Expanded access to rural fire protection funding advanced

Lawmakers gave first-round approval April 23 to a measure intended to help additional rural fire protection districts qualify for state financial aid.

The Mutual Finance Assistance Act, funded by state insurance premium tax proceeds, provides aid to mutual finance organizations and rural or suburban fire protection districts for equipment, operations and training.

To qualify for assistance, at least 80% of the population of any county included in the MFO or district must reside outside the limits of any first, primary or metropolitan class city in the county.

LB399, sponsored by Fremont Sen. Dave Wordekemper, would decrease the threshold to 60%.

He said the adjustment would allow three or four additional counties to qualify for funding and ensure that current member counties can continue to receive assistance as their populations change.

“This change recognizes our state’s evolving demographics while still maintaining the program’s focus on rural communities,” Wordekemper said.

The bill advanced to select file on a vote of 36-0.