AN ACT AUTHORIZING CERTAIN CAPITAL REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS.
Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith for certain public safety and capital needs, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. To provide for certain public safety and capital needs, and for certain permanent improvements and to meet certain requirements of law, the sums set forth in section 2, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in said section 2, are hereby authorized for expenditure from the General Fund unless specifically designated otherwise, subject to the provisions of law regulating the disbursement of public funds and the approval thereof.
SECTION 2. `tm;keep=no `tcol=6,B4;c1=1,9,tu,T;c2=1,78,tuc;c3=1,78,tuc;c4=12,52,tfh1;c5=16,49,tu;c6=65,13,tur `tc3 EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE. `tc2 Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance. `tc1 1102-9952 `tc4 For repairs and renovations to certain armories; provided, that not less than $25,000 shall be made available to repair the floor at the armory located in the town of Natick; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be made available to repair the roof at the armory located in the town of Hingham; and provided further, that not less than $120,000 shall be made available to install a new hardwood floor at the armory located in the Dorchester section of the city of Boston ? `tc6 $245,000 `tc3 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. `tc2 Office of the Secretary. `tc1 8000-0018 `tc4 For a grant program for fire departments of every city, town, fire district and authority of the commonwealth to purchase firefighter safety equipment, to be administered by the secretary of public safety; provided, that all applications for the grants and supporting documentation deemed necessary by the secretary shall be submitted not later than January 1, 2001; provided further, that the secretary shall process the applications not later than February 1, 2001 and grant funds shall be distributed not later than March 1, 2001; provided further, that eligible fire safety equipment under this program shall include, but is not limited to, turnout gear, hand-held power lights, communication devices, telephones, personal alert safety systems, so-called, air packs, tanks, compressors, thermal imaging devices and computerized personnel accountability systems, but shall exclude firefighter apparatus and vehicles; and provided further, that in addition to the grants, a total amount not to exceed $200,000 shall be made available from this item for the Massachusetts firefighting academy to administer and provide a series of fire training programs relative to firefighter survival ? `tc6 $10,000,000 `tcol;end
SECTION 3. To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out the provisions of section 2, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time, but not exceeding, in the aggregate, the sum of $10,245,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their face, Firefighter Safety Equipment Loan, Act of 2000, and shall be issued for such maximum terms of years, not exceeding ten years, as the governor may recommend to the general court pursuant to Section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution but all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2010. Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, bonds and interest thereon issued under the authority of this section shall be general obligations of the commonwealth. All interest and payments on account of principal of such obligations shall be payable from the general fund.
SECTION 4. The state treasurer may borrow from time to time on the credit of the commonwealth such sums as may be necessary for the purpose of meeting payments authorized by section 2, and may issue and renew from time to time notes of the commonwealth therefor, bearing interest payable at such times and at such rates as shall be fixed by the state treasurer. Such notes shall be issued and may be renewed one or more times for such terms, not exceeding one year, as the governor may recommend to the general court in accordance with Section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution, but the final maturities of such notes, whether original or renewal, shall not be later than June 30, 2005. All interest and payments on account of principal of such obligations shall be payable from the general fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, notes and interest thereon issued under the authority of this section shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.
SECTION 5. There is hereby established a firefighter safety equipment advisory board consisting of the state fire marshal, the president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, one chief to be selected by the secretary of public safety from a list of three submitted by the Fire Chiefs' Association of Massachusetts, one of whom shall be a chief from a call or volunteer fire department, and the house and senate chairs of the committee on public safety committee. The board shall evaluate existing and new firefighter safety equipment technology and make recommendations to the secretary for the purpose of assisting her in developing and overseeing the application process for the firefighter safety equipment grant program established pursuant to item 8000-0018 of section 2.
SECTION 6. Section 2 of chapter 267 of the acts of 1995 is hereby amended by striking out item 7511-7961, as appearing in section 19 of chapter 55 of the acts of 1999, and inserting in place thereof the following item:- `tm;keep=no `tcol=6,B4;c1=1,9,tu,T;c2=1,78,tuc;c3=1,78,tuc;c4=12,52,tfh1;c5=16,49,tu;c6=65,13,tur `tc1 7511-7961 `tc4 For a study, and the preparation of plans, if necessary, for the design and construction of an expanded Lynn campus including, but not limited to, an addition to the T.W. McGee Building, the lease, purchase, design or construction of an alternate facility, including the acquisition of land, the acquisition of land with building thereon, demolition, alteration, renovation, repair and site preparations and improvements, including the costs of furnishings and equipment ? `tc6 $12,000,000 `tcol;end
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect as of July 1, 2000.