Fire protection: Special District Fire Response Fund: county service areas.

The California Constitution establishes the Special District Fire Response Fund as a subaccount within the California Fire Response Fund within the State Treasury. The California Constitution requires moneys in the Special District Fire Response Fund to be appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of funding fire suppression staffing in underfunded special districts that provide fire protection services, as provided. Existing law creates within the office of the Governor the Office of Emergency Services. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to administer the Special District Fire Response Fund and, in coordination with the board of directors of the FIRESCOPE Program, to develop a standard grant application form, establish an annual timeline to apply for grants, employ strategies to ensure that underfunded special districts that provide fire protection services are aware of the availability of the Special District Fire Response Fund, establish reporting requirements for grant recipients, and develop metrics for consideration of grant applications, as specified. This bill would define, for purposes of receiving grants that are funded by the Special District Fire Response Fund, a "special district that provides fire protection services" to include a county service area, as described, formed exclusively for fire protection services.