In a unanimous vote from the Indiana General Assembly, amendments to House Bill 1215 were passed with a 94-0 vote.

The bill will provide fire protection districts with the ability to purchase firefighting apparatus and equipment for the district on an installment conditional sale or mortgage contract running for a period not exceeding 15 years.

According to HB 1215, after a sufficient appropriation for the purchase of firefighting apparatus and equipment, including housing, is made and is available, the district’s fiscal officer, with the approval of the board and the county fiscal body, may purchase the firefighting apparatus and equipment for the district on an installment conditional sale or mortgage contract.

Prior to the passing of the new amendment, fire protection districts were limited in their potential to purchase equipment and apparatus. The rule stated the 15 year duration for such a contract applied only to a fire protection district with assessed value of $60,000,000 or less as determined by the department of local government finance. Also struck from the bill was the provision that all funding for such equipment would come under the state or its instrumentalities or the federal government or its instrumentalities.