HF 2832

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/13/2023 10:12am

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; authorizing grants to county attorneys to reduce criminal
caseload backlogs and fund innovative initiatives; requiring a report; appropriating
money.

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

Section 1. new text begin COUNTY ATTORNEY CRIMINAL CASELOAD BACKLOG AND
INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Grants authorized. new text end

new text begin (a) The county attorney criminal caseload backlog
and innovation grant program is established. The commissioner of public safety through
the Office of Justice Programs shall award grants to county attorneys to fund initiatives
designed to decrease criminal caseload backlogs, reduce recidivism, or reduce future criminal
caseloads. Grant recipients may use the funds to hire and train additional attorneys, paralegals,
law clerks, or other support staff and to purchase equipment and supplies needed to:
new text end

new text begin (1) establish or expand pretrial or precharge diversion programs;
new text end

new text begin (2) assist in the review of body camera footage; or
new text end

new text begin (3) assist in researching, preparing, and executing data-based changes in the use of
prosecutorial discretion intended to reduce recidivism or create ongoing criminal caseload
reductions, or both.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall give preference to applicants that:
new text end

new text begin (1) demonstrate the most severe backlog of cases relative to the size of the county; and
new text end

new text begin (2) seek to fund data-based initiatives designed to systemically and permanently reduce
recidivism and criminal caseloads.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must grant at least 30 percent of the funds appropriated to this
program to county attorneys from counties outside of the 11-county metropolitan area.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Application for grants. new text end

new text begin A county attorney may apply to the commissioner of
public safety for a grant for any of the purposes described in subdivision 1. The application
must be on a form provided by the commissioner and comply with requirements developed
by the commissioner. The applicant must describe the intended uses of the funds, estimate
the amount of funds required, and include any other information required by the
commissioner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Awards; limitations. new text end

new text begin No award granted under subdivision 1 shall exceed
$250,000.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reports. new text end

new text begin (a) A county attorney who receives a grant under this section shall
file a report with the commissioner of public safety by September 1, 2024. The report must
itemize how the county attorney expended the grant funds, identify the purpose of the
expenditures, and explain how successful the funded initiatives were at decreasing criminal
caseload backlogs, lowering recidivism, and sustaining criminal caseload reductions.
new text end

new text begin (b) By January 1, 2025, the commissioner of public safety shall report to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over
criminal justice policy and funding on the implementation, use, and administration of the
grant programs created under this section.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin COUNTY ATTORNEY CRIMINAL CASELOAD BACKLOG AND
INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $8,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of public safety for the county attorney criminal caseload backlog and innovation grant
program. The commissioner may use up to four percent of this amount to administer the
program.
new text end