Bill Text: DE HB354 | 2015-2016 | 148th General Assembly | Draft

Delaware House Bill 354 (Prior Session Legislation)

Draft

Bill Title: An Act To Rescind And Reallocate Certain Settlement Funds To Provide A Supplemental Appropriation Of Such Funds To The State Aid To Local Law Enforcement Committee With Certain Conditions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 18-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-05-03 - Introduced and Assigned to House Administration Committee in House [HB354 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2015-HB354-Draft.html

SPONSOR:	Rep. D. Short & Rep. Smyk & Rep. Hudson & Sen. Hocker;
	Reps. Briggs King, Collins, Dukes, Gray, Kenton, Ramone, Spiegelman, Wilson, Yearick; Sens. Lavelle, Lawson, Pettyjohn, Richardson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 354

AN ACT TO RESCIND AND REALLOCATE CERTAIN SETTLEMENT FUNDS TO PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF SUCH FUNDS TO THE STATE AID TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE WITH CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

WHEREAS, on December 2, 2015 the Joint Finance Committee allocated $2,095,169 in bank settlement funds, $1,515,600 of which were conditionally directed to the City of Wilmington for increased foot patrols and crime data analysis; and

WHEREAS, these funds were to be allocated with the recommendation of the Attorney General's Office in an effort to reduce crime that has plagued Delaware's largest city; and

WHEREAS, the receipt of these funds by the City of Wilmington was contingent on City leaders satisfying conditions with which they were at odds; and

WHEREAS, City of Wilmington officials have indicated that the City will not be utilizing these funds.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Three-fourths of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1.The conditional allocation of settlement funds to the City of Wilmington through the Joint Finance Committee Vote of December 2, 2015 to allocate bank settlement funds is hereby rescinded with regard to the $1,515,600 allocated to the City of Wilmington and re-allocated and appropriated as follows:

1.The $1,515,600 is hereby appropriated to the State Aid to Local Law Enforcement Committee for aid to local law enforcement programs (S.A.L.L.E) to be used for Emergency Illegal Drug Enforcement Programs (E.I.D.E) and subject to the standard conditions and procedures for distributing such grants.

2.As the City of Dover received $579,569 in settlement funds from the December 2, 2015 Joint Finance Committee vote, the City of Dover Police Department is ineligible for receipt of the funds appropriated herein.

3.Each police department shall be eligible for a minimum grant of $10,000, plus an additional $1,073 for each police officer employed by the department.

4.The City of Wilmington Police Department is eligible for receipt of the grants provided herein.

5.In addition to any other use of the funds permitted under E.I.D.E., police agencies may use funds granted herein to purchase Naloxone and to provide training to police officers in its use

6.Grant proposals made to the S.A.L.L.E. Committee by police agencies seeking funds appropriated under this measure shall include in their applications at least one aspect of how the award would be used to curtail the illicit sale, distribution and trafficking of heroin and/or other opioid drugs.

SYNOPSIS

This bill rescinds the $1,515,600 in bank settlement funds previously allocated to the City of Wilmington by the Joint Finance Committee due to the City's decision not to accept the funds as conditioned.The funds will now be distributed consisted with annual grant-in-aid funds offered to the State Aid to Local Enforcement Committee for the Emergency Illegal Drug Enforcement Program.There are specific conditions with these funds, including the exclusion of Dover due to its receipt of $579,569 in settlement funds that were not rescinded.