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Lawmakers consider stiffer penalties to compel payment to local hazmat teams after unpaid bills
Summary
HB 179 would raise late-payment penalties for parties responsible for hazardous‑materials response costs, aiming to ensure municipal fire and hazmat teams are reimbursed for contaminated gear and cleanup expenses.
Republican Representative Mark Prew (Hillsborough 15) introduced HB 179, which would change the payment and penalty timeline for the people or businesses responsible for hazardous-material incidents. Under current law an invoice for a municipal response that is not paid can generate a fixed penalty; the bill would raise that to a daily penalty after a 90‑day grace period until the invoice — plus interest and an added percentage penalty — is paid, with collected penalties remitted to the local municipality.
Prew and public-safety witnesses said unpaid invoices create a resource shortfall for local departments. “To replace a set of turnout gear is between $700…
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