HLS 15RS-1289 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 377
BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY
FUNDS/FUNDING: Dedicates a portion of fire protection fees to the Department of
Agriculture and Forestry for forest firefighting programs
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 22:347(B)(introductory paragraph) and to enact R.S.
3 22:347(A)(5), relative to dedications from fire protection fees; to provide for a
4 dedication of a portion of the Two Percent Fire Insurance Fund; and to provide for
5 related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 22:347(B)(introductory paragraph) is hereby amended and reenacted
8and R.S. 22:347(A)(5) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง347. Disposition of tax money
10 A. Monies collected under R.S. 22:342 through 349, after being first credited
11 to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund in accordance with Article VII, Section
12 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, shall be credited to a special fund hereby
13 established in the state treasury and known as the "Two Percent Fire Insurance Fund"
14 hereinafter the "fund". Monies in the fund shall be available in amounts appropriated
15 annually by the legislature for the following purposes in the following order of
16 priority:
17 * * *
18 (5) For the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the sum of one million
19 seven hundred thousand dollars per year, which shall be transferred without
20 imposition of fee or cost, to be used for funding of fire fighting programs within the
21 Department of Agriculture and Forestry for the protection of assets, property,
22 personnel, and interests relating to forest woodlands.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-1289 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 377
1 B. These The funds available to each parish governing authority shall be
2 allocated, distributed, and paid by each parish governing authority to each regularly
3 constituted fire department of the municipality or district, or active volunteer fire
4 department certified by the parish governing authority, based on the population
5 within the area serviced by said regularly constituted fire department of the
6 municipality or district, or active volunteer fire department. In order to determine
7 the amount of the funds which shall be paid to each fire department, district, or
8 municipality, from the parish governing authority, the following formula shall be
9 applied:
10 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 377 Original 2015 Regular Session Henry
Abstract: Dedicates $1.7 million of the fees collected from businesses which insure
property against loss or damage by fire to the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry for
forest firefighting programs within the department.
Present law provides for the collection of a 2% tax on the amount of premiums received
from any business that insures property against loss or damage by fire, as well as certain
penalties on such insurers.
Present law creates the Two Percent Fire Insurance Fund and deposits the collections related
to insurers of property against loss or damage by fire into the fund. Monies in the fund are
dedicated as follows:
(1)The state fire marshal to purchase group insurance for volunteer firefighters.
(2)The Fire and Emergency Training Institute at Louisiana State University at Baton
Rouge, including allocations to the Pine Country Education Center and Delgado
Community College, for firefighter training.
(3)Distributions to each parish governing authority according to a formula provided for
in present law.
Proposed law retains present law and adds as an additional dedication of the fund, $1.7
million to the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry for forest firefighting programs within the
department.
(Amend R.S. 22:347(B)(intro. para.); Adds R.S. 22:347(A)(5))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.