Fire protection district review task force.

WORKING DRAFT
2006
STATE OF
WYOMING
06LSO-0451

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0168

Fire protection district review task force.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Landon, Berger, Iekel, Illoway and Lubnau and Senator(s) Burns, Meier and Schiffer

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to fire protection districts; creating a task force to review fire protection district statutes, responsibilities and immunities; requiring a report; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

(a)

There is appropriated from the general fund to the governor's office thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) to be used for a task force on fire protection districts. The task force shall study issues and propose legislation relating to the issues specified in section (c) of this section.

(b)

The task force shall consist of thirteen (13) members as follows:

(i)

One (1) member of the house of representatives corporations, elections and political subdivisions committee, appointed by the speaker of the house. This member shall serve as cochairman of the task force;

(ii)

One (1) member of the senate corporations, elections and political subdivisions committee, appointed by the president of the senate. This member shall serve as cochairman of the task force;

(iii)

Five (5) members which shall include one (1) member from each of the state's five (5) forestry districts, appointed by the governor;

(iv)

One (1) member who represents the interests of fire protection district boards and is a board member of a fire protection district in this state, appointed by the governor;

(v)

One (1) member who represents the interests of volunteer firemen and who is a volunteer fireman for a fire protection district in this state, appointed by the governor;

(vi)

One (1) member who is a county attorney, appointed by the governor;

(vii)

One (1) member from the attorney general's office, appointed by the governor;

(viii)

One (1) member from the state forester's office, appointed by the governor;

(ix)

One (1) member from the state fire marshal's office, appointed by the governor.

(c)

State agencies shall provide information and other support to the task force as requested. The governor's office shall staff the task force. The task force shall meet and shall report to the governor and the joint corporations, elections and political subdivisions interim committee its findings and recommendations for statutory changes not later than October 1, 2006. The findings and recommendations shall address:

(i)

Fire protection district statute modifications to reduce redundancy and minimize paperwork for volunteers;

(ii)

Statutory provisions for creation and dissolution of fire protection districts;

(iii)

Methods of providing broader authority for fire protection districts to respond to emergencies other than fires and to respond to fires outside of the fire protection district;

(iv)

Methods of improving immunity protection for volunteer firemen; and

(v)

Fire protection district statute modifications to meet current and projected needs of the state.

(d)

Legislative members of the task force shall be compensated as provided for attendance at legislative committee meetings. State employee members of the task force shall receive no additional compensation for performance of their duties under this act.
All other
members of the task force shall be paid per diem and mileage as provided for legislators under W.S. 28
‑
5
‑
101.

Section 2.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

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HB0168