New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham hosted a "signing ceremony" last week to commemorate the signing of Senate Bills 256 and 90 which will allow rural firefighters to have access to the funding they need. 

The governor was joined during the ceremony with  Santa Fe County Fire personnel, leaders from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the press release said. 

“Our department was proud to work with the Governor, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, state legislators, and countless firefighters and advocates to make this legislation possible,” Homeland Security and Emergency Management Secretary Bianca Ortiz-Wertheim, said in a press release. “Now, these funds can go where they are most needed and where they can do the most good.”

According to the press release from the governor's office, SB 256 will allow for local fire departments to have access to funds that once would have been transfer to the General Funding, leaving the money inaccessible when needed by departments. 

SB 256 will now allow for departments to access 100% of available capital in the Fire Protection Fund instead of the funds having to be reverted back to the General Fund, leaving many rural fire departments without funding, the release said. Firefighters lost out on nearly $13 million last Fiscal Year because of an old law before SB 256 was passed. 

SB 256, sponsored by Sen. William Burt (R-Otero) and Rep. Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena), passed both the House and the Senate with unanimous votes, according to the press release.