $1,000 annually, whichever is larger).

• Establishes matching grant program procedures requiring rural fire protection coordination districts to submit grant requests by September 1st annually, with Department approval by October 1st and a June 30th deadline for obligating grant funds.

• Takes effect November 1, 2015 and reorganizes rural fire protection coordination districts into 11 districts across Oklahoma counties.