Bill > HB2531

This bill establishes two new grant programs to support emergency responders in Tennessee. The first is the "volunteer firefighter equipment and training grant program," which will provide annual grants to selected volunteer fire departments for purchasing firefighting equipment or meeting local funding requirements for federal grants related to equipment and training. The second is the "rescue squad grant program," which will offer annual grants to selected rescue squads for acquiring firefighting and rescue equipment. The bill defines "firefighting equipment" as items used to contain or extinguish fires and protect firefighters, excluding fire trucks, and "rescue equipment" as items used by rescue squads for rescue services or emergency response, also excluding vehicles. A "rescue squad" is defined as a municipal, county, or political subdivision department, or a nonprofit organization offering rescue services. The Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance will be responsible for creating rules to evaluate grant applications, selecting recipients, and awarding the grants, with the intention that all appropriated funds are spent annually and any unspent funds carry over to the next fiscal year. The bill also expresses the legislative intent to fund these programs through a "sum-sufficient appropriation," meaning enough funds will be allocated in the annual budget to cover all eligible grants, and it will take effect on July 1, 2026.