August 1, 2007, Introduced by Reps. LeBlanc, Cushingberry and Sak and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
A bill to create a public safety officer grant program; to
prescribe certain powers and duties of the Michigan commission on
law enforcement standards and the department of state police; and
to create certain funds.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. As used in this act:
(a) "Certified law enforcement officer" means a law
enforcement officer certified by the commission under the law
enforcement officers training council act of 1965, 1965 PA 203, MCL
28.601 to 28.616.
(b) "Commission" means the Michigan commission on law
enforcement standards created in Executive Reorganization Order No.
2001-2, MCL 28.621.
(c) "Firefighter" means a regularly employed member of a fire
department of a local unit of government who is employed to fight
fires.
(d) "Fund" means the public safety officer grant fund created
in section 8.
(e) "Local unit of government" means a city, village,
township, or county.
Sec. 2. (1) The commission shall establish a public safety
officer grant program. The program shall provide funding to local
units of government in this state for the costs of employing
certified law enforcement officers and firefighters. The commission
shall make the grants described in this act.
(2) Each grant made under this act shall cover 50% of the
annual cost of employing either 1 full-time certified law
enforcement officer or 1 full-time firefighter in that local unit
of government. As a condition of receiving a grant under this act,
the local unit of government shall expend matching funds in the
same amount to cover the remaining 50% of that cost.
Sec. 3. (1) A local unit of government may apply for a grant
pertaining to a law enforcement officer under this act only if the
number of full-time certified law enforcement officers employed by
the local unit of government on the date of application is less
than the number of full-time certified law enforcement officers
employed by the local unit of government on September 11, 2001.
(2) A local unit of government may apply for a grant
pertaining to a firefighter under this act only if the number of
full-time firefighters employed by the local unit of government on
the date of application is less than the number of full-time
firefighters employed by the local unit of government on September
11, 2001.
Sec. 4. (1) A local unit of government may be awarded not more
than 15 grants in any 1 state fiscal year.
(2) Once a grant has been awarded to a local unit of
government, the local unit of government may apply to the
commission each subsequent fiscal year to renew that grant.
Sec. 6. (1) The department shall not expend more than 90% of
the total amount in the fund in any state fiscal year on the public
safety officer grant program.
(2) Of the total amount in the fund in any fiscal year, not
more than 1/6 of that amount may be expended for grants to pay
costs of employing firefighters.
Sec. 7. Within 6 months after the effective date of this act,
the commission shall establish an application and review process
for considering grant applications under this act. The application
shall contain the information required by the commission. Within 60
days after receiving an administratively complete grant
application, the commission shall, in writing, notify the applicant
whether the application is approved or rejected. If the commission
approves a grant under this act, the commission shall enter into a
grant agreement with the recipient before transferring funds. The
grant agreement shall contain terms established by the commission.
Sec. 8. (1) The public safety officer grant fund is created
within the state treasury.
(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from
any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall
direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit
to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.
(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall
remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.
(4) The department of state police shall be the administrator
of the fund for auditing purposes.
(5) The commission shall expend money from the fund, upon
appropriation, only for grants as provided under this act.