SB233 • 2026

Fire Programs Fund; distribution of fund.

An Act to direct the Department of Fire Programs to convene a work group to evaluate the funding formula for the distribution of aid to localities through the Fire Programs Fund; report.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Head
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Fire Programs Fund; distribution of fund.

Fire Programs Fund; work group; report.

What This Bill Does

Fire Programs Fund; work group; report.
Directs the Department of Fire Programs to establish a work group to evaluate the funding formula for the distribution of aid to localities through the Fire Programs Fund.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 885 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-13 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0885)
2026-04-13 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0885)
2026-03-17 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB233)
2026-03-14 Senate
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
2026-03-14 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-13 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-13 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-13 Senate
Enrolled
2026-03-13 Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB233ER)
2026-03-09 Senate
House substitute agreed to by Senate
2026-03-05 House
Read third time
2026-03-05 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-03-05 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-03-05 House
Passed House with substitute Block Vote (95-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 House
Read second time
2026-03-03 Appropriations
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB233)
2026-03-02 Appropriations
Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
2026-03-02 Appropriations
Committee substitute printed 26108907D-H1
2026-02-19 House
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-19 House
Read first time
2026-02-19 Appropriations
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
2026-02-19 Transportation & Public Safety
Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety
2026-02-16 Senate
Read second time
2026-02-16 Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-16 Commerce and Labor
Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 Senate
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 Senate
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-13 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-13 Commerce and Labor
Committee substitute printed 26107925D-S1
2026-02-13 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 Commerce and Labor
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB233)
2026-02-12 Commerce and Labor
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-12 Finance and Appropriations
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-12 Senate
Senate committee offered
2026-01-22 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB233)
2026-01-12 Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100815D
2026-01-12 Commerce and Labor
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

Official Summary Text

Fire Programs Fund; work group; report.
Directs the Department of Fire Programs to establish a work group to evaluate the funding formula for the distribution of aid to localities through the Fire Programs Fund.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to direct the Department of Fire Programs to convene a work group to evaluate the funding formula for the distribution of aid to localities through the Fire Programs Fund; report.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Department of Fire Programs (the Department) shall establish a work group to evaluate the funding formula for the distribution of aid to localities through the Fire Programs Fund established in §
38.2-401
of the Code of Virginia. The work group shall include representatives from the Department of Planning and Budget, the Virginia Fire Services Board, the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association, the Virginia State Firefighters Association, the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Municipal League, and such other stakeholders as the Department deems appropriate. In conducting the evaluation, the work group shall consider (i) a survey of the fiscal distress of each locality providing firefighting services, (ii) a survey of the population and total square mileage of each locality providing firefighting services, (iii) best practices and funding formulas employed by other states to fund firefighting services, and (iv) recommendations for changes to the funding formula for the distribution of aid to localities that more equitably address the needs of less populated and rural localities. The Department shall submit a report on the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor and Finance and Appropriations and the House Committees on Labor and Commerce and Appropriations by November 1, 2026.