Delaware 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Delaware Senate Bill SB86 Draft / Bill

                    SPONSOR:      Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Carson & Rep. D. Short       Sens. Hocker, Pettyjohn, Sokola, Walsh; Reps. Burns, Griffith, Hilovsky, Morrison, Snyder-Hall, Yearick           DELAWARE STATE SENATE   153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       SENATE BILL NO. 86       AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE REVOLVING LOAN FUND.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Carson & Rep. D. Short       Sens. Hocker, Pettyjohn, Sokola, Walsh; Reps. Burns, Griffith, Hilovsky, Morrison, Snyder-Hall, Yearick     

SPONSOR: Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Carson & Rep. D. Short
Sens. Hocker, Pettyjohn, Sokola, Walsh; Reps. Burns, Griffith, Hilovsky, Morrison, Snyder-Hall, Yearick

 SPONSOR:  

 Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Carson & Rep. D. Short 

 Sens. Hocker, Pettyjohn, Sokola, Walsh; Reps. Burns, Griffith, Hilovsky, Morrison, Snyder-Hall, Yearick 

   

 DELAWARE STATE SENATE 

 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 SENATE BILL NO. 86 

   

 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE REVOLVING LOAN FUND. 

   

  BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:   Section 1. Amend 2721, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and by redesignating accordingly:    2721. Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Revolving Loan Fund.    (a) A special fund appropriation account is hereby created in the Department of Finance, to be known as the Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Revolving Loan Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund. Sums appropriated by the General Assembly , received from any county of the State, or donated by any person or charitable organization  to the Fund shall be used to create a loan program to be administered according to guidelines and procedures developed by the Delaware Council on Volunteer Fire Service to upgrade equipment and improve facilities that are essential to providing adequate fire, rescue, emergency  medical   medical,  and technical emergency response related service to Delaware communities.  Loan funds received by a county must be used on upgrading equipment and facilities located within that county.  Loan funds  shall   must  not be made available for equipment that has already been ordered or the expansion of facilities or parking that has already begun, except where such expansion is deemed necessary to provide adequate fire, rescue and emergency medical and technical emergency response services to the surrounding community by the Delaware Council on Volunteer Fire Service. The Fund shall serve as a revolving loan account and shall be eligible to receive loan repayments. The Fund shall be deemed a special fund and shall be approved by the Governor for the following purposes:   (1) To accept and retain the funds and revenues appropriated by the General  Assembly;   Assembly, received from any county of the State, or donated by any person or charitable organization.    (2) To make loans to eligible volunteer fire,  rescue   rescue,  and emergency medical service companies meeting the criteria established  herein;   under this section.   (3) To buy or refinance debt obligations of eligible volunteer fire,  rescue   rescue,  and emergency medical service  companies;   companies.   (4) To facilitate the pledging by an eligible fire,  rescue   rescue,  and emergency medical service company of its state grant-in-aid and health insurance rebate funds as collateral for securing a loan from the  Fund;   Fund.   (5) To earn interest on amounts on deposit in such  Fund;   Fund.   (6) To establish all necessary interest bearing accounts for deposit of loan  repayments; and   repayments.   (7) To finance the reasonable costs incurred by the State in the administration of the Fund.          

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: 

 Section 1. Amend 2721, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and by redesignating accordingly: 

  2721. Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Revolving Loan Fund.  

 (a) A special fund appropriation account is hereby created in the Department of Finance, to be known as the Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Revolving Loan Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund. Sums appropriated by the General Assembly , received from any county of the State, or donated by any person or charitable organization  to the Fund shall be used to create a loan program to be administered according to guidelines and procedures developed by the Delaware Council on Volunteer Fire Service to upgrade equipment and improve facilities that are essential to providing adequate fire, rescue, emergency  medical   medical,  and technical emergency response related service to Delaware communities.  Loan funds received by a county must be used on upgrading equipment and facilities located within that county.  Loan funds  shall   must  not be made available for equipment that has already been ordered or the expansion of facilities or parking that has already begun, except where such expansion is deemed necessary to provide adequate fire, rescue and emergency medical and technical emergency response services to the surrounding community by the Delaware Council on Volunteer Fire Service. The Fund shall serve as a revolving loan account and shall be eligible to receive loan repayments. The Fund shall be deemed a special fund and shall be approved by the Governor for the following purposes: 

 (1) To accept and retain the funds and revenues appropriated by the General  Assembly;   Assembly, received from any county of the State, or donated by any person or charitable organization.  

 (2) To make loans to eligible volunteer fire,  rescue   rescue,  and emergency medical service companies meeting the criteria established  herein;   under this section. 

 (3) To buy or refinance debt obligations of eligible volunteer fire,  rescue   rescue,  and emergency medical service  companies;   companies. 

 (4) To facilitate the pledging by an eligible fire,  rescue   rescue,  and emergency medical service company of its state grant-in-aid and health insurance rebate funds as collateral for securing a loan from the  Fund;   Fund. 

 (5) To earn interest on amounts on deposit in such  Fund;   Fund. 

 (6) To establish all necessary interest bearing accounts for deposit of loan  repayments; and   repayments. 

 (7) To finance the reasonable costs incurred by the State in the administration of the Fund. 

   

   

  SYNOPSIS   Currently, the Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Revolving Loan Fund may only obtain funding from the General Assembly through appropriation. This Act would allow for funding and donations to be made by any person, charitable organizations, and counties of the State. When a county contributes to the Fund, the Act requires the Fund ensure county specific contributions are spent on loans to fire companies within that county.       This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware legislative Drafting Manual.    Author: Senator Huxtable  

 SYNOPSIS 

 Currently, the Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Revolving Loan Fund may only obtain funding from the General Assembly through appropriation. This Act would allow for funding and donations to be made by any person, charitable organizations, and counties of the State. When a county contributes to the Fund, the Act requires the Fund ensure county specific contributions are spent on loans to fire companies within that county.  

  

 This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware legislative Drafting Manual.  

 Author: Senator Huxtable