SF 1138

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 02:18am

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 a task force;
providing for 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
transmitter. 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 Lifesaver advisory task force. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of public safety
must convene a task force to facilitate the coordination and implementation of lifesaver
programs. When funding for the lifesaver grants becomes available, the task force shall
advise the commissioner on the development and administration of the grant program.
The commissioner shall appoint five persons from various geographic areas of the state to
the task force. The task force must be composed of at least one member experienced in an
area of mental impairment, one member experienced in the area of law enforcement, and
one member experienced in the development of a lifesaver or similar program.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding section 15.059, the task force does not expire.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. 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 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. 4. new text end

new text begin Grant awards. new text end

new text begin To the extent funds are available, the commissioner, in
consultation with the advisory task force under subdivision 2, may award grants of up to
$....... to eligible applicants to develop a new lifesaver program and up to $....... to eligible
applicants to expand an existing program. If eligible applicants exceed the funds available,
all grants must be reduced proportionately so that each eligible applicant receives the same
proportion of the amount for which the applicant was eligible. 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. 5. 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, 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. 6. 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 appropriations. 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. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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, 2012, 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 2010 and $....... in fiscal year 2011 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