(a) The State Fire Prevention Commission may:

(1)

(A) Obtain all necessary information from fire departments, police or sheriffs' departments, the Department of Arkansas State Police, other state agencies, clinics, insurance companies, or any other person with regard to fire, its causes, and its methods of prevention.

(B)

(i) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, information furnished under this subsection shall be confidential and maintained as such if so requested by the persons providing the information.

(ii) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the use of confidential information to prepare statistics or other general data when it is presented so as to prevent identification of the source of information; and

(2) Receive and expend funds obtained from the federal government or other sources by means of contracts, grants, awards, gifts, and other devices in support of fire-prevention-related scientific and technical programs, studies, or other operations beneficial to the state.

(b) The commission shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(1) Develop a plan for statewide fire prevention, including plans for urban and rural fire prevention;

(2) Develop and maintain a fire prevention database upon which decisions concerning fire prevention and policy may intelligently be made;

(3) Identify state needs relative to fire prevention, including specific needs of urban and rural areas;

(4) Recommend actions to meet identified state needs relative to fire prevention;

(5) Monitor and review the effectiveness of existing and proposed fire prevention programs;

(6) Maintain an awareness of fire prevention research and development of importance to the state in order to promote information exchange and coordination of efforts;

(7) Recommend legislative and executive action to encourage development of fire prevention resources and the efficient utilization of the resources;

(8) Administer a public fire prevention awareness program to inform the public of the importance and methods of fire prevention;

(9) Advise the General Assembly, the Governor, the State Fire Marshal, the Arkansas Forestry Commission, the Director of the Arkansas Fire Training Academy, the Director of the Department of Arkansas State Police, and the Insurance Commissioner on fire prevention and program matters of importance to each;

(10) Advise on the delegation of responsibilities to state agencies responsible for fire prevention and policy and recommend resolution of conflicts between the various agencies on fire prevention matters;

(11) Develop an annual report on the activities of the State Fire Prevention Commission and transmit the report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before November 30 annually; and

(12) Coordinate activities with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and any of the other federal or state agencies involved with fire prevention matters.