(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) (1) "Administrative costs" means any costs that are for administrative functions, including: (i) billing and collection expenses; (ii) promotion and marketing expenses; (iii) taxes, fees, and assessments; (iv) legal expenses; and (v) other general and administrative costs as determined by the Secretary. (2) "Administrative costs" does not include: (i) accounting and financial reporting expenses, including the costs of auditing the Fund in accordance with § 8-104 of this subtitle; or (ii) computer software, if used exclusively for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services. (c) "Bank account" means a checking or savings account that is maintained in a financial institution whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (d) "Capital equipment" means any equipment item or furnishing that has: (1) a useful life greater than 1 year; and (2) a procurement cost of at least $10,000 per unit. (e) "Capital expenditure" means revenues appropriated for: (1) the acquisition of land, buildings, or capital equipment; or (2) new construction. (f) (1) "Computer software" means any program that is used to cause a computer to perform a specific task or set of tasks. (2) "Computer software" includes: (i) system and application programs; and (ii) database storage and management programs. (g) "Encumber" means to create a legal obligation that requires a portion of an appropriation to be reserved to pay money in the future. (h) (1) "Expenditures for fire protection" means: (i) revenues appropriated or to be appropriated by a county for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services; and (ii) the proceeds of any county bonds used to finance facilities that house equipment for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services. (2) "Expenditures for fire protection" includes: (i) revenues appropriated by a county to volunteer fire, rescue, and ambulance companies; (ii) accounting and financial reporting expenses, including the costs of auditing the Fund in accordance with § 8-104 of this subtitle; and (iii) the costs of training personnel. (3) "Expenditures for fire protection" does not include: (i) salaries, workers' compensation, fringe benefits, or other personnel costs; (ii) administrative costs; (iii) capital expenditures; or (iv) in Carroll County, appropriations for loans to a volunteer fire, rescue, or ambulance company, secured by mortgages, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness of the volunteer fire, rescue, or ambulance company, if the appropriations derive from the proceeds of bonds used to finance facilities that house equipment for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services. (i) "Fund" means the Senator William H. Amoss Fire, Rescue, and Ambulance Fund. (j) "Legal obligation" includes: (1) a purchase order; (2) a written agreement for the purchase of goods and services; (3) a written agreement between a county and a volunteer fire, rescue, or ambulance company; and (4) a written agreement between a county and a vendor. (k) (1) "Qualified municipal corporation" means a municipal corporation in the State whose expenditures for fire protection from municipal sources exceed $25,000. (2) "Qualified municipal corporation" does not include Baltimore City. (l) "Rehabilitate", with regard to a facility, does not include purchasing office equipment or incurring administrative expenses. (m) "Routine maintenance costs" means expenditures for activities that are: (1) normally established by a manufacturer or an industry trade association; (2) planned and performed at regular intervals; and (3) necessary to extend the useful life or to prevent the premature failure of building components or equipment. (n) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Emergency Management. §8-102. IN EFFECT (a) There is a Senator William H. Amoss Fire, Rescue, and Ambulance Fund. (b) The purposes of the Fund are to promote: (1) the delivery of effective and high quality fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services in the State; (2) increased financial support for fire, rescue, and ambulance companies by counties; and (3) the continued financial viability of volunteer fire, rescue, and ambulance companies given the greatly increased costs of equipment. (c) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Fund. (2) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Secretary may adopt procedures to carry out this subtitle, including additional auditing and reporting requirements. (3) The Secretary may not impose training or operational requirements as a precondition to receipt of money, except as otherwise expressly provided in this subtitle. (d) The Fund consists of: (1) money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; and (2) revenue distributed to the Fund under § 16-609 of the Business Regulation Article. (e) (1) As authorized by the Secretary, the Treasurer shall make payments out of the Fund to each county on warrant of the Comptroller. (2) The Treasurer shall make the payments required under this subsection to the appropriate county on or about November 15. (f) (1) State money provided under this section may only be used to: (i) acquire or rehabilitate fire or rescue equipment, including ambulances; (ii) acquire or rehabilitate capital equipment used in connection with fire or rescue equipment; (iii) rehabilitate facilities used primarily to house fire fighting equipment, ambulances, and rescue vehicles; (iv) install life safety and fire protection systems at a fire, rescue, or ambulance facility; (v) acquire land for the purpose of rehabilitation or construction of a fire, rescue, or ambulance facility; (vi) acquire wireless telecommunications devices, computers, and related computer equipment if used exclusively for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services; and (vii) acquire machinery and equipment if used exclusively for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services. (2) State money provided under this section may not be used: (i) for administrative costs; (ii) for compensation or fringe benefits to employees or members of county governments, or fire, rescue, or ambulance companies; (iii) for travel or meal expenses; (iv) for fuel, utility, or routine maintenance costs of facilities or equipment; (v) to acquire new or replacement fire hydrants or water mains; (vi) for insurance; (vii) for fund-raising activities; (viii) to replace or repair eligible items to the extent that insurance proceeds are available; (ix) for costs associated with the "9-1-1" emergency telephone system; or (x) for land or interests in land, except as provided in paragraph (1)(v) of this subsection. (g) Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the Governor shall include an annual appropriation to the Fund of at least $16,500,000. §8-102. ** CONTINGENCY - NOT IN EFFECT - CHAPTER 497 OF 2007 ** (a) There is a Senator William H. Amoss Fire, Rescue, and Ambulance Fund. (b) The purposes of the Fund are to promote: (1) the delivery of effective and high quality fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services in the State; (2) increased financial support for fire, rescue, and ambulance companies by counties; and (3) the continued financial viability of volunteer fire, rescue, and ambulance companies given the greatly increased costs of equipment. (c) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Fund. (2) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Secretary may adopt procedures to carry out this subtitle, including additional auditing and reporting requirements. (3) The Secretary may not impose training or operational requirements as a precondition to receipt of money, except as otherwise expressly provided in this subtitle. (d) The Fund consists of money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund. (e) (1) As authorized by the Secretary, the Treasurer shall make payments out of the Fund to each county on warrant of the Comptroller. (2) The Treasurer shall make the payments required under this subsection to the appropriate county on or about November 15. (f) (1) State money provided under this section may only be used to: (i) acquire or rehabilitate fire or rescue equipment, including ambulances; (ii) acquire or rehabilitate capital equipment used in connection with fire or rescue equipment; (iii) rehabilitate facilities used primarily to house fire fighting equipment, ambulances, and rescue vehicles; (iv) install life safety and fire protection systems at a fire, rescue, or ambulance facility; (v) acquire land for the purpose of rehabilitation or construction of a fire, rescue, or ambulance facility; (vi) acquire wireless telecommunications devices, computers, and related computer equipment if used exclusively for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services; and (vii) acquire machinery and equipment if used exclusively for fire protection, rescue, and ambulance services. (2) State money provided under this section may not be used: (i) for administrative costs; (ii) for compensation or fringe benefits to employees or members of county governments, or fire, rescue, or ambulance companies; (iii) for travel or meal expenses; (iv) for fuel, utility, or routine maintenance costs of facilities or equipment; (v) to acquire new or replacement fire hydrants or water mains; (vi) for insurance; (vii) for fund-raising activities; (viii) to replace or repair eligible items to the extent that insurance proceeds are available; (ix) for costs associated with the "9-1-1" emergency telephone system; or (x) for land or interests in land, except as provided in paragraph (1)(v) of this subsection. (g) Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the Governor shall include an annual appropriation to the Fund of at least $16,500,000.
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