The proposed bill establishes the Rhode Island Fire Services Training Fund Act, which aims to create a stable, dedicated funding source for statewide fire service training. This will be achieved through a new assessment of twenty-five hundredths percent (0.25%) on property and casualty insurance premiums collected by insurance companies authorized to operate in Rhode Island. The assessment will apply to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, and will be due annually on January 1. The funds collected will be deposited into a restricted, non-lapsing Rhode Island fire services training fund within the Department of Public Safety, which will support the Rhode Island Fire Academy and various training programs.

The bill outlines the authorized uses of the funds, which include operations of the Rhode Island Fire Academy, recruit training, certification programs, hazardous materials, technical rescue, marine, and EMS training, capital improvements and live-burn facilities, mobile training units, curriculum and instructor development, and municipal training grants. An annual report detailing the fund's revenues, expenditures, training delivered, and municipal participation will be submitted to the governor and the General Assembly by January 31 of each year, beginning in 2028. The act ensures that unexpended balances remain in the training fund and are not reverted to the general fund, thereby providing a stable financial resource for fire service training in the state. The act will take effect upon passage.