To Amend The Law Concerning Claims For Fire Services; And To Update The Schedule Of Equipment Rates Used In Claims For Fire Services.
Summary
HB1414 amends Arkansas law governing claims for fire services by updating the reference used to calculate equipment rates. Under current law, when a municipal fire department or volunteer fire department seeks payment for firefighting services, the board must use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Schedule of Equipment Rates, but only as it existed on January 1, 2013. The bill removes that dated reference and replaces it with the FEMA schedule as currently in effect, allowing claims to be calculated using the most up-to-date federal equipment rates.
The measure applies to two separate statutes: one covering firefighting beyond municipal limits and one covering volunteer fire department responses and claims. In practical terms, it affects how fire departments are reimbursed or compensated for equipment use when responding to fires outside their normal service area or under the volunteer fire department claims process. The bill does not create a new claims system; it modernizes the rate schedule used within existing law.
Impact
HB1414 updates Arkansas Code §§ 14-53-102 and 20-22-901 by changing the incorporated FEMA Schedule of Equipment Rates from a fixed 2013 version to the schedule currently in effect. This likely increases or adjusts reimbursement calculations over time to reflect current federal equipment valuations, affecting municipalities, volunteer fire departments, and any boards or entities responsible for approving fire-service claims.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been received positively and without controversy. It passed the House 91-0 and the Senate 33-0, indicating broad bipartisan support and no recorded opposition in the available voting history. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous votes suggest the measure was viewed as a routine technical update rather than a substantive policy dispute.
Contention
No notable points of contention are reflected in the available record. Because the bill simply updates an outdated incorporated federal rate schedule, any potential concerns would likely center on the fiscal effect of using current equipment rates for fire-service claims, but no legislator or stakeholder opposition is documented in the provided materials. The absence of dissenting votes suggests the change was considered administrative and noncontroversial.