HB 2751
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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
Second Regular Session
House: LARA DP 9-0-0-0
HB 2751: interstate compact; fire management; aid
Sponsor: Representative Cook, LD 7
Caucus & COW
Overview
Allows the Governor to enter into the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact (Compact).
History
The State Forester leads the Department of Forestry and Fire Management and has
numerous mandated duties including developing an annual statewide wildfire response plan
and educating communities about wildfire threats. The State Forester is required to present
information to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over forestry issues during the
first regular session of each Legislature (A.R.S. § 37-1302).
As of 2019, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South
Dakota and Wyoming are members of the Compact (Compact).
Provisions
1. Allows the Governor to enter into the Compact on behalf of Arizona with any other state.
(Sec. 1)
2. States that the Compact's purpose is to promote effective prevention of forest fires in the
Great Plains region by:
a) maintaining adequate forest firefighting services by the member states; and
b) providing for reciprocal aid in fighting forest fires among the compacting states. (Sec.
1)
3. Specifies that the compact is operative immediately if two or more member states ratify
it. (Sec. 1)
4. Allows, in each state, the State Forester, or the equivalent, to act as Compact
administrator for that state, consult with like officials of the other member states and
implement cooperation between the states in forest fire prevention and control. (Sec. 1)
5. Allows each member state to formulate and put into effect a forest fire plan. (Sec. 1)
6. Allows, if a member state's forest fire control agency requests aid from any other member
state in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires, the state forest fire control
agency of that state to render all possible aid to the requesting agency, consonant with
maintaining protection at home. (Sec. 1)
7. Requires the employees of a state rendering outside aid pursuant to the request of another
member state to have the same powers and immunities as comparable employees of the
state to which they are rendering aid. (Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note HB 2751
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8. Exempts a member state and its officers and employees rendering outside aid from
liability for any act or omission or maintaining or using any equipment in connection with
rendering outside aid. (Sec. 1)
9. Requires all liability that may arise under the laws of the requesting state, the aiding
state or of a third state in connection with a request for aid to be assumed by the
requesting state.
10. Instructs the member state receiving aid to reimburse the member state rendering the
aid for specified incurred expenses.
11. States that the Compact does not prevent any assisting member state from assuming loss,
damage, expense or other cost from loaning the equipment or from donating the services
to the receiving member state without charge.
12. Directs each member state to ensure that workers' compensation benefits are in
conformity with the state's minimum legal requirements and available to all employees
and contract firefighters sent to a requesting state.
13. Defines employee.
14. Allows the Compact administrators to formulate procedure s for claims and
reimbursement in accordance with the laws of the member states.
15. States that ratification of this Compact does not authorize or permit any member state to
diminish its forest firefighting forces, services or facilities.
16. Requires each member state to maintain adequate forest firefighting forces and
equipment to meet demands for forest fire protection within its borders to the same extent
as if the Compact were not operative.
17. Provides that the Compact does not limit a state's powers to provide for forest fire
management.
18. States that the compact does not affect any existing or future cooperative relationship
between the U.S. Forest Service and a member state.
19. Allows representatives of the U.S. Forest Service representatives to attend meetings of
the Compact administrators.
20. States the provisions relating to reciprocal aid in combating forest fires are operative as
between any state party to the Compact if the Legislature of the other state has given its
assent to the mutual aid provisions of this compact.
21. Requires the Compact to continue in force and remain binding in each state ratifying it
until the Legislature or Governor of the state takes action to withdraw from the compact.
22. Details when withdrawal of from the Compact is effective.