REFERENCE TITLE: fire districts; homeowner's policies; DIFI State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HB 2268 Introduced by Representative Livingston AN ACT amending title 20, chapter 1, article 1, arizona revised statutes, by adding section 20-123; relating to the department of insurance and financial institutions. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
REFERENCE TITLE: fire districts; homeowner's policies; DIFI
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HB 2268
Introduced by Representative Livingston
REFERENCE TITLE: fire districts; homeowner's policies; DIFI
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
HB 2268
Introduced by
Representative Livingston
AN ACT
amending title 20, chapter 1, article 1, arizona revised statutes, by adding section 20-123; relating to the department of insurance and financial institutions.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 20, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 20-123, to read: START_STATUTE20-123. Rural fire districts grant program; fund insurer fee; use of monies; definition A. The rural fire districts grant program is established in the department of insurance and financial institutions to award grant monies to rural fire districts in this state that are located in wildfire-prone areas as identified by the Arizona department of forestry and fire management. B. A rural fire district that is awarded grant monies pursuant to this section shall use the grant monies to: 1. Purchase capital equipment, including fire engines, ambulances, radio telecommunications equipment, uniforms and related equipment, that is necessary to respond to public safety emergencies. 2. Construct or renovate fire stations. c. The department shall annually distribute monies from the rural fire districts grant program fund established by this section to eligible rural fire districts in this state. Any grant monies awarded pursuant to this section may be used only for the purposes prescribed in this section. In awarding grant monies under this section, the department shall give preference to rural fire districts that receive matching monies from other sources. D. The rural fire districts grant program fund is established consisting of monies deposited pursuant to this section and any public or private monies the department may receive for this purpose. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. E. Each insurer that issues homeowner's insurance policies in this state shall pay an annual fee of $2 on each homeowner's insurance policy that is issued by the insurer in this state. The fee shall be fully earned and nonrefundable at the time the insurer collects the premium for the homeowner's insurance policy. Each insurer shall transmit the fees on or before January 1 and July 1 each year to the department for deposit in the rural fire districts grant program fund. F. The department shall adopt rules and prescribe forms as necessary to implement this section. G. The department may retain up to ten percent of monies in the fund to administer the program established by this section. H. For the purposes of this section, "rural fire district" means a fire protection district that meets all of the following: 1. Is outside the boundaries of a municipality. 2. Is funded by property taxes that are collected within the district's boundaries. 3. Is independent of a municipality. END_STATUTE Sec. 2. Requirements for enactment; two-thirds vote Pursuant to article IX, section 22, Constitution of Arizona, this act is effective only on the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature and is effective immediately on the signature of the governor or, if the governor vetoes this act, on the subsequent affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 20, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 20-123, to read:
START_STATUTE20-123. Rural fire districts grant program; fund insurer fee; use of monies; definition
A. The rural fire districts grant program is established in the department of insurance and financial institutions to award grant monies to rural fire districts in this state that are located in wildfire-prone areas as identified by the Arizona department of forestry and fire management.
B. A rural fire district that is awarded grant monies pursuant to this section shall use the grant monies to:
1. Purchase capital equipment, including fire engines, ambulances, radio telecommunications equipment, uniforms and related equipment, that is necessary to respond to public safety emergencies.
2. Construct or renovate fire stations.
c. The department shall annually distribute monies from the rural fire districts grant program fund established by this section to eligible rural fire districts in this state. Any grant monies awarded pursuant to this section may be used only for the purposes prescribed in this section. In awarding grant monies under this section, the department shall give preference to rural fire districts that receive matching monies from other sources.
D. The rural fire districts grant program fund is established consisting of monies deposited pursuant to this section and any public or private monies the department may receive for this purpose. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
E. Each insurer that issues homeowner's insurance policies in this state shall pay an annual fee of $2 on each homeowner's insurance policy that is issued by the insurer in this state. The fee shall be fully earned and nonrefundable at the time the insurer collects the premium for the homeowner's insurance policy. Each insurer shall transmit the fees on or before January 1 and July 1 each year to the department for deposit in the rural fire districts grant program fund.
F. The department shall adopt rules and prescribe forms as necessary to implement this section.
G. The department may retain up to ten percent of monies in the fund to administer the program established by this section.
H. For the purposes of this section, "rural fire district" means a fire protection district that meets all of the following:
1. Is outside the boundaries of a municipality.
2. Is funded by property taxes that are collected within the district's boundaries.
3. Is independent of a municipality. END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Requirements for enactment; two-thirds vote
Pursuant to article IX, section 22, Constitution of Arizona, this act is effective only on the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature and is effective immediately on the signature of the governor or, if the governor vetoes this act, on the subsequent affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature.