NAEFO Supports the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act, Calls on Districts to Act
The National Association of Emergency and Fire Officials strongly supports legislation to federally define the term “special district” in efforts to address the primary problem impacting special districts’ engagement with federal projects and access to federally-sourced funding.
Congressman Pat Fallon, R-Texas, sponsors the bipartisan Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act. The bill would require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to direct all federal agencies to adopt the definition for program guidance within six months of the bill’s enactment.
Click here to read the bill text.
The intent of this policy change is to underscore across the Federal government that special districts are, indeed, local units of government, and to begin setting special districts on a more level playing field for federal dollars and projects.
“Special fire protection, ambulance, and emergency communications districts deliver critical public safety and emergency services to millions of Americans every day, yet they face prohibitive hurdles to access federal programs intended to improve local government services – primarily because they are not departments of their city or county government,” said Bruce Suenram, National Association of Emergency and Fire Officials President. “Many emergency services districts and their first responders are still feeling the impacts of being left out of federal pandemic relief and recovery funds, largely due to the lack of a federal special district definition. NAEFO strongly supports the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act to make certain our fire, ambulance, and emergency services districts have fair access to planning processes and funding considerations, and to prevent exclusion of special districts from critical and essential programs intended for local governments.”
Join the Grassroots Coalition to Support the Bill
Click here to join the grassroots coalition in support of the Special District Accessibility and Fairness Act.
Receive a template support letter to send your member of Congress, support for your direct advocacy, and get a talking points/discussion guide.
Click here for a NAEFO backgrounder on the bill.
NAEFO Members will receive template support letters and additional resources.
The Importance of Establishing a “Special District” Definition
Defining “special district” in federal law with the force of an OMB directive would underscore special districts as a unit of local government and improve special districts’ inclusion in planning processes, as partners in federal infrastructure projects, and moreover ensure districts are on a more level playing field for federal funding, in general.
The benefits of a “special district” definition would extend beyond grant and finance programs, and stands to elevate special districts’ standing and ability to get involved with intergovernmental planning processes for federal infrastructure projects and improve how federal funding is allocated through the states. Further, the legislation would set the cornerstone to finally address major problems, such as federal agencies’ inability to certify special districts’ population figures.
NAEFO is encouraging fire, ambulance, and emergency services districts to advocate for this critical effort to break down hurdles to leveraging and participating in federal programs.
Supporting districts will receive resources for their individual advocacy in support of the bill including a template support letter, and will have the option of being included on future coalition advocacy letters to Congressional leadership.
NAEFO will be closely monitoring this critical legislation, rallying special districts to action, and will be keeping members updated on major developments. For questions, please contact Cole Arreola-Karr, NAEFO Policy Manager, at cole@naefo.org.