Senate Bill 1190 cleared the House Tuesday and the Senate Wednesday afternoon and is now on its way to the governor for his signature. The measure will appropriate an additional $9 million to state firefighters.
"I commend lawmakers of both parties for working with us to deliver much-needed assistance to firefighting efforts around the state and I look forward to signing the legislation into law," Henry said in a Wednesday press release.
A key feature of the plan in SB 1190 nearly doubles operational grants for rural fire departments at a cost of about $4.5 million, making more than $5,000 available per department. Under the plan rural fire departments would receive operational grants in a full payment immediately. Additionally, SB 1190 was amended with a Democrat proposal to offer $5,000 death benefit to families of firefighters who perish in the line of duty, which would offset funeral expenses, according to the press release.
State Rep. Glen "Bud" Smithson (D-Sallisaw) said Wednesday that rural fire departments receive about $2,800 annually in operational grants, and the new plan takes that number to about $5,000 annually.
Firefighters reported about 15 local volunteer firefighters attended the legislative session last week in Oklahoma City to support the bill.
In addition to the doubling of operational grants, the SB 1190 plan also includes $2 million to replace and repair ruined or broken-down equipment. Another provision of the plan allocates about $1 million so the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture can increase the cap on reimbursement amounts that rural fire departments can apply for from the department's fire cost recovery fund, according to the press release.
Henry requested additional funds for state firefighting efforts in January when he unveiled his Operation Firewall initiative. The program called for a total of $16.5 million in new funds for firefighting equipment, training and volunteer fire department grants, among other things. The governor also proposed a $12 million deposit in the now empty state emergency fund.
