Idaho § 67-2913 - Search and rescue fund

§ 67-2913. Search and rescue fund

There is hereby created in the state treasury the search and rescue fund.

(1) Moneys in the fund shall be maintained in four (4) subaccounts, identified respectively as the "cost reimbursement subaccount," the "training subaccount," the "catastrophic search subaccount" and the "equipment purchase matching subaccount." Moneys in the cost reimbursement subaccount are perpetually appropriated to and shall be used by the director of the Idaho state police for the purpose of defraying costs of search and rescue missions conducted by the county sheriff’s office at a maximum of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) per rescue mission, regardless of the number of counties or county search and rescue organizations involved. One hundred percent (100%) of the moneys received pursuant to sections 49-448 and 63-2412 , Idaho Code, shall be deposited to the credit of the cost reimbursement subaccount. Of the additional fine imposed pursuant to section 36-1405 , Idaho Code, fifty percent (50%) shall be deposited to the credit of the cost reimbursement subaccount. In the event the balance in the cost reimbursement subaccount exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), the amount in excess shall be transferred to the equipment purchase matching subaccount.

(2) Fifty percent (50%) of the moneys received pursuant to the provisions of section 36-1405 , Idaho Code, and any amount in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in the cost reimbursement subaccount, shall be deposited in the search and rescue account to the credit of the equipment purchase matching subaccount, and are perpetually appropriated to the director of the Idaho state police for the purposes of the subaccount. Moneys in the equipment purchase matching subaccount shall be used by the director to match local funds for the purchase of equipment for use by local search and rescue units, at a maximum amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per unit in any single year. The cost sharing match in the equipment purchase matching subaccount shall be thirty-five percent (35%) local funds to sixty-five percent (65%) from the equipment purchase matching subaccount. In the event the balance in the equipment purchase matching subaccount exceeds fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), the amount in excess shall be transferred to the training subaccount.

(3) Excess moneys described in subsection (2) of this section shall be deposited to the credit of the training subaccount. In the event the balance of the training subaccount exceeds twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), the amount in excess shall be transferred to the catastrophic search subaccount. Such moneys shall be perpetually appropriated to the director of the Idaho state police for the purposes of the subaccounts. Moneys in the training subaccount shall be used by the director for the purpose of providing training funds to sheriffs’ offices for search and rescue training, to a maximum of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per training exercise, regardless of the number of counties or county search and rescue organizations involved.

(4) Moneys in the catastrophic search subaccount shall be used by the director for the purpose of providing reimbursement to the sheriff’s office for searches and rescues costing in excess of eight thousand dollars ($8,000). Claims for reimbursement by sheriffs’ offices shall be made on a quarterly basis and reimbursements shall be made by the director once each quarter. Reimbursement of each claim shall be made by the director as follows: (a) the first eight thousand dollars ($8,000) of a claim shall be reimbursed from the cost reimbursement subaccount; (b) the remainder of each claim exceeding eight thousand dollars ($8,000) shall be reimbursed from the catastrophic search subaccount. In the event that there are insufficient moneys in the catastrophic search subaccount to fully reimburse all catastrophic search claims in a given quarter, the director shall partially reimburse each claim on a pro rata basis. A sheriff’s office may seek further reimbursement for any unreimbursed portion of a claim in the following quarters.

(5) The state treasurer shall invest all moneys in the search and rescue fund and the interest and proceeds earned on such investments shall be returned to the search and rescue fund.