HF 1056

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/07/2015 12:28pm

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; establishing a grant program to assist local law
enforcement agencies to develop or expand lifesaver programs that locate lost
or wandering persons who are mentally impaired; authorizing rulemaking;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 299C.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [299C.563] LIFESAVER GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Grant program. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of public safety shall establish
a lifesaver grant program to assist local law enforcement agencies with the costs of
developing lifesaver rapid response programs designed to quickly find individuals with
medical conditions that cause wandering and result in many of these individuals becoming
lost and missing. The search and rescue program must electronically track a lost or
missing vulnerable senior citizen or an individual who is mentally impaired due to autism,
Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, or other mental impairment that causes wandering.
The lifesaver program participant wears a small transmitter on the wrist to allow the local
law enforcement agency to electronically locate the participant, if necessary, using a radio
receiver. Grants may be awarded to new and existing programs. The commissioner shall
administer and promote the grant program throughout the state and serve as liaison to
lifesaver programs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Application; eligibility. new text end

new text begin A county law enforcement agency or two or
more county, or county and city law enforcement agencies may apply for a grant to
the commissioner of public safety for a grant in a form and manner established by the
commissioner. The application must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) an estimate of the number of people who might qualify for lifesaver assistance;
new text end

new text begin (2) an estimate of the start-up cost for new programs or expansion costs for existing
programs;
new text end

new text begin (3) a statement of the number of personnel available for tracking lost persons;
new text end

new text begin (4) a statement of available local funding sources; and
new text end

new text begin (5) other information requested by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grant awards. new text end

new text begin To the extent funds are available, the commissioner may
award, on a first-come, first-served basis, grants of up to $4,000 to eligible applicants
to develop a new lifesaver program and up to $2,000 to eligible applicants to expand
an existing program. Recipients developing a new lifesaver program shall be given
priority over recipients expanding an existing program. Grant recipients must be located
throughout the state to the extent feasible and consistent with this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Uses of grant award. new text end

new text begin (a) A grant recipient may use an award only for
the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) to purchase emergency response kits, which shall include, at a minimum,
equipment necessary to track and triangulate searches, transmitters, receivers, or any
other related equipment; and
new text end

new text begin (2) to train search personnel.
new text end

new text begin (b) A grant recipient shall manage and provide for the operating costs of the lifesaver
program after its initial development or expansion based on whether the grant is to
develop a new program or expand an existing program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Lifesaver grant program account. new text end

new text begin The lifesaver grant program account
is established in the state treasury. The account shall consist of contributions from
private sources and state money when appropriated. Money deposited in the account is
appropriated to the commissioner of public safety for the purposes of this section. Money
in the account that is not expended in the fiscal year in which it is appropriated does not
revert to the general fund but is available until expended.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Rulemaking authority. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of public safety may adopt
rules under chapter 14 as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section
including, at least, the annual deadline for submitting applications for a grant, procedures
for reporting search and rescue statistics using technology obtained with a grant, and
procedures for implementing or expanding a lifesaver program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Report by local agencies. new text end

new text begin A grant recipient shall file a report with the
commissioner itemizing the expenditures made to develop or expand its lifesaver program
and how the recipient will provide for continued operating costs of the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Report to legislature. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall report to the house
of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over public safety by
January 15, 2018, on the coordination and implementation of lifesaver programs and the
implementation, use, and administration of the grant program under this section.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2016 and $....... in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of public safety for the purposes of the lifesaver grant
program under section 1.
new text end