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2008 SESSION

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SB 679 Forest firefighting by localities or volunteer fire or rescue; recovery of costs.

Introduced by: W. Roscoe Reynolds | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Recovery of fire fighting costs by localities.  Allows a locality to collect the costs for fighting or extinguishing a fire if the fire was set intentionally and the person who set the fire failed to attempt to prevent the fire from escaping.  Further states that any such person shall be liable for the full amount incurred by the locality and any volunteer fire or rescue squad for fighting or extinguishing the fire and any reasonable administrative costs expended to collect such expenses.  Also allows a locality to recover costs, up to $750, from a minor's parents for any fire suppression that is the result of malicious or willful conduct on the part of the minor.  The Department of Forestry already has the authority to collect costs expended by the Commonwealth in such circumstances.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Recovery of fire fighting costs by localities; volunteer fire or rescue.  Allows the recovery of expenses incurred by a locality, or by any volunteer fire or rescue squad, for fighting or extinguishing a fire. Expenses recovered on behalf of a locality shall be paid to the locality, and those recovered on behalf of a volunteer fire or rescue squad shall be paid to the volunteer fire or rescue squad. The Department of Forestry recovered expenses are to be paid into the Forestry Operations Fund.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Recovery of fire fighting costs by localities; volunteer fire or rescue.  Allows the recovery of expenses incurred by a locality, or by any volunteer fire or rescue squad, for fighting or extinguishing a fire. Expenses recovered on behalf of a locality shall be paid to the locality, and those recovered on behalf of a volunteer fire or rescue squad shall be paid to the volunteer fire or rescue squad.