Plain English Breakdown
The official text does not specify which 'specified costs' individuals can claim, only that they are prescribed later.
Community Relief Act and Emergency Services Funding
This law requires sharing maximum federal grant shares with local areas, creates a new Community Relief Act to fund disaster costs for various groups, and sets rules for administrative fees and reporting.
What This Bill Does
- Requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to give local operational areas and urban areas the maximum share allowed by federal law from the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program.
- Creates a new Community Relief Act that provides grants to help pay specified disaster costs for eligible groups.
- Allows money from existing continuously appropriated state funds, like the Disaster Assistance Fund, to be used for this new relief program.
- Lets OES keep up to 3% of certain federal grant funding for administrative work.
- Requires officials to send copies of agreements with local governments about spending state shares of specific federal grants to legislative committees.
Who It Names or Affects
- Local operational areas and urban areas receiving Emergency Management Performance Grant Program funds
- Tribal governments seeking disaster assistance under the new act
- Community-based organizations helping after disasters
- Individuals who need financial help for specified disaster costs
Terms To Know
- Office of Emergency Services (OES)
- The state agency inside the Governor's office that handles natural, technological, or manmade disasters.
- Community Relief Act
- A new law created by this bill to set up a grant program for specified disaster costs.
- Continuously appropriated fund
- Money in the Disaster Assistance Fund that is available every year without needing a new budget vote each time.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill only works to the extent allowed by federal law.
- Funds are given based on specific conditions and criteria set by the director.
- The exact rules for how grants work will be written in future regulations.