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SB232 INTRODUCED
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SB232
ZQD84KW-1
By Senators Stewart, Jones, Beasley, Singleton, Bell,
Williams, Sessions, Kitchens, Weaver, Figures, Coleman,
Hatcher, Coleman-Madison, Orr, Kelley, Butler, Melson
RFD: Banking and Insurance
First Read: 29-Jan-26
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ZQD84KW-1 01/28/2026 JWB (L)bm 2026-561
Page 1
First Read: 29-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
This bill would authorize a volunteer fire
department to deposit, invest, or manage funds in a
federally insured financial institution.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to volunteer fire departments; to amend
Section 9-3-18.1, Code of Alabama 1975; to authorize volunteer
fire departments to deposit, invest, or manage funds in a
federally insured financial institution.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 9-3-18.1, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§9-3-18.1
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following
words have the following meanings:
(1) DEPARTMENT. A volunteer fire department certified
by the State Forestry Commission and meeting the requirements
of Section 9-3-17.
(2) FEDERALLY INSURED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. Any bank
or credit union in which the deposits are insured by the
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or credit union in which the deposits are insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit
Union Administration and the bank or credit union is chartered
under state or federal law.
(2)(3) SQUAD. A volunteer rescue squad located in
Alabama which is a member of the Alabama Association of Rescue
Squads and is either administered by a board of directors or
by its membership that maintains recorded minutes of its
decisions.
(3)(4) STATION. The location where a volunteer fire
department or a volunteer rescue squad meets, trains, and
stores its motorized and nonmotorized firefighting or rescue
equipment.
(4)(5) VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDER. An individual who is
a member of a volunteer fire department or a member of a
volunteer rescue squad.
(b) To provide for the health and safety of volunteer
first responders, a department or squad may use funds that are
designated as restricted for accounting purposes by the
Department of Examiners of Public Accounts to purchase the
following:
(1) Kitchen equipment for the station, including
refrigeration equipment, cooking equipment, microwaves, and
other kitchen equipment. All kitchen equipment shall be the
property of the department or squad.
(2) Food to be stored or refrigerated at the station
for on-site consumption by volunteer first responders and
electrolyte replacement or sports drinks, water, and similar
liquid sustenance in any form for use by volunteer first
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liquid sustenance in any form for use by volunteer first
responders during training or on a fire or rescue call.
(c) Any funds expended pursuant to this section shall
be accounted for and maintained for a minimum of three years
by the department or squad. Detailed records of all
expenditures to be maintained shall include, but not be
limited to, all of the following:
(1) All items purchased in any calendar year.
(2) The cost of each item purchased in any calendar
year.
(3) The location of each item purchased in any calendar
year.
(4) The total amount expended for each calendar year.
(d)(1) Any department or squad may deposit, invest, and
manage funds of the department or squad in any federally
insured financial institution. The funds may not be commingled
with private funds.
(2) Every deposit of public funds under subdivision (1)
shall comply with all security, reporting, and auditing
requirements under local, state, and federal law.
(d)(e) A county commission shall not be responsible for
the expenditures by or the activities of a volunteer fire
department or a volunteer rescue squad pursuant to this
section.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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