FIRE STATION GRANT PROGRAM

SB0140c -1- HCS CSSB 140(FIN)
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HOUSE CS FOR CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 140(FIN)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Offered: 5/16/26
Referred: Rules

Sponsor(s): SENATOR STEDMAN

REPRESENTATIVES Tomaszewski, Bynum, Allard
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to a matching grant program for fire station construction and 1
renovation; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 29.60 is amended by adding new sections to read: 4
Article 6A. Fire Station Grant Program. 5
Sec. 29.60.750. Fire station grant program. (a) A matching grant program is 6
established in the department for the purpose of funding fire station construction and 7
renovation. 8
(b) A person in charge of construction or renovation of an eligible fire station 9
may apply to the department for a matching grant under regulations adopted by the 10
department. 11
(c) The grant applicant shall provide at least 50 percent of the total project cost 12
as matching funds for the grant. Money received by the grant applicant from the state 13
may not be used for the matching funds except money received under 14
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HCS CSSB 140(FIN) -2- SB0140c
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(1) AS 29.60.850 - 29.60.879 (community assistance program); 1
(2) AS 29.60.450, AS 43.75.130, and 43.75.137 (shared fisheries 2
business taxes); or 3
(3) AS 43.52.200 - 43.52.295 (excise tax on overnight 4
accommodations on commercial passenger vessels). 5
(d) The total award to an eligible applicant may not exceed $10,000,000 in a 6
fiscal year. 7
(e) The department shall convene a panel to evaluate and prioritize grant 8
applications. The panel must include 9
(1) the director of the division in the department that is responsible for 10
community and regional affairs, or the director's designee, and at least one other 11
employee of the department; 12
(2) a professional architect registered in the state or professional 13
engineer registered in the state; and 14
(3) two members of a statewide association of fire chiefs who do not 15
have a fire station project grant application under evaluation in the grant cycle. 16
(f) The department shall by regulation establish priorities for the award of 17
grants for proposed fire station projects. The department shall award grants in the 18
order of priority established. In establishing priorities, the department shall consider at 19
least the following: 20
(1) public safety and emergency factors; and 21
(2) the extent to which the grant recipient can demonstrate that the 22
recipient 23
(A) will have sufficient revenue to operate and maintain the fire 24
station in the future without state aid; 25
(B) has a preventive maintenance plan for the fire station; and 26
(C) will secure and maintain adequate property loss insurance 27
for the replacement cost of the fire station or has an adequate program of 28
insurance. 29
(g) The department may suggest modifications to a project application to 30
achieve cost savings or to better serve the public interest and, if the grant applicant 31
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agrees, award a fire station construction or renovation grant for the proposed project as 1
modified. 2
Sec. 29.60.760. Fire station grant fund. (a) The fire station grant fund is 3
established in the department and consists of appropriations to the fund. The 4
legislature may appropriate to the fund income earned on money in the fund. 5
(b) Money appropriated to the fire station grant fund may be expended by the 6
department for fire station construction and renovation matching grants without 7
further appropriation. Money in the fund does not lapse and remains available for 8
expenditure in successive fiscal years. 9
(c) Each fiscal year, the department shall use an amount equal to at least 50 10
percent of the balance of the fire station grant fund on June 30 of the preceding fiscal 11
year for fire station construction and renovation matching grants. 12
Sec. 29.60.770. Regulations. The department may adopt regulations to 13
implement AS 29.60.750 - 29.60.770. 14
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 15