Bill > HB511

This bill establishes a firefighting training facility infrastructure grant program administered by the Montana Department of Military Affairs, designed to provide up to $5 million in grants to local government firefighting authorities for improving their training infrastructure. The program allows local fire agencies to apply for grants to fund property acquisition, construction, space acquisition, remodeling, repairs, and equipment purchases, with several key restrictions: grants are limited to $250,000 per project, no county can receive more than $500,000 in total funding, and no more than two applications can be funded per county. To receive a grant, local firefighting authorities must provide a one-to-one match in cash or value, execute a grant agreement with detailed project management and reporting requirements, and adhere to applicable design standards. The bill creates a special revenue account to manage the funds, with up to 3% allocated for administrative costs, and specifies that $5 million will be transferred from the capital developments long-range building program account to fund the program. The grants are authorized for the bienniums beginning July 1, 2025, and can continue through the biennium starting July 1, 2029, with the entire program set to terminate on June 30, 2031.