2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 24 - Government - State
Principal Departments
Article 33.5 - Public Safety
Part 7 - Emergency Management
§ 24-33.5-706. Disaster emergency fund - established - financing - legislative intent

(1) It is the intent of the general assembly and declared to be the policy of the state that funds to meet disaster emergencies shall always be available.

(2) (a) A disaster emergency fund is hereby established, which consists of any moneys appropriated by the general assembly, moneys transferred pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of this section, and moneys to reimburse expenditures from the fund that are transmitted to the state treasurer and credited to the fund. Moneys in the disaster emergency fund shall remain in the fund until expended or until transferred pursuant to subsection (4.3) or (4.5) of this section.

(b) Repealed.

(3) The council shall review in detail each expenditure of disaster emergency moneys.

(4) (a) It is the legislative intent that first recourse be to funds regularly appropriated to state and local agencies. If the governor finds that the demands placed upon these funds in coping with a particular disaster are unreasonably great, the governor may, with the concurrence of the council, make funds available from the disaster emergency fund.

(b) If moneys available from the disaster emergency fund are insufficient, the governor, with the concurrence of the council, may transfer to the fund and expend moneys appropriated for other purposes.

(4.3) If the disaster emergency fund is credited with reimbursements of moneys previously expended to cope with a particular disaster, to the extent that all or a portion of those moneys were transferred and expended by the governor pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of this section, the governor may transfer moneys to the funds as repayment for the amounts the governor originally transferred from said funds to the disaster emergency fund.

(4.5) (a) The governor may, from time to time as the governor deems necessary based on his or her determination that a disaster emergency is imminent, direct the state treasurer to transfer, and the state treasurer shall transfer, moneys from the disaster emergency fund to the resource mobilization fund created in section 24-33.5-705.4 (6).

(b) The governor may, from time to time as the governor deems necessary based on his or her determination that a wildfire-related disaster emergency is imminent, direct the state treasurer to transfer, and the state treasurer shall transfer, moneys from the disaster emergency fund to the wildfire emergency response fund created in section 24-33.5-1226 (1).

(5) The director of the division of homeland security and emergency management is authorized to establish, pursuant to article 4 of this title, the rules and regulations which will govern the reimbursement of funds to state agencies and political subdivisions and to promulgate such regulations.

(6) Nothing in this section limits the governor's authority to apply for, administer, and expend grants, gifts, or payments in aid of disaster prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery.