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Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a four-bill package into law last week that will provide assistance for fire departments across the state.
A task force put together a nine-bill package last year to provide assistance to fire departments across the state. Eight of the nine bills passed the General Assembly and were waiting on the governor's signature.
When Blagojevich signed one of the bills last month, Illinois became the first state to offer a zero-percent interest loan program to fire departments for the purchase of fire trucks. Fire departments can borrow up to $250,000 and must repay the loan amount within 20 years.
House Bill 116 allows township boards to inflict reasonable penalties on individuals who repeatedly and intentionally set off false fire alarms.
"False alarms are costly to departments," said Rep. Donald Moffitt, R-Galesburg. "And while departments are responding to these [false alarms], it ties them up in unnecessary work and slows down their response time."
Moffitt, a sponsor of the bill, said he wanted to make sure he emphasized one word - intentional. He said that this bill was not designed to prevent anyone who reports a fire in good faith; it is for those individuals who knowingly report false alarms.
"We are sending a message to prosecutors that they now have the tools to go after these people," Moffitt said. "We will not tolerate these acts."
House Bill 117 will create an awareness program that will inform fire departments and fire districts that any purchases that they make will be eligible for sales tax exemptions. The program will also explain how to claim the exemption.
"There are a number of departments, mostly districts, that are still paying the full amount for purchases," Moffitt said. "Hopefully, this awareness program will save money for the departments and taxpayers."
House Bill 120 allows fire protection districts to charge any non-resident, who doesn't already pay for fire services, to pay for any fire and emergency services received.
Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, who has worked in fire services, said that the new law would apply to a fire district that responds to a burning car on the highway. If the people who are in the vehicle live outside of the district, local taxpayers should not have to take care of the costs.
The agencies are now able to charge up to $125 per hour per vehicle and $35 per hour per firefighter who responds to an assistance call, but are unable to charge for any services that are less than $50.
"This is a way to generate revenue for the districts," Moffitt said. "It is an expenditure to have the departments go out an assist someone who doesn't pay for services."
House Bill 121 establishes an equipment exchange program for fire departments and fire districts.
"There was a huge money shortage in the state," said Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville. "So we had to find an alternative to help out.
Watson said that a fire department would sometimes receive an anonymous call telling someone to come out and check the trash at another fire department because that department had just thrown out some equipment.
"This will bring much-needed assets to rural areas," Watson said. "And allow departments to utilize assets more effectively."
Although Blagojevich has signed five of the eight bills that passed the Illinois General Assembly, Moffitt said he is still hopeful that the other three bills will be signed. One of the bills will allow the state fire marshal to make large orders of supplies and equipment to be used by state fire department and fire districts.
