Submitted by the Jamestown Rural Fire Department

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Jamestown Rural Fire Department is requesting that local leaders, residents, businesses, and industry to please email your local member of the North Dakota House of Representatives & House Leadership and ask them to support the Senate Amended version of HB 1010 (specifically “Continuing Appropriations”).

HB 1010 is the ND Insurance Commissioners budget. Contained in this budget is the Fire Premium Tax Distribution. Currently, the bill is in conference committee. This tax is collected on different lines of insurance premiums sold in ND and a portion is distributed back to the fire departments/districts where the insurance premiums have been sold per ND Century Code 18-04.

Brief history of this tax
This tax was levied on Insurance policies sold beginning in 1887 and sent back to organized fire departments. In 1949 this process was made a “Continuing Appropriations” by the ND Legislature. Meaning these were made pass through funds through the ND Insurance Department.

In 1985 due to hard economic times in the state, the ND Legislature removed this as a continuing appropriation and started to use these funds to help stabilize the general fund. With the hopes from the ND fire service that someday this funding mechanism will be restored.

Where are we at today
The ND fire service has had to fight long and hard to see this funding distribution restored back to 100% returned back to the fire departments of ND, and a return back to continuing appropriations.

The funding distribution has fallen as far down to 49% returned back to local fire departments in 2012, The other 51% went back to the general fund. Last biennium $1.9 million dollars went back into the general fund.

The Senate Appropriations Committee added amendments to HB 1010 to make the 18-04 Insurance Tax right again after nearly 40 years. The ND Insurance Commissioner also would like to see this as a continuing appropriation as well and is advocating as such.

We would specifically like to thank Senator Wanzek, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Conley for their work and support of this bill in the Senate. HB 1010 with amendments passed unanimously in the Senate Chamber.

Now we ask House Leader Pollert, Rep. Headland, Rep. Ostlie, and Rep. Satrom for their support and leadership in the ND House of Representatives to pass HB 1010 as amended by the Senate.

So please share this far and wide across the great state of North Dakota. Even further, contact your local House Member and in a positive manner share your support of this effort.

These funds are critical to your local fire departments to equip and maintain a vital service to our local communities.