MS Municipality and County Fire Station Building Fund; establish.

HB 1344 establishes the Mississippi Municipality and County Fire Station Building Fund within the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). It creates a grant program allowing municipalities and counties to apply for reimbursable grants (requiring a 50% local match) to renovate, upgrade, or modify local fire stations. The fund, initially seeded with $5 million from the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Death Benefits Trust Fund, requires applicants to submit detailed project plans, population impact data, and disadvantaged community criteria. MEMA will rank applications based on factors including environmental impact, economic development benefits, and support for disadvantaged communities, with final awards at MEMA’s discretion. The bill mandates quarterly reporting to the legislature and requires audits of fund usage.