The more-than 6,000 special districts providing fire, ambulance, and emergency services across the nation are another step closer toward a level playing field to access federally-sourced funds intended to supplement local governments’ critical infrastructure and essential community programs.

Senator Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., introduced S. 4673, the Special District Grant Accessibility Act, would establish a definition for “special district” in federal law to enhance federal understanding of the nation’s special purpose governments and reduce barriers for special districts’ access to federally-sourced funding opportunities. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-leads the bill – continuing the bipartisan nature of the effort.

The Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will consider the bill as part of a larger business meeting on Wednesday, July 24. 

Further, the Special District Grant Accessibility Act would direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to direct Federal agencies to adopt the statutory definition of “special district” within a year and a half and implement in programming. The objective is to underscore special districts’ status as a unit of local government and set them on a more level playing field to access federally-sourced programs for community infrastructure and essential services.

“Special districts provide important services to Arizona communities – including firefighting, public utilities, and infrastructure. Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation ensures Arizona special districts can more fairly access federal funds as other parts of the government,” said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in a July 12 press release.

“Special districts throughout Texas struggle to compete for federal grants that provide critical funds for transportation, infrastructure, and emergency services,” said Sen. John Cornyn. “Recognizing these districts as local government entities would help boost access to federal funding opportunities, ensuring that smaller communities aren’t left behind.”

“The nation’s special fire, ambulance and emergency districts have long-been no stranger to the hardship of accessing federal funding for local government and emergency services, placing them at a disadvantaged compared to sister government agencies to access resources to provide quality services in their communities,” said Cole Arreola-Karr, speaking as the Executive Director of the National Association of Emergency and Fire Officials (NAEFO). “NAEFO applauds Senators Sinema and Cornyn for their bipartisan championship of the Special District Grant Accessibility Act, which will finally set fire, ambulance, and other special districts on a level playing field breakdown these barriers for the 6,000 districts providing emergency services to tens of millions of Americans every day.”

S. 4673 is the third iteration of Sinema and Cornyn’s joint efforts to establish a federal definition for special district in U.S. Code. The prior two legislative efforts were in the form of the Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act in the 116th and 117th Congresses (2020-21 and 2022-23, respectively). Then, efforts were geared toward defining special districts in federal law with leverage to access federal pandemic assistance for state and local governments. The current effort would apply broadly across federal programs and would set the cornerstone to resolve related federal issues impacting access to funding resources, including securing the designation as a “standard unit of government” eligible to certify Census population figures.

The bill is introduced as an identical companion to H.R. 7525, which passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, 352-27, on May 8, 2024. Congressman Pat Fallon, R-Texas, and Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., are bipartisan leads of the House bill.

For more information, contact Cole Arreola-Karr, NAEFO Executive Director, at cole@naefo.org.