SF 96

as introduced - 91st Legislature, 2020 1st Special Session (2019 - 2020) Posted on 06/17/2020 07:39am

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; establishing an alternative to public safety emergency
response grant program to replace law enforcement responders when appropriate;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
299A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [299A.375] ALTERNATIVE TO POLICE; PUBLIC SAFETY
EMERGENCY RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Program established. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of public safety shall make
grants to cities or counties to create alternative public safety emergency response programs
to respond to 911 calls and other situations that traditionally have resulted in a dispatch of
peace officers. An eligible city or county shall detail to the commissioner a plan to create
and staff such an office to replace the primary use of peace officers in a specified situation
or situations with professionals appropriately trained to deal with the emergency. Examples
of this include but are not limited to assigning mental health professionals to calls involving
individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, chemical dependency or health care
professionals to assist persons experiencing problems related to overdoses or substance
abuse, and social workers to situations involving people experiencing homelessness. The
alternative public safety emergency response professionals may call for the dispatch of
peace officers if necessary to protect the safety of those involved.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Local match. new text end

new text begin Funds transferred by a city or county from law enforcement
services to a qualified alternative public safety emergency responder program shall qualify
for matching funds from the grant program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By January 15 of every odd-numbered year, the commissioner of public
safety shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and
house of representatives committees and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal justice
on the grant program. The report must detail the number of grants made and the amount of
the grants, the grant recipients, what alternative police services were funded by the grants,
and an assessment of the results of the grants.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Administrative costs. new text end

new text begin The commissioner may use up to two percent of the
biennial appropriation for this program to pay costs incurred by the department in
administering it.
new text end

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

new text begin $....... is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, from the general fund to
the commissioner of public safety for the grant program described in section 1. This money
is added to the department's base budget.
new text end