RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND FIRE, SERVICES TRAINING FUND ACT
Summary
H7465 creates the Rhode Island Fire Services Training Fund Act, establishing a restricted, non-lapsing fund within the Department of Public Safety to support the Rhode Island Fire Academy and statewide fire service training. The bill’s stated purpose is to create a stable, dedicated funding source for fire training by imposing a 0.25% annual assessment on property and casualty insurance premiums.
The assessment would apply to insurers authorized to write property and casualty coverage in Rhode Island, beginning with policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, with payments first due January 1, 2028. Covered lines include homeowners, dwelling fire, commercial property, commercial multi-peril, inland marine, and other property and casualty lines defined by the Department of Business Regulation. The bill specifies that the assessment is in addition to other taxes or fees and may not be passed through to policyholders as a separate line-item surcharge.
Impact
The bill would add a new chapter to Title 42 of the General Laws and create a new dedicated revenue stream outside the general fund. It would also assign administration of the fund to the state fire marshal, require annual reporting to the governor and General Assembly, and allow the money to be used for Fire Academy operations, recruit and certification training, hazardous materials and rescue training, EMS training, capital improvements, mobile training units, curriculum development, instructor development, and municipal training grants. Unspent balances would remain in the fund rather than reverting to the general fund.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be framed as a support measure for public safety and firefighter preparedness. Its structure suggests a policy goal of providing predictable, long-term funding for training and academy operations, which is generally likely to be viewed favorably by fire service stakeholders and municipalities that rely on state training resources. No formal recorded sentiment from hearings or floor votes is available in the supplied context.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the financing mechanism: the bill would impose a new assessment on property and casualty insurers, which could raise concerns from the insurance industry about cost, administrative burden, and whether the assessment may indirectly affect premiums even though the bill prohibits a specific line-item pass-through. Another possible issue is the breadth of the covered insurance lines and the Department of Business Regulation’s authority to define additional lines, which could be debated by affected insurers. Supporters are likely to emphasize the need for stable fire training funding, while opponents may focus on the new industry assessment and the creation of a dedicated fund outside the general fund.