AN ACT to provide an appropriation to the attorney general for a peace officer and correctional officer appreciation grant program; and to provide for a legislative management report.
Summary
HB 1193 appropriates $3.5 million from the state’s strategic investment and improvements fund to the attorney general for a new peace officer and correctional officer appreciation grant program for the 2025-27 biennium. The attorney general would distribute grants to city and county law enforcement agencies based on the number of licensed peace officers and correctional officers they employ, with a floor of at least $750,000 reserved for agencies with 10 or fewer law enforcement-capacity employees.
The money must be used for retention bonuses for current peace officers and correctional officers, as well as tuition and fee payments for law enforcement trainees. The bill also requires the attorney general to submit an interim report to legislative management during the 2025-26 interim on how the funds were used, how many grants were made, the average bonus amounts, and other program outcomes. The appropriation is designated as one-time funding.
Impact
The bill creates a new, temporary grant program administered by the attorney general and directs state funds to local city and county law enforcement agencies and correctional-related personnel. It does not broadly rewrite criminal justice statutes, but it does affect state spending authority and establishes a targeted funding mechanism for recruitment and retention in public safety agencies. The bill also creates a reporting requirement to evaluate program effectiveness and inform future legislative decisions.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable support, as reflected by strong bipartisan vote margins in both chambers. House and Senate second-reading votes were well above the threshold for passage, suggesting broad agreement on the need to support law enforcement and correctional staffing. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the voting history indicates overall positive sentiment.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is the use of state surplus or investment funds for bonuses and training support rather than for other budget priorities. Another possible issue is the distribution formula, which favors agencies based on staffing levels while also reserving a minimum amount for smaller agencies, raising questions about equity between large and small jurisdictions. Any debate would likely center on whether retention bonuses and tuition assistance are the best use of one-time funding and whether the program should be temporary or ongoing.