Florida Senate - 2018                                     SB 748
       
       
        
       By Senators Grimsley and Stargel
       
       
       
       
       
       26-00465B-18                                           2018748__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Back-the-Blue Law Enforcement
    3         Assistance Program; creating s. 943.1719, F.S.;
    4         creating the Back-the-Blue Law Enforcement Assistance
    5         Program within the Department of Law Enforcement;
    6         specifying the purpose of and funding for the program;
    7         creating the Law Enforcement Assistance Commission
    8         within the department; authorizing the commission to
    9         determine specified criteria and requirements for and
   10         recipients of the program; providing an effective
   11         date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 943.1719, Florida Statutes, is created
   16  to read:
   17         943.1719 Back-the-Blue Law Enforcement Assistance Program.—
   18         (1) There is created the Back-the-Blue Law Enforcement
   19  Assistance Program within the department to provide awards to
   20  local law enforcement agencies to support their training efforts
   21  and equipment and capital improvements needs. Awards shall be
   22  provided if funds are appropriated for that purpose by law.
   23         (2) The Law Enforcement Assistance Commission, a commission
   24  as defined in s. 20.03, is created within the department to
   25  establish program criteria, establish time periods for the
   26  acceptance of applications, establish and conduct a selection
   27  process, and make awards to recipients.
   28         (a) The commission is composed of the following members:
   29         1. The executive director of the department, or his or her
   30  designee, who shall serve as the chair; and
   31         2. Two sheriffs and two police chiefs, each appointed by
   32  the Governor.
   33         (b) For initial appointments of members specified in
   34  subparagraph (a)2., one sheriff and one police chief shall be
   35  appointed to serve 2-year terms. Thereafter, each such member
   36  shall be appointed to serve a 4-year term.
   37         (3) Funds specifically appropriated for the program shall
   38  be awarded annually by the commission to local law enforcement
   39  agencies. The total awards may not exceed the funding
   40  appropriated for the program.
   41         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.