Collection and administration of fee; disposition of funds.

The fee provided in this part shall be levied, collected, administered, and enforced at the same time, in the same manner, and under the same requirements and laws as state ad valorem taxes. The officials collecting or assessing the fee shall be entitled to the same fees and compensation as are provided for collecting and assessing ad valorem taxes. The proceeds of the fee shall be paid into the county general fund. Within 30 days after payment into the county general fund, the county governing body shall pay the funds to the Lawrence County Firefighters and Rapid Responders, Inc., hereafter referred to as the county association. The county association shall distribute the funds among all eligible volunteer fire departments as follows:

(1) Fifty percent of the money shall be divided equally among all eligible volunteer fire departments.

(2) Fifty percent of the money shall be divided according to a percentage based upon the number of owners of dwellings and commercial buildings in a fire district compared to the total number of owners of dwellings and commercial buildings in the county as a whole. The county association may establish rules and procedures regarding the transfer, accounting, and handling of the funds, and the assessing of administration costs.

(Act 92-409, p. 838, §5.)