HB 2104 - DIGEST

(SUBSTITUTED FOR - SEE 1ST SUB)

     Declares that it is the policy of the state that the costs of fire protection be equitably shared between the forest protection assessment account and an equivalent state match to ensure that there will be sufficient fire fighters who are equipped and trained to respond quickly to fires in order to keep fires small and manage those large fires that do occur.

     Declares that immediate increases in the state's equitable share for forest protection are necessary to stabilize the funding for the forest protection program, and that sufficient state funds must be committed to the forest protection program so that the recommendations contained in the 1997 tridata report can be implemented on an equitable basis by the end of the 2005-2007 biennium.