EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0893*
SENATE BILL 893
E4 2lr2141
CF HB 1013
By: Senator Smith
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2022
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings and Budget and Taxation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Safer Communities Fund and Task Force – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Safer Communities Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund 3
to provide grant assistance to local governments for investments in noncarceral 4
safety; establishing the Safer Communities Task Force to promote noncarceral 5
strategies for safety; and generally relating to the Safer Communities Fund and the 6
Safer Communities Task Force. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Public Safety 9
Section 4–1601 through 4–1604 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 16. Safer 10
Communities Fund” 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Public Safety 16
SUBTITLE 16. SAFER COMMUNITIES FUND. 17
4–1601. 18
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 19
INDICATED. 20
(B) “EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR” MEANS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE 21
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION, YOUTH, AND VICTIM SERVICES. 22
2 SENATE BILL 893
(C) “FUND” MEANS THE SAFER COMMUNITIES FUND. 1
4–1602. 2
(A) THERE IS A SAFER COMMUNITIES FUND. 3
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE GR ANT ASSISTANCE TO 4
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PROMOTE ROBUST AND H OLISTIC INVESTMENTS IN 5
NONCARCERAL SAFETY . 6
(C) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL ADMINI STER THE FUND. 7
(D) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 8
SUBJECT TO REVERSION UNDER § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND 9
PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 10
(2) THE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY , AND THE 11
COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE FUND. 12
(E) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 13
(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED I N THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; AND 14
(2) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 15
THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 16
(F) THE FUND MAY BE USED TO S UPPORT: 17
(1) MENTAL HEALTH RESPON SE CRISIS TEAMS; 18
(2) SAFETY INFRASTRUCTUR E, INCLUDING LIGHTING ; 19
(3) PILOT PROGRAMS THAT SHIFT THE RESPONSE TO LOW –LEVEL 20
CRIMES OR NONCRIMINA L INCIDENCES FROM PO LICE; AND 21
(4) OTHER PROGRAMS AIMED AT PREVENTING A POLI CE RESPONSE 22
TO LOW–LEVEL CRIMES AND NON CRIMINAL INCIDENCES . 23
(G) THE FUND MAY NOT BE USED TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF A POLICE 24
FORCE OR INCREASE TH E USE OF POLICE OR S URVEILLANCE OF COMMU NITIES. 25
4–1603. 26
SENATE BILL 893 3
(A) EACH LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT APPLIES FOR A G RANT FROM THE 1
FUND SHALL APPOINT A SAFER COMMUNITIES ADVISORY BOARD. 2
(B) THE ADVISORY BOARD SH ALL INCLUDE INDIVIDU ALS WHO ARE 3
DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY CRIMINAL AND LEGAL H ARM AND REPRESENT TH E 4
DIVERSITY OF THE LOC AL JURISDICTION . 5
(C) THE ADVISORY BOARD SH ALL ENGAGE THE PUBLI C, HOLD PUBLIC 6
HEARINGS, AND MAKE RECOMMENDAT IONS TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT R ELATING 7
TO THE FUNDING OF CO MMUNITY SAFETY PROJE CTS. 8
(D) BEFORE A LOCAL GOVERN MENT USES ANY GRANT FUNDS, THE 9
ADVISORY BOARD SHALL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARIN G TO RECEIVE INPUT F ROM THE 10
COMMUNITY ON SPECIFI C USES FOR THE GRANT FUNDS. 11
4–1604. 12
ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR, EACH LOCAL GOVERNMEN T THAT 13
RECEIVES GRANT FUNDS FROM THE FUND SHALL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 14
SAFER COMMUNITIES ADVISORY BOARD OF THE LOCAL GO VERNMENT, SUBMIT TO 15
THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION, YOUTH, AND VICTIM SERVICES 16
A REPORT ON: 17
(1) HOW FUNDS ARE USED ; 18
(2) GOALS RELATED TO THE FUND; AND 19
(3) OTHER METRICS DETERM INED AS RELEVANT TO THE FUND. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 21
(a) There is a Safer Communities Task Force. 22
(b) The Task Force consists of members selected by the Executive Director of the 23
Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services, or the Executive 24
Director’s designee. 25
(c) The Task Force shall elect the chair of the Task Force from among its members 26
by a majority vote at the first meeting. 27
(d) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services shall 28
provide staff for the Task Force. 29
(e) A member of the Task Force: 30
4 SENATE BILL 893
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 1
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 2
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 3
(f) The Task Force shall: 4
(1) study holistic, non–carceral approaches to community safety statewide, 5
including across the State government and State agencies; 6
(2) research non–carceral strategies to increase safety; and 7
(3) make recommendations relating to non –carceral approaches to 8
community safety, including recommendations to assist relevant local programs. 9
(g) On or before December 31, 2022, the Task Force shall report its findings and 10
recommendations to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 11
Government Article. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2022. Section 2 of this Act shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, 14
at the end of July 31, 2023, Section 2 of this Act, with no further action required by the 15
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 16