As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 274

2025-2026

To enact sections 9.51 and 9.511 of the Revised Code to require townships and municipal corporations to provide firefighting services and emergency medical services and to establish the Fire and EMS Shared Services Reimbursement Grant Program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 9.51 and 9.511 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 9.51. (A) Each municipal corporation shall provide in the municipal corporation, and each township shall provide in the unincorporated territory of the township, the following services:

(1) Fire-fighting services;

(2) Emergency medical services.

(B) The services required under division (A) of this section shall be provided using one or more of the following methods:

(1) Directly by the township or municipal corporation via authority granted in the Ohio Constitution or another section of the Revised Code;

(2) Via district or joint district under authority granted in another section of the Revised Code;

(3) Via contract under authority granted in another section of the Revised Code;

(4) Via other authority granted in another section of the Revised Code.

Sec. 9.511. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Eligible expense" means any expense related to the following:

(a) Joining a district, joint district, or regional council of governments including related election expenses, or entering into a contract as specified under division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section;

(b) Equipment, training, or personnel related to the provision of an eligible service incurred by the township or municipal corporation within one year after joining a district, joint district, or regional council of governments or entering into a contract as specified under division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.

(2) "Eligible service" means either of the following:

(a) Firefighting services;

(b) Emergency medical services.

(B) The fire and emergency medical shared services reimbursement grant program is created. The state fire marshal shall administer the program, under which the state fire marshal shall provide grants to eligible townships and municipal corporations to reimburse eligible expenses.

(C) A township or municipal corporation is eligible to receive a grant under the program if, on or after the effective date of this section, the township or municipal corporation does any of the following for the purpose of providing one or more eligible services:

(1) Joins a newly created district, joint district, or regional council of governments;

(2) Joins an existing district, joint district, or regional council of governments;

(3) Enters into a new contract, not substantially similar to an existing or recently expired contract, with another governmental entity.

(D) Not less than one year after the township or municipal corporation joins a district, joint district, or regional council of governments or enters into a contract as specified under division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, but not more than two years thereafter, a township or municipal corporation may apply for reimbursement under the grant program in the manner prescribed by the state fire marshal. Subject to the availability of funds, the state fire marshal shall reimburse fifty per cent of the eligible expenses, up to one hundred thousand dollars. A township or municipal corporation shall not receive more than one reimbursement under the program.

Section 2. Section 1 of this act takes effect January 1, 2026.