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_ 557 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 406. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 for the Department of Fire Programs, in conjunction with the Virginia Fire Services Board, to provide grants to localities with qualifying fire departments or fire companies, as defined in §§ 27-6.01 and 27-6.02, Code of Virginia, to purchase protective equipment for firefighters. Funds allocated to localities pursuant to this subsection shall not be used directly or indirectly to supplant or replace funding provided to localities through the Fire Programs Fund (§ 38.2-401, Code of Virginia). Such funds shall solely be used for the purpose of purchasing breathing apparatus equipment and other non-vehicular equipment necessary for the protection of firefighters responding to a fire. Any remaining unexpended balance at year-end shall be reappropriated in the subsequent fiscal year. 2. The Department of Fire Programs and the Virginia Fire Services Board shall develop policies and procedures for the distribution of funds from this grant. The allocation shall prioritize localities that (i) score both above average or high on the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's (DHCD) fiscal stress index and double- distressed according to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership's (VEDP) Commonwealth Opportunity Funds Distressed Localities Assessment, and (ii) demonstrate the need for such protective non-vehicular equipment. Each receiving locality shall report to the Department on the use of the funds allocated to it. B. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 from the general fund in the second year shall be provided to the city of Virginia Beach to support costs related to the provision of fire support services. 407. Regulation of Structure Safety (56200) $3,923,932 $3,923,932 $4,153,362 State Fire Prevention Code Administration (56203) $3,923,932 $3,923,932 $4,153,362 Fund Sources: General $3,363,810 $3,363,810 $3,593,240 Special $560,122 $560,122 Authority: §§ 9.1-201, 9.1-206, and 27-94 through 27-99, Code of Virginia. A. The State Fire Marshal may charge no fee for any permits or inspections of any school, whether it be public or private. B. The State Fire Marshal shall submit a report to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, no later than November 1, 2024, that assesses options for increasing fees for fire inspections, other than complaint-based inspections, to align with the actual cost of providing the inspection service. The assessment shall include an analysis of inspection workload, costs incurred, and fees collected organized by categories that are based on the type of organizations and activities being inspected. C. The Department of Fire Programs, in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal's Office, the Virginia Fire Services Board, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Board of Housing and Community Development, shall conduct an assessment of the fees charged by the State Fire Marshal's Office to conduct fire safety inspections. The assessment shall include a review of (i) existing inspection fees, (ii) the number of inspections conducted by fee category, (iii) the cost of conducting each inspection, and (iv) the total revenue from each fee category to determine whether there is a need to adjust the fees based on the market cost of conducting inspections. The Department of Fire Programs shall submit a report to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, no later than October 17, 2025, that outlines the findings of the assessment and a joint recommendation from the Virginia Fire Services Board and the Board of Housing and Community Development on whether the fees should be adjusted or not, including a description of which fees, if any, are recommended for an increase based on the market cost and the projected additional fee revenue that would result from such recommended increase. Total for Department of Fire Programs $65,922,795 $70,922,795 $69,196,907 $69,626,337