The bill amends the Emergency Management Act of 1976 by establishing a disaster and emergency contingency fund, which will be administered by the director. It mandates that an annual accounting of expenditures be submitted to the legislature, which is required to appropriate sufficient funds to maintain the fund at a level not exceeding $15,000,000 and not less than $7,500,000. Additionally, any unexpended and unencumbered funds at the end of the fiscal year will not lapse to the general fund but will be carried forward for future use.

The bill also outlines the director's authority to expend money from the fund for necessary expenses related to disaster or emergency operations, including overtime and travel costs for state agency employees. It allows for reimbursements from federal sources to be deposited directly into the fund and specifies that, upon a major disaster declaration by the President, the director may use the fund to cover the state's matching share of federal grants. Furthermore, the state treasurer is tasked with directing the investment of the fund and crediting it with any interest and earnings generated.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 30.418